This is Weston’s 'Historic Town Centre', where Aberdare Street (later named Cessnock Road) and Station Street pulsed with life around 1910. These two main streets hosted shops, services, and community spaces that shaped our town and spirit. Our ancestors who helped build Weston were determined individuals and never shied away from hard work. This is obvious from the number of businesses established at this early date. The mud map below charts this early commercial hub, while streetscape photographs capture Aberdare Street/Cessnock Road and Station Street through those early decades. Explore these images to relive Weston’s historic past.
See also: A Year's Progress and Services & Establishments
Above: The Weston NSW 'Mud Map' - c.1910
This drawing shows the services and businesses already established in Aberdare St. (Cessnock Rd.) and Station St. Weston NSW c.1910.
~ Coalfields Local History Association
Above: Aberdare St./Cessnock Rd. looking east towards the Aberdare Hotel - c.1910-1915
Likely photographed from the upper floor balcony of the Weston Fruit Palace (now Ice Box Liquor) that opened in 1911. Kurri Kurri is in the distance, The awnings seen on the right may have belonged to a boot maker, tailor and auctioneer/furniture retailer. On the left looking towards the Aberdare Hotel is the Co-op Store butchery purchased from T.J. Fogarty Butchers c.1914. The next awning before the hotel was a bicycle shop. The shop fronts seen in this photograph have all disappeared over the decades but the thriving nature of the young Weston township back then was quite apparent.
~ Coalfields Heritage Group
Above: Looking east along Aberdare St./Cessnock Rd. Weston NSW from the Criterion Hotel -1920s-1930s
~Bill Ruddick Collection via Coalfields Local History Assoc.
This is the intersection of Cessnock Road and Station Street during the 1920s-30s. On the near left is the Criterion Hotel and heading east on the opposite corner is the white tiled frontage of Mrs Hales's shop, once the Mark, Murdoch & Co. Emporium. Further east are the steep rooflines of the Langley buildings and then across the lane the tall parapet wall and awning of the Pass tearooms and shop. Further along is the Co-op Butchery and the Aberdare Hotel.
On the near right with the car parked on the footpath is the Weston Police Station. Across Station Street can be seen a vacant block, a private residence, then some kind of repairs, next not discernable, Weston Fruit Palace and other awnings that may have belonged to a boot maker, tailor and auctioneer/furniture retailer.
For history and photographs of the two hotels, see: Middies & Memories
Above: Aberdare St. / Cessnock Rd. looking west from the Aberdare Hotel - after 1912
The Criterion Hotel is in the distance on the right. The Weston Co-op Store is on the left in the distance.
~ Cessnock City Library
Left side:
In the photograph above, the small awning in the near left foreground is Mrs. Hales’s original shop at 40 Aberdare Street (Cessnock Road) before she moved along to the corner opposite the Criterion Hotel. He shop at 40 Aberdare Street (Cessnock Road) was where the initial meetings were held in 1908 to form the Soccer clubs. The street off to the left is Scott Street (now only a pathway). Mrs Hales later moved into the building on the corner of Station Street and Cessnock Road formerly known as Mark, Murdoch & Co. Emporium. See Services & Establishments
Next going west was an Auctioneers rooms: perhaps W. Morgan? He was established as an Auctioneer in Weston by 1904 and was also an agent for the Newcastle Morning Herald.
Next appears to be a house with a white picket fence, then a hairdressers and the two story structure built by Mena Vartholomaios that opened in 1911. This building became Weston Fruit Palace. In about 1916, this shop was purchased by the Zantiotis brothers: Peter, Jack and Tony, who immigrated to Australia from the Greek island of Kythera. See Services & Establishments . This building became the Weston Miners' Hall in 1940s and later in the 1950s was the Weston Ambulance Station. Directly next to these premises was a billiard room also owned by the Zantiotis family, which later became the Weston RSL.
Further west, and barely discernible near the Station Street intersection, is the original 'Geordie Log’ with someone sitting on it. On the opposite corner still looking west but with the building facing east, is the Weston Police Station that was on that site by 1910. An article in the Newcastle Herald in 1904 titled 'Weston - A Years Progress' suggests an earlier Police Station was in First Street by 1904: 'The local police station is in First Street, and is in charge of Mounted Constable Reen, formerly of Kempsey.' The last Weston Police Station was also in First Street, Weston and ceased operations 13 Jul 1975. See Services & Establishments page.
Further in the distance can be seen the Weston branch of the Kurri Kurri Co.op Society which opened in 1912.
Right side:
Looking west from the Aberdare Hotel balcony: in the near foreground is the Weston Meat Palace established in 1903 by T. J. Fogarty. He was the first Butcher in Weston. See Services & Establishments. The Weston Co-op Society purchased these premises for their Weston Butchery around 1914.
Further west at the Station Street intersection another awning is visible, possibly Pass's premises and then Mark, Murdoch Emporium. Across Station Street on the corner is the Criterion Hotel. See Services & Establishments
Above: Looking west down Aberdare St./Cessnock Rd. c.1926.
The Aberdare Hotel is on the near right and the Criterion can be seen in the distance on the right.
~ Coalfields Heritage Group - Original donor: Weston Workers Club
See: Middies & Memories
Above: Station Street Weston NSW - looking north from the railway c.1908-10?
Looking north on Station St., Weston NSW, the awning of Goulds Timber is in the near left foreground. These premises later became the Weston Co-op Store Timber Yards. The Criterion Hotel can be seen further north at the Aberdare St. (Cessnock Rd) intersection. On the right of the photo are a Draper and Newsagent/Stationer, and on the corner of Aberdare St. (Cessnock Rd), with Green Coupons sign on awning, is the Mark, Murdoch & Co. Emporium.
~ Coalfields Heritage Group
Above: Station Street Weston NSW, looking south towards the railway - before 1909
There was no water tank at the railway station at this time. The light-coloured structure across the railway line in the middle distance was likely the Westonite Explosives Factory. The 2-storey Criterion Hotel is on the right, the Olympia was not yet built (opened in 1914) and looking north, the triple frontage shops are near right. They still stand in 2025 but without the awning. On the near left, the white picket fence on the corner of First and Station Streets is where a very early Cordial Factory was located. Next on the left looking south was possibly a butcher, bicycle shop, vacant lot and then the posts of Mark, Murdoch & Co. Emporium awning can be at the Aberdare St./Cessnock Rd. intersection
~ Coalfields Heritage Group
Above: Looking south towards the Railway and A. A. Co. Water Tower from Station St. - after 1909
Intersection of Aberdare St./Cessnock Rd. and Station St., Weston NSW
The Water Tower was installed after 1909. Mark, Murdoch & Co. Emporium is near left. The white roof of the Westonite Explosives Factory in centre looking past the water tower.
~ Ed Tonks Collection
Above: Station Street Weston NSW looking south towards the railway - 1965
A nostalgic streetscape for many! The Green Shop is near left and the railway water tower in the distance. Near right is Kirkwoods Grocery and Bulk Produce. The Olympia and Criterion Hotel can be seen in the distance.
~ Lindsay Bridge See also: Then and Now
These images of Weston’s Historic Town Centre preserve the vibrant legacy of Aberdare Street (Cessnock Road) and Station Streets from the early 1900s. Though time has changed these places, their stories endure in these photographs. Return to our Services & Establishments page to discover the businesses and services that filled these streets, or explore more modern photos of Weston in our Photo Gallery.