Historic Town Centre

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