The charming village of Gunning sits on the Hume Highway in between Goulburn and Yass. The name is thought to be a derivative of the Aboriginal word "goonong", meaning "swamp mahogany", after the tree with a reddish wood trunk and small white flowers, similar to Spanish Mahogany.

1821 saw the first European contact with the region of Gunning, when Hamilton Hume and a party of four first passed through this area opening up new country. It was from Gunning that Hume and Hovell and six assigned servants set out on an expedition to Port Phillip on October 17, 1824. Hume had formed his station at Gunning which he called "Wooloowandella", however it was his brother John Kennedy Hume who claimed further grants and settled this land. Subsequent generations of Humes obtained and worked the land, and the family has a large association with the history of the area.

Gunning was originally surveyed in 1829 by Assistant Surveyor Robert Dixon. However subdivision and sale of town allotments was not carried out until 1836, under the instruction of Surveyor T.S Townsend. The pioneering years of the town saw little growth, evident in the fact that by 1848 there were only 20 houses and 95 inhabitants. Gunning did not flourish until the railway arrived in 1875. The daily journey carried a mixed cargo of people and goods. Gunning became an important communications centre, as hundreds of bullock teams collected goods from the train to deliver to their consigned destinations. The railway remained the main source of transport until the proliferation of the motor car in the 1850s, and today the train only stops at Gunning station upon request.

Between 1863 and 1865 bushranging was rife in the surrounding hills. Although it was in 1840 that pioneer settler John Kennedy Hume met his death at the hands of the notorious Whitten gang of bushrangers. After hearing of the gang's proximity, Hume rode into town for ammunition to protect his home and family. He was confronted by Whitten or Reynolds as he came out of the store and was shot dead in cold blood. In 1864 Ben Halls's gang held up the mail coach at Big Rock on top of the Gunning Hill, relieving both the passengers and mail of their valuables.

Gunning village is the home of many important historical buildings, including Pye Cottage, the Post Office of 1881, the Court House of 1871 and London House Department Store of 1881. Of particular interest is Caxton House and Caxton Cottage. Originally the one building, they were built in 1850 by John Cooper on land he purchased in 1838 for the humble sum of five pounds, six shillings and eight pence.

Historic sites

Historic buildings such as the Post Office, constructed in 1881, the Telegraph Hotel, the old Court House (now an art gallery) constructed in 1879, the Police Station and Pye Cottage - a home of slab construction built for the Savage family round about 1860, exist in the area. A memorial in Gunning Park serves to remind the visitor of the sacrifice of locals in times of conflict. An obelisk on Fish River Bridge marks the spot where Hamilton Hume and Hovell commenced their expedition on 17th October, 1824. Adjacent to this site, the remains of the pumping station and reservoir can be seen. The Iron Mine, a very low grade ore mine was excavated during the Second World War, but today all that remains is the entrance to the minehead. The Raeburn Homestead, although private property, has been Heritage Listed and can be viewed from the road.

Natural Attractions

Bushwalks in the surrounding ranges of Cullerin and Mundoonen, fossicking in creeks and rivers, and swimming and fishing in the nearby Lake George are just some of the activities that the visitor can indulge in during a stay in Gunning.

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