THE CORNER STORES

The Corner Stores have pride of place on the corner of Main Road and Church Hill Road. It is here that we now find the Walhalla Post Office, Information Centre, and Museum.

The site was first occupied by Cornelius Murphy who built the Shamrock Hotel in 1865. In later years it was renamed the Royal, and then the Long Tunnel Hotel. It was destroyed in the major town fire of 1888. After the fire a Walhalla accountant, Mr Frederick C. Tricks, acquired the land, and the present Corner Stores were completed in 1894. James and William Trembath operated a general store out of the corner shop up until 1929. The shop was then purchased by William Trembath Jr who operated it for many years.

The verandah sign tells us that one Alfred Bliss once operated a business here, combining a Drapery Mart, and the premises of a Wine and Spirit Merchant. But who was Alfred Bliss?

Adjacent to the Corner Stores on the South side is a rather dilapidated shed!

The historic photo shows a Walhalla Township which is hardly recognizable today. However we note at bottom left the old stone wall, the Walhalla Chronicle Print Shop, and The Corner Stores. The Long Tunnel Mine's battery house and settling tanks are shown on what is now Stringer's Park.