HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT IND 183 AUGUST 2025 | Page 10

HAWKESBURY HISTORY

with Michelle Nichols & Jonathan Auld

Clarendon’ s Aerodrome Hotel

In the past, Clarendon was home to several hotels including the Chester, Farmers, as well as the Race Course Hotel. From the 1930s and for almost fifty years, a Clarendon hotel was a Hawkesbury landmark. Paying homage to the iconic Royal Australian Air Force Base across the road, it was unsurprisingly named the Aerodrome Hotel.

Located on the corner of what is now known as Hawkesbury Valley Way and Racecourse Road, on the busy road between Windsor and Richmond, the hotel was planned to be modern and superior to any in the district.

When the hotel was first proposed in 1936 there was support as well as opposition. Eventually a special hearing was held at the licensing court held at Windsor in 1937. At that time no new licenses could be granted and the only way a Publican License could be issued, was if another license in the same district, was transferred.

The license for the Aerodrome Hotel came from Macdonald Valley. The Settlers Arms was located in St Albans and had operated from the 1830s, a popular place to break a journey for visitors between Sydney and the Hunter, until the Pacific Highway opened in 1929.

By the 1930s, business at the Settlers Arms was dwindling and despite considerable outrage, the license moved to Clarendon in 1937. The court spent several days taking everything into account, whether the transfer was in the public interest and considering much of the opposition to the proposed hotel due to self-interest from other publicans.

For the residents in the Macdonald Valley, it took over thirty years before another licensee re-opened the Settlers Arms in the 1970s.

Costing about £ 13,000, the Aerodrome

was designed by architect William Lamrock, and construction commenced in 1937. It had a large bar and smaller saloon with 15 bedrooms. The structure also had a circular structure on the corner, with entry way and a verandah on the second storey. In addition to the bedrooms, the balconies served as“ sleep-outs” and there were four garages at the rear.

One of the driving forces behind the establishment of the Aerodrome Hotel was its perfect location. It was close to Clarendon Railway Station, the Hawkesbury Racecourse plus the drawcard, servicing the inhabitants of the Air Force Base. In the early days there fortuitously was an entry to the base opposite the hotel, providing easy access. The first licence was held by Herbert Alexander McLennan but he unfortunately passed away in 1939 and the licence was transferred to his wife, Ethel May McLennan, several weeks after his death.

On weekends, the Hawkesbury was a very popular spot due to its distance from Sydney and most of the local hotels, did a thriving

trade. The Aerodrome was also a popular watering hole for those working or visiting the RAAF Base.

The Liquor Amendment Act 1916, was still operating when the hotel opened, which restricted all hotels to closing early and stop serving alcohol by 6pm. This was known as the infamous‘ six o’ clock swill’ which operated until 1955. Legislation also governed the operation of the hotel and prohibited disorderly behaviour, gambling, or serving intoxicated persons. There were a number of incidents reported between the hotel and the law, particularly serving drinks after closing time. Not long after the death of her husband in 1939, Ethel pleaded guilty at

The Aerodrome Hotel, Clarendon in 1941. Courtesy: Butlin Archives, Australian National University.

Tooth & Company Ltd card. Courtesy: Butlin Archives, Australian National University.

Windsor Court House, for failing to close the hotel. She had arranged a farewell buffet tea for some of the airmen who were being deployed overseas. Ethel’ s licence allowed“ her to serve liquor with meals up to 9pm” but when police entered just after 9pm, drinks were still being served, and the hotel was filled with about sixty drinkers. Ethel was fined £ 20 with a good behaviour bond for twelve months.

The following year, Ethel was charged again after Sergeant Dawes of Windsor, visited the hotel after hours“ and saw several men in the public bar standing at the counter drinking beer.” As Ethel had only been operating the hotel for a few months, the Magistrate was lenient, and she was fined £ 3 / 8 costs. Like other hotels, there were also reports of drunken behaviour, fights, patrons using indecent language and intoxicated drivers.

In 1942 she was charged with allowing betting on a licensed premise. The culprit was her son Herbert but the court was lenient as she was ignorant of the incident. Ethel stayed as the Licensee until 1952 when it was transferred to Ian Smith.

After the Second World War, the Base continued to expand, with the RAAF’ s transport fleet moving to Richmond. By 1952, over 2,000 people were employed at the Base. The maintenance facilities were also upgraded and in 1958 the Hercules transport aircraft arrived.

Over the years, live music was popular at the Aerodrome. In the 1980s musicians such as Billy Haze and Kazna were just some that featured.

Regrettably, the Aerodrome Hotel was destroyed by fire on Sunday 6 December in 1987. At the time the proprietor was Edward Mudford, who reported the fire started about 4.30pm. His sister and another patron went upstairs and quickly alerted the occupants. His own mother was evacuated by the emergency exit at the rear of the hotel.

There were about fifteen people in the hotel and all were evacuated with only a few admitted to hospital with smoke inhalation. The fire burnt for several hours and Edward said he lost everything in the blaze. It was believed the fire started with electrical wiring. The building was condemned after the fire and the remains demolished and for many years the site remained empty.

The Clarendon Tavern was then opened to serve the locals and tourists near the site of the Aerodrome Hotel.

The hotel has been absent from the Clarendon landscape for nearly forty years but for those who recall the building, it remains an enduring reminder of a time gone-by and a link to Hawkesbury’ s heritage.

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10 ISSUE 183 // AUGUST 2025 theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT