Stephen Gard talks about Once Upon a Hume

That's author Stephen Gard's insight after delving into the stories behind the old Hume Highway. The road's construction is just one aspect of his two-volume self-published book, Once Upon a Hume.

"The intent is to bring the old Hume landscape alive - to bring out the colour stories. It's also about the forgotten people and the overlooked," Mr Gard told The Post.

He was speaking at a Goulburn Soldiers Club talk on Sunday, which some 30 people attended.

The work's subtitle, Tales of Rascals and Wretches, Heroes and Heroines, Travellers, Tragedies, Trivia, Places and Prominence, is just a taster.

Goulburn's Jacob Knopp, for example, was a hero, or in Mr Gard's words, "a community builder." Known as 'old Jacob,' he was an influential teacher at Goulburn North Public School, shaping youngsters' lives and even saving them from drowning.

He was also a dab cricketer, handy debater, a Lieder Theatre actor, was prominent in the catholic community and helped to establish the Goulburn Saint Vincent de Paul Society.

When Knopp died in 1945, Goulburn North school students lined the kerbside as the funeral cortege passed.

He was one of the city's great characters who also brought out the best in youth.

The annual billycart derby also did its bit, Mr Gard said. Organised by Apex in 1940 as a fundraiser, children raced their carts from the Gill Memorial Boys Home south along Auburn Street to Clinton Street.

"The derbies were getting so elaborate that the ordinary backyard, box-bashing lad was being excluded," the author wrote.

The old Hume Highway helped to connect communities and develop social fabric. But it wasn't always smooth driving.

Goods were constantly travelling the thoroughfare. Mr Gard said a coaching company based in Goulburn and Bowral ran between the two towns.

"A cartel was dead against the company and placed notices in the press rubbishing them," he said.

Marulan also wins strong mention for its quarries and sandstone, used in some of Sydney's great buildings. Then there's the Arthursleigh murder mystery, a long and winding story with a twist.

The book drops in on towns along the old Great South Road, reviving their stories. Copies are available from the Argyle Emporium, 260 Sloane Street.

Stephen Gard didn't deliberately set out to write a book about the Hume Highway's history.

The Royal Australian Historical Society commissioned a book on the highway in 2013. It wrote to all historical societies along the route for contributions. Mr Gard, then living in Picton, submitted a piece and volunteered to write more if necessary.

The RAHS later discovered it had omitted Yerrinbool, Yanderra and Alpine and asked Mr Gard to cover them.

"Then one month later, they said they wanted me to write about the Yass to Gundagai section. I ended up writing half the book," he said.

"I discovered a host of information and then wrote a traveller's companion of the Hume. It was the stories and colour that interested me."

The Thirlmere man and professional author turned his attention to a three-volume work about the highway, based on sections. Volume two, released last year, covers Mittagong to Goulburn. Volume three, from Goulburn to Yass, will be released in October.

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