Community Relations
Cortona actively sponsor community based ventures. In 2009 the Company handed over a restored gold escort carriage (circa 1859) to the Braidwood Historical Society. It now forms the centrepiece of the ‘Gold Rush Exhibit’, in the Braidwood Museum. The donation of the gold carriage is in line with the Company’s policy of restoring the golden heritage of the district. This year Cortona located and donated the gold box that was originally used on the carriage to store the diggers gold on route to the bank. The gold storage safe complements and completes the exhibit.
The carriage was originally constructed in New York. It has been fully restored retaining much of the original timber and all the original ironwork. The paintwork is to original livery, and the trim is in blue leather to a period design.
The Braidwood Gold Escort Carriage ventured frequently on perilous journeys during the 1860s and 1870s, transporting miner’s gold from the Araluen alluvial Goldfield, through Majors Creek and on to Goulburn. The carriage was fitted with a gold storage safe and cash box securely bolted to the floor. It was usually accompanied by three armed troopers on the coach and escorted by an additional four mounted troopers.
In March 1865 the carriage was held up by the infamous Ben Hall and the Clarke Gang near the top of the escarpment at Majors Creek (Clarks Lookout). The armed escort, including the gold buyer and original carriage owner, Mr Blatchford, managed to fend off the bushrangers despite a vicious gun fight, during which one of the Troopers, Constable Kelly, was shot and injured. Despite the gun battle the Gold Escort entourage managed to hold off the gang of bushrangers until help arrived from the valley below. The bushrangers fled and the Gold Escort carriage continued its journey to Braidwood with its cargo of 3,000 oz of gold intact.
Local Sponsorship
Cortona continues to work closely with the Majors Creek and Braidwood communities in order to cultivate strong relationships with local interest groups, and demonstrate good corporate citizenship. We proudly sponsor the local rugby union team “Redbacks” and support the Majors Creek Progress Society with assistance in projects such as resurfacing the local tennis court playing field and playground construction. Cortona also sponsor a horse race “the Cortona Cup” at the annual Braidwood Jockey Club Meeting. The next race meeting is scheduled for February 2011.
