The first version was constructed on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River but, like Gundagai which is only 39 km away, it was prone to flooding and in the great flood of 1852 it was washed away. Sheahan persisted. He brought stonemasons from Ireland and they constructed the building on a new plot of land of which still stands today.

“Water rushed a foot deep through the Jugiong Hotel following a cloudburst at 1.30 p.m. on Thursday. The rain fell in torrents and a sheet of water over a mile in width rated madly from the hills to the Murrumbidgee River. Never in his tory has such a torrential rainfall fallen in Jugiong. No official re-cording was taken, but it is estimated that over three inches of rain tumbled down in 20 minutes. The gallons of water from the hills behind the hotel and store swept debris and any movable object in its path. Father McPhillips’ car and a motor cycle were swept away, but luckily were jammed against a tree After the water had left the hotel the bottom floor was covered with mud and slush and many hands set to work with shovels to clean up the mess”

Goulburn Evening Post (NSW : 1940 – 1954)