The Pain of Paying Tolls – 150 Years Ago

If you find toll roads confusing and inconvenient spare a thought for the toll collector in 1871.  Toll roads were reinstated on the Southern Road in November 1871. The toll bars were at Bargo, Hanging-Rock, Wingelo and Towrang.

Tolls in the 1870s
1d =1 penny = A$0.78 in todays currency

Item	Toll in 1870	Value in 2024
sheep, lamb, pig or goat	¼d	$0.19
ox or head of neat cattle	1d	$0.78
horse, mare, gelding, ass, mule, or colt	2d	$1.56
cart, dray, wain, waggon, or other such vehicle, drawn by one horse or other animal	6d	$4.65
– additional horse or other animal drawing such cart, dray, wain, wagon, or other such vehicle	+6d	+$4.65
gig, chaise, or other such vehicle with two wheels: – drawn by one horse or other animal – drawn by two horses or other animal	6d 9d	$4.65 $6.98
coach, chariot, chaise, or other such carriage with four wheels: – drawn by  one horse or other animal – drawn by two horses or other animals – drawn by three horses or other animals – drawn by four horses or other animals	9d 1s 1s3d 1s6d	$6.98 $9.30 $11.63 $13.95

What do you think these vehicles would have to pay?

Images: Hay wain – excerpt from John Constable’s famous Hay Wain painting. Other images from MDHS Collection.