1856 - Arrival in Newcastle of the Wood Family.
Family members were John Senior and Ann and sons, John Junior, Joseph and Edward.

1856-1857 - Edward Fitzgerald established a Brewery at Castlemaine in Victoria.

1857 - John Wood Junior was a miner with the A.A. Company in the D pit.

1859 - John Wood Junior became publican of the Ship Inn Hotel.

1865 - Wood Brothers and Co. opened a Spirit and Bond Store in part of the spacious premises known as Bingle and Co.'s stores in Bolton Street, Newcastle
1868 - Wood Bros. accepted from Mr. Fitzgerald the agency for the sale of Castlemaine Ale in Newcastle.

1874 - Fire destroyed the building in which the Wood Brothers' store was located.

1874 - Tenders were called for the construction of a new brewery to the designs of Mr. Oswald Lewis, Architect.
Tender by Messrs. Laing and Wylie accepted.

1876 - The new brewery was opened and commenced operations.
Water supply was obtained from a well on the site.
The ale produced was of the highest quality produced by the most up-to-date methods.

1878 - Major extensions were made such that the Brewery was said to be amongst the finest in Australia.
The expansion was largely to cater for the greatly increased beer trade and the new complex is described as being 'replete with every convenience.'

1883 - The company name was changed from the Castlemaine Brewery and Malting Company Limited to the Castlemaine Brewery Maltings and Wine and Spirit Company Limited.
This was changed again a few years later to the Australian Brewer and Wine and Spirit Limited.

1887 - A limited company was formed named The Castlemaine Brewery and Wood Bros. and Company, Newcastle, New South Wales Limited which acquired the brewery business carried on in Newcastle and elsewhere under the name of Prendegast Wood and Co., and the wine and spirit business carried on at Newcastle, West Maitland and elsewhere under the name of Wood Bros and Co., together with the freehold land and brewery in Charlton Street (now Hunter Street) and the freehold land and store in Bolton Street, Newcastle.
The Victorians retained 35% of the shares in the new company.

The first directors of the company were Joseph Wood, three Victorians, Edward Fitzgerald, Nicholas Fitzgerald and Malcolm Donald McEecharn and James Burns from Sydney.

1888 - The building of the Great Northern Brewery Wine and Spirit Co. Ltd. on the south-western corner of Wood and Parry Streets was constructed to the designs of Messrs. Bennett and Yeomans, Architects.
The Castlemaine Brewery purchased the Great Northern Brewery in 1891 to prevent local competition, although there were other breweries operating in the Newcastle and Maitland areas.
There is little to indicate that Castlemaine used the Great Northern premises until 1897.

1889 - Profit and turnover performance by the Brewery in 1888-1890 was considered to be most satisfactory with dividend return to shareholders of 12 percent.

1893 - The Depression and strikes of the 1890s had a serious effect on the brewery business and the dividend payment was reduced to 7 percent.

1895 - The Depression deepened and was made worse by a drought which affected the previously strong country sales.
Dividends, however, were held at 7 percent.

1897 - The dividend was reduced again to a level of 5 percent and the Chairman during his annual report spoke of the evils which had overtaken the Company, but which were now past.
Major modernisation of the equipment had been undertaken in the previous year and the Brewery was now producing among the best beer in the Colony.

Other improvements at the plant included asphalting the enclosure, repainting throughout, weather sheds to protect casks from sun damage, new cellars and vats.

The "evil" which had overtaken the Company was a cessation of production for four months due to a bacterial growth in the brewery.
During the complete renovations undertaken to counter this problem, brewing was transferred to the buildings purchased earlier from the Great Northern Brewery.
Once the renovations were again completed brewing returned to Castlemaine and the Great
1856 - Arrival in Newcastle of the Wood Family. Family members were John Senior and Ann and sons, John Junior, Joseph and Edward.
1856-1857 - Edward Fitzgerald established a Brewery at Castlemaine in Victoria.
1857 - John Wood Junior was a miner with the A.A. Company in the D pit.
1859 - John Wood Junior became publican of the Ship Inn Hotel.
1865 - Wood Brothers and Co. opened a Spirit and Bond Store in part of the spacious premises known as Bingle and Co.'s stores in Bolton Street, Newcastle
1868 - Wood Bros. accepted from Mr. Fitzgerald the agency for the sale of Castlemaine Ale in Newcastle.
1874 - Fire destroyed the building in which the Wood Brothers' store was located.
1874 - Tenders were called for the construction of a new brewery to the designs of Mr. Oswald Lewis, Architect. Tender by Messrs. Laing and Wylie accepted.
1876 - The new brewery was opened and commenced operations. Water supply was obtained from a well on the site. The ale produced was of the highest quality produced by the most up-to-date methods.
1878 - Major extensions were made such that the Brewery was said to be amongst the finest in Australia. The expansion was largely to cater for the greatly increased beer trade and the new complex is described as being 'replete with every convenience.'
1883 - The company name was changed from the Castlemaine Brewery and Malting Company Limited to the Castlemaine Brewery Maltings and Wine and Spirit Company Limited. This was changed again a few years later to the Australian Brewer and Wine and Spirit Limited.
1887 - A limited company was formed named The Castlemaine Brewery and Wood Bros. and Company, Newcastle, New South Wales Limited which acquired the brewery business carried on in Newcastle and elsewhere under the name of Prendegast Wood and Co., and the wine and spirit business carried on at Newcastle, West Maitland and elsewhere under the name of Wood Bros and Co., together with the freehold land and brewery in Charlton Street (now Hunter Street) and the freehold land and store in Bolton Street, Newcastle. The Victorians retained 35% of the shares in the new company.
The first directors of the company were Joseph Wood, three Victorians, Edward Fitzgerald, Nicholas Fitzgerald and Malcolm Donald McEecharn and James Burns from Sydney.
1888 - The building of the Great Northern Brewery Wine and Spirit Co. Ltd. on the south-western corner of Wood and Parry Streets was constructed to the designs of Messrs. Bennett and Yeomans, Architects. The Castlemaine Brewery purchased the Great Northern Brewery in 1891 to prevent local competition, although there were other breweries operating in the Newcastle and Maitland areas. There is little to indicate that Castlemaine used the Great Northern premises until 1897.
1889 - Profit and turnover performance by the Brewery in 1888-1890 was considered to be most satisfactory with dividend return to shareholders of 12 percent.
1893 - The Depression and strikes of the 1890s had a serious effect on the brewery business and the dividend payment was reduced to 7 percent.
1895 - The Depression deepened and was made worse by a drought which affected the previously strong country sales. Dividends, however, were held at 7 percent.
1897 - The dividend was reduced again to a level of 5 percent and the Chairman during his annual report spoke of the evils which had overtaken the Company, but which were now past. Major modernisation of the equipment had been undertaken in the previous year and the Brewery was now producing among the best beer in the Colony.
Other improvements at the plant included asphalting the enclosure, repainting throughout, weather sheds to protect casks from sun damage, new cellars and vats.
The "evil" which had overtaken the Company was a cessation of production for four months due to a bacterial growth in the brewery. During the complete renovations undertaken to counter this problem, brewing was transferred to the buildings purchased earlier from the Great Northern Brewery. Once the renovations were again completed brewing returned to Castlemaine and the Great 
Castlemaine Brewery