Frederick's Jamberoo Store (IGA)

The Fredericks family has had a retail presence in Jamberoo since the 1920s and the family has occupied the heritage-listed building that is home to the Jamberoo IGA since 1961.

Ernest Fredericks married Annie Wright of Albion Park and they had seven children: Eileen, Merle, Ray, Eric, Alwyn, another son that died at birth, and Marie. The family lived in a house called ‘Kurrara’ that was built on the ‘Curlave’ property.

Ernest Fredericks was always engaged in business. He worked for Mr Stewart in his Jamberoo store and then for John Nelson in his general store in Jamberoo. Ernest started his own store in 1924 in a new shop that was built opposite the Jamberoo Post Office. Unfortunately, Ernest died in hospital in 1938, aged 64.

After his death, his two teenage sons, Eric and Alwyn, took over the management of the shop for their mother. By this stage, the family owned two general stores in Jamberoo.

Alwyn Fredericks married Merle King, who had come to Australia from the UK at age 13. Alwyn and Merle had three children, Karen, Rhonda and Trevor.

Trevor and his wife Carmel took over the management of the store in 1991. The building, which dated back to the 1880s, was renovated in 2002, keeping in line with its heritage features. When the timber shelving was removed during the renovation, it revealed a lot of the traditional architecture, and underneath the lino was the original hardwood floor.

In 2012, the original building was destroyed by fire after an arson attack. Trevor and his family rebuilt the store, replicating its original architectural features, and reopened the new store in April 2014.

The Fredericks sold the Jamberoo IGA store (but not the building) in 2014, but have since bought back the business.

Allowrie St and the Jamberoo General Store c.1920s.

The early years of the Jamberoo General Store.

Date unknown, possibly the 1960s?.