▁were ▁the ▁main ▁employ ers ▁of ▁labour ; ▁with ▁its ▁stores ▁and ▁hot els , ▁hospital , ▁post - office , ▁banks , ▁court - house ▁and ▁police - station , ▁Hay ▁became ▁an ▁important ▁focus ▁for ▁rural ▁workers ▁and ▁resident ▁squ at ters ▁al ike . ▁Car riers , ▁contract ors , ▁w ool - bu y ers ▁and ▁deal ers ▁in ▁stock ▁established ▁themselves ▁at ▁Hay ▁and ▁the ▁town ship ▁became ▁a ▁busy ▁port ▁for ▁the ▁steam ers ▁p lying ▁the ▁in land ▁rivers . ▁St ores ▁for ▁the ▁town ship ▁and ▁district ▁stations ▁were ▁un loaded ▁at ▁the ▁wh ar ves ▁at ▁Hay , ▁and ▁the ▁steam ers ▁and ▁b arg es ▁loaded ▁with ▁w ool - b ales ▁for ▁the ▁return ▁trip ▁( us ually ▁to ▁E ch uca , ▁which ▁by ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁had ▁been ▁connected ▁by ▁rail ▁to ▁Melbourne ). ▁ ▁During ▁ 1 8 7 9 - 8 0 ▁the ▁local ▁building ▁firm , ▁Wit com be ▁Brothers , ▁constructed ▁a ▁new ▁ga ol ▁at ▁Hay , ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁old ▁Lock - up ▁in ▁L ach lan ▁Street ▁( at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁Post ▁Office ).   ▁The ▁new ▁Hay ▁Ga ol ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁ ▁Cons olid ation : ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁ ▁During ▁ 1 8 8 1 - 2 ▁the ▁railway ▁line ▁was ▁extended ▁from ▁N arr and era ▁to ▁Hay ▁and