In 1912 German baker Carl Baer who could speak no English jumped ship after it landed in Sydney, and walked to Glen Innes.

When he saw another German name in Grey Street he asked for work and landed a live-in job at Hartmann and Little’s bakery.

August Hartmann later started Carl off in a bakery in Deepwater on the western side of the highway.

Once Carl was settled he brought Miss Martha Loeffler, out from Germany and they married in 1926.

After running a bakery in Bonalbo they returned to Deepwater to a bakery on the site of the Eclipse Picture Theatre, and Martha became a very keen businesswoman.

During his baking career Carl periodically would go off to work in the fresh air on Dundee properties, in order to get the flour out of his lungs. The bakery closed in his absence.

An Eclipse café was at the front of the bakery and after 10 years in Deepwater Carl was able to hand the baking to others and turn his attention to other businesses.

A cordial factory was set up at the back of the premises and he also made a strong ginger beer reputed to easily blow off the top. His bottles were stamped with his name.

He provided the first electricity for Deepwater, although he had no electrical qualifications – drawing up his own blueprints and employing someone else to do the work to his specifications.

A Junkers engine was installed to generate the electricity and Carl maintained the engines.

The power was made available to other residents for home lighting or home appliances, and a few street lights.

An ice making machine which also fed the village ice chests was installed and soon, the Examiner of 29 March 1934 announced…..   “A picture theatre for Mr. C W Baer is being erected by Mr. A Loseby…”

It was opened in the middle of June – Mr. T T Kelly cutting the opening ribbon and the Examiner of 21 June stating … “this concluded one of the most important events in the history of Deepwater”.