Tocumwal, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Tocumwal is a town in the southern Riverina
region of New South Wales
, Australia
in the Berrigan Shire Local Government Area, near the Victorian
border. The town is situated on the banks of the Murray River
, 270 kilometres (167.8 mi) north of the city of Melbourne
. The Newell Highway
, part of the main road route between Brisbane
and Melbourne commences at Tocumwal. At the 2006 census
, Tocumwal had a population of 1,860.
The town is said to be named for the local Aboriginal word for "deep hole in the river".
Prior to Federation
, Tocumwal was an important customs point for goods crossing between the then colonies of Victoria and New South Wales.
A standard gauge
branch line from the New South Wales Government Railways
Main Southern railway line
at Junee
reached Narrandera
in 1881 and a branch from Narrandera was completed to Tocumwal in 1898. The broad gauge
Victorian Railways
Melbourne-Shepparton railway line was extended to Tocumwal in 1908, creating a break-of-gauge
at Tocumwal until the New South Wales Government Railways line was closed south of Narrandera (about 1980).
During the Second World War the town was the site of Royal Australian Air Force
Station Tocumwal, which was a major Royal Australian Air Force
training airfield and aircraft depot. Today, the airfield is a renowned gliding
site.
Because of the break-of-gauge between the railways north and south of Tocumwal, this station was a natural choice for military oriented storage facilities and munitions dumps.
21 kilometres (13 mi) to the north.
Australian rules football
, Cricket
and Netball
are all very popular in the town. Notable sporting teams include the Tocumwal Football Club
(The Bloods) who compete in the Murray Football League
Tocumwal is in the federal
Division of Farrer
and the state Electoral district of Murray-Darling
.
Tocumwal was also where the largest Murray cod
in the world was caught.
Riverina
The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop...
region of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in the Berrigan Shire Local Government Area, near the Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
border. The town is situated on the banks of the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
, 270 kilometres (167.8 mi) north of the city of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The Newell Highway
Newell Highway
The Newell Highway is the longest highway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs parallel to the eastern coast about 400 kilometres inland, and is the main inland direct road link from Victoria to Queensland, bypassing the more congested coastal areas of New South Wales...
, part of the main road route between Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Melbourne commences at Tocumwal. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Tocumwal had a population of 1,860.
The town is said to be named for the local Aboriginal word for "deep hole in the river".
History
Prior to European settlement, the Tocumwal area was inhabited by the Ulupna and Bangerang Aborigines. The first pastoral runs were established in the 1840s. The town was established in the early 1860s and recognised as a village in 1872. Tocumwal Post Office opened on 1 August 1868.Prior to Federation
Federation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
, Tocumwal was an important customs point for goods crossing between the then colonies of Victoria and New South Wales.
A standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
branch line from the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
Main Southern railway line
Main Southern railway line, New South Wales
The Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and the Riverina regions.- Description of route :...
at Junee
Junee, New South Wales
Junee is a medium sized town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The town's prosperity and mixed services economy is based on a combination of agriculture, rail transport, light industry and government services, and in particular correctional services...
reached Narrandera
Narrandera, New South Wales
-Transport:Narrandera is well served for transport. The Sturt Highway and the Newell Highways cross, just south of Narrandera. Greyhound buses pass daily - note that the destination can be listed as Jillenbah....
in 1881 and a branch from Narrandera was completed to Tocumwal in 1898. The broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
Melbourne-Shepparton railway line was extended to Tocumwal in 1908, creating a break-of-gauge
Break-of-gauge
With railways, a break-of-gauge occurs where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. Trains and rolling stock cannot run through without some form of conversion between gauges, and freight and passengers must otherwise be transloaded...
at Tocumwal until the New South Wales Government Railways line was closed south of Narrandera (about 1980).
During the Second World War the town was the site of Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
Station Tocumwal, which was a major Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
training airfield and aircraft depot. Today, the airfield is a renowned gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
site.
Because of the break-of-gauge between the railways north and south of Tocumwal, this station was a natural choice for military oriented storage facilities and munitions dumps.
Facilities
Tocumwal has one State and one Catholic primary school. The nearest High School is in FinleyFinley, New South Wales
Finley is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest town in the Berrigan Shire Local Government Area. At the 2006 census, Finley had a population of 2,054 people....
21 kilometres (13 mi) to the north.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and Netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
are all very popular in the town. Notable sporting teams include the Tocumwal Football Club
Tocumwal Football Club
The Tocumwal Football Club, nicknamed the Bloods, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Murray Football League.The club is based in the town of Tocumwal located in the Riverina district of New South Wales....
(The Bloods) who compete in the Murray Football League
Murray Football League
The Murray Football League is an Australian rules football league affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League.The league covers a large area of northern Victoria and southern New South Wales from Shepparton in the south to Deniliquin in the north.It covers much the same area as the...
Tocumwal is in the federal
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
Division of Farrer
Division of Farrer
The Division of Farrer is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1949 and is named for William Farrer, agricultural scientist. It is located in the southern rural area of the state and includes Albury, Balranald, Deniliquin and Jerilderie. It has always...
and the state Electoral district of Murray-Darling
Electoral district of Murray-Darling
Murray-Darling is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Williams of the National Party of Australia....
.
Tocumwal was also where the largest Murray cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
in the world was caught.