West Wyalong, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
West Wyalong is a town in New South Wales
, Australia
which is the main town of the Bland Shire
, located in the Central West
region of New South Wales
. It is located 467 km west of Sydney. It is located on the crossroads of the Newell Highway
between Melbourne
and Brisbane
, and the Mid-Western Highway
between Sydney
and Adelaide
. It is situated 262 m (860 ft) above sea level.
The West Wyalong district is the largest cereal-growing centre in NSW. Eucalyptus
oil production started in 1907 and the West Wyalong area became one of the major world exporters of the product.
people.
Gold was discovered at Wyalong
in September 1893 by Joseph Neeld. In 1895 West Wyalong was developed 5 km from Wyalong around the bullock track, without the benefit of town planning, resulting in curious kinks in the road where it avoided trees. As well as the mines, the White Tank water supply was located here. This is now the location of McCann Park The goldfield was declared the most productive in the colony in 1899.
As mining declined West Wyalong became the main service centre for agriculture in the surrounding district, although for many years there was rivalry between the towns. Both towns wanted the Temora railway line, but settled on a compromise of a station midway between the two towns, called Wyalong Central.
Development since the 1970s has expanded Wyalong in the direction of West Wyalong with several motels built at Central Wyalong. A shared bicycle and pedestrian track was constructed in 1994 to link Wyalong with West Wyalong.
The population has stabilised recently. This is due, in part, to Barrick Cowal Gold Mine and Pace Farm's egg production facility.
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...
which is the main town of the Bland Shire
Bland Shire, New South Wales
Bland Shire is a Local Government Area in the Central West of New South Wales on the Newell and Mid-Western Highways.The council's name honours William Bland....
, located in the Central West
Central West, New South Wales
The Central West region refers to the area west of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. It has an area of 63,262 square kilometers....
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...
. It is located 467 km west of Sydney. It is located on the crossroads of 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...
between 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...
and 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 the Mid-Western Highway
Mid-Western Highway
The Mid-Western Highway starts at Bathurst New South Wales, where it joins with the Great Western Highway over the Blue Mountains from Sydney.It proceeds via Blayney, Carcoar and Cowra. It then heads west through Grenfell to West Wyalong where it crosses the Newell Highway...
between Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. It is situated 262 m (860 ft) above sea level.
The West Wyalong district is the largest cereal-growing centre in NSW. Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
oil production started in 1907 and the West Wyalong area became one of the major world exporters of the product.
History
The original inhabitants of the area were the WiradjuriWiradjuri
The Wiradjuri are an Indigenous Australian group of central New South Wales.In the 21st century, major Wiradjuri groups live in Condobolin, Peak Hill, Narrandera and Griffith...
people.
Gold was discovered at Wyalong
Wyalong, New South Wales
Wyalong is part of the Bland Shire located in the Northern Riverina Region of New South Wales, Australia. Established as a gold mining town, it is now a quiet town with historic buildings a few kilometres east of West Wyalong, the major district service centre...
in September 1893 by Joseph Neeld. In 1895 West Wyalong was developed 5 km from Wyalong around the bullock track, without the benefit of town planning, resulting in curious kinks in the road where it avoided trees. As well as the mines, the White Tank water supply was located here. This is now the location of McCann Park The goldfield was declared the most productive in the colony in 1899.
As mining declined West Wyalong became the main service centre for agriculture in the surrounding district, although for many years there was rivalry between the towns. Both towns wanted the Temora railway line, but settled on a compromise of a station midway between the two towns, called Wyalong Central.
Development since the 1970s has expanded Wyalong in the direction of West Wyalong with several motels built at Central Wyalong. A shared bicycle and pedestrian track was constructed in 1994 to link Wyalong with West Wyalong.
The population has stabilised recently. This is due, in part, to Barrick Cowal Gold Mine and Pace Farm's egg production facility.
Schools
- St Mary's War Memorial Catholic School (K-6) - The original St. Mary's Church School was built in 1901 of corrugated iron and staffed by the Sisters of MercySisters of MercyThe Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
. By 1903 there were 167 students. The present St. Mary's School was built in 1961. - West Wyalong Primary School (K-6)
- West Wyalong High School (7-12)
- Wyalong Public School (K-6)
Pubs and clubs in West Wyalong
- The Tattersalls Hotel
- The Post Office Hotel
- The Metropolitan Hotel
- The Globe Hotel
- Royal HotelRoyal HotelRoyal Hotel may refer to:- Australia :Royal Hotel is a common name for hotels in Australia. This name reflects the historical links of Australia to England and the British Royal Family...
- The Empire Hotel
- The White Tank Hotel
- West Wyalong Services & Citizens Club
- West Wyalong Lawn Bowling Club
Sport
- West Wyalong Mallee Men - rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
- West Wyalong-Girral Bulldogs - Australian rules footballAustralian rules footballAustralian 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...
(GayFL) & netballNetballNetball 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 ... - West Wyalong Weevils - senior rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
- West Wyalong Pirates - junior rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
- Alleena Cricket Club - cricketCricketCricket 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...
- TallimbaTallimba, New South WalesTallimba is a small country town in the Central West area of New South Wales, Australia. It is a part of the Bland Shire 34 km from West Wyalong and 1½ hours drive from Wagga Wagga...
Cricket Club - cricketCricketCricket 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... - White Tank Cricket Club - cricketCricketCricket 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...
Notable people from the area
- Dymphna CusackDymphna CusackDymphna Cusack AM was an Australian author.Born in West Wyalong, New South Wales, Dymphna Cusack was educated at St Ursula's College, and graduated from Sydney University with an honours degree in Arts and a diploma in Education...
, author. - Reginald Roy RatteyReginald Roy RatteyReginald Roy Rattey VC was an Member of the 25th Australian Infantry Battalion and Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British or Commonwealth armed forces.-Early Life:Reginald Roy Rattey, born...
- Terry GathercoleTerry GathercoleTerrence Stephen Gathercole OAM , was an Australian breaststroke swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the 1960 Rome Olympics...
- Ron Crowe
- Mark O'MeleyMark O'MeleyMark O'Meley is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the European Super League team, Hull, and previously of the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League competition. He also previously played for the North Sydney Bears, the ill fated Northern Eagles and the Bulldogs...
- Scott StaniforthScott StaniforthScott Nicholas Gelling Staniforth is an Australian rugby union footballer.- Career :Returning to Australia after two years with London Irish, Scott Staniforth was the last player to sign with the Western Force and has played in every match bar one for the new team...
- Sarah Nicholson, Australia's highest earning prostitute.http://www.ratemyhairybush.com/
Surrounding towns
- BarmedmanBarmedman, New South WalesBarmedman is a small rural town in the Bland Shire in the New South Wales state of Australia. It is the home of two large wheat silos with over a million bushels combined. At the 2006 census, Barmedman had a population of 227...
(32km) - BurcherBurcher, New South WalesBurcher is a small rural village situated in central New South Wales, Australia, in Lachlan Shire. As of 2006, Burcher had a population of 185. Its main attractions include Lake Cowal, known for its diverse birdlife; and the Lake Cowal Gold Mine, an open cut mine situated south-east of Burcher.The...
(52km) - TallimbaTallimba, New South WalesTallimba is a small country town in the Central West area of New South Wales, Australia. It is a part of the Bland Shire 34 km from West Wyalong and 1½ hours drive from Wagga Wagga...
(34km) - UngarieUngarie, New South WalesUngarie is a town in New South Wales, Australia which is the second major town of the Bland Shire, located in the Central West region of New South Wales. It is located west of Sydney and north of Melbourne, between the towns of West Wyalong and Lake Cargelligo and is situated above sea level...
(42km) - WeethalleWeethalleWeethalle is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is the Bland Shire Local government area and on the Mid-Western Highway, west of the state capital, Sydney, and north east of Griffith. At the 2006 census, Weethalle and the surrounding area had a population...
(57km) - WyalongWyalong, New South WalesWyalong is part of the Bland Shire located in the Northern Riverina Region of New South Wales, Australia. Established as a gold mining town, it is now a quiet town with historic buildings a few kilometres east of West Wyalong, the major district service centre...
(3.5km)