Caragabal, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Caragabal is a village and locality in New South Wales
413 kilometers west of Sydney
. It is situated on flat country in the Weddin Shire
, just beyond where the last slopes of the Great Dividing Range
meet the plains of the Central West
. The Barbingal Creek runs, after rain, along the south edge of the village parallel to the Mid-Western Highway
.
The village of Quandialla is 22 kilometers to the south. The towns of Grenfell
, Forbes
and West Wyalong are within 45 minutes' drive.
Recent decline in population is evidenced by the number of electors casting ballots at Caragabal Public School; 180 in 1998; 151 in 2004, and 127 in 2007. Only 10 students were enrolled at the School in 2009, compared to 118 in 1958.
country commenced in 1835, when colonial surgeon Andrew Gibson took up extensive grazing holdings ('runs') in the area at; Bogo Bogolong (45,000 ha), Wheogo (13,680ha) and Bland (17,920ha). Gibson's Run at Bland was reduced in size in about 1848 and renamed Caragabal Station.
During the remainder of the 19th century the land was used for sheep and cattle grazing, with Marsden on the Bland Creek to the west, and Bimbi to the south-east emerging as the nearest villages. In the early 20th century closer settlement and wheat production commenced. The village of Caragabal (originally called Barbingal) began in 1914 with the building of the railway. The opening of the line from Stockinbingal in 1916 provided a much needed delivery point for the growing number of "cocky" selectors who had stacked 124,000 bags of wheat at the siding in anticipation.
Caragabal Post Office opened on 18 October 1916 and closed in 1994.
By 1917 there were two stores, a post office, three commission agents and the Royal Hotel. Churches and a school were established. The public hall was opened in 1924 with a ball attended by 200 people.
Today the village is in decline with residents tending to transact business in the towns of Forbes
, Grenfell
and Young
. However Caragabal remains an important grain producing (wheat, canola, oats and barley) area with storage facilities dominating the townscape. Wool, fat lambs and beef cattle are also significant.
In recent years the Caragabal community has organised annual sheep races. In 2009 the lawn bowling club merged with the golf club to form the Caragabal Country Club with an 18-hole golf course, new synthetic bowling green and tennis courts.
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...
413 kilometers west of 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...
. It is situated on flat country in the Weddin Shire
Weddin Shire
Weddin Shire is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia. Its only significant town is Grenfell....
, just beyond where the last slopes of the Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
meet the plains of the Central West
Central West
Central West may refer to;* Central West , an area of New South Wales, Australia* Central West, the western region of ITV Central's broadcasting area in the United Kingdom, covering Birmingham and the wider West Midland region - see Central Independent Television...
. The Barbingal Creek runs, after rain, along the south edge of the village parallel to 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...
.
The village of Quandialla is 22 kilometers to the south. The towns of Grenfell
Grenfell, New South Wales
Grenfell is a country town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia, in Weddin Shire. It is 370 kilometres west of Sydney and five hours' drive from the city. It is close to Forbes, Cowra and Young. At the 2006 census, Grenfell had a population of 1,994.-History:Prior to European...
, Forbes
Forbes, New South Wales
-Notable residents:*Carolyn Simpson - Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales; Member of the first all-female bench to sit in an Australian court*NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt was born and raised in Forbes....
and West Wyalong are within 45 minutes' drive.
Population
199 people were recorded at the 2006 Census for the Caragabal area – 114 males and 85 females. 71% of employed persons were in "sheep, beef cattle and grain farming".Recent decline in population is evidenced by the number of electors casting ballots at Caragabal Public School; 180 in 1998; 151 in 2004, and 127 in 2007. Only 10 students were enrolled at the School in 2009, compared to 118 in 1958.
History
Permanent white settlement in this part of 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...
country commenced in 1835, when colonial surgeon Andrew Gibson took up extensive grazing holdings ('runs') in the area at; Bogo Bogolong (45,000 ha), Wheogo (13,680ha) and Bland (17,920ha). Gibson's Run at Bland was reduced in size in about 1848 and renamed Caragabal Station.
During the remainder of the 19th century the land was used for sheep and cattle grazing, with Marsden on the Bland Creek to the west, and Bimbi to the south-east emerging as the nearest villages. In the early 20th century closer settlement and wheat production commenced. The village of Caragabal (originally called Barbingal) began in 1914 with the building of the railway. The opening of the line from Stockinbingal in 1916 provided a much needed delivery point for the growing number of "cocky" selectors who had stacked 124,000 bags of wheat at the siding in anticipation.
Caragabal Post Office opened on 18 October 1916 and closed in 1994.
By 1917 there were two stores, a post office, three commission agents and the Royal Hotel. Churches and a school were established. The public hall was opened in 1924 with a ball attended by 200 people.
Today the village is in decline with residents tending to transact business in the towns of Forbes
Forbes, New South Wales
-Notable residents:*Carolyn Simpson - Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales; Member of the first all-female bench to sit in an Australian court*NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt was born and raised in Forbes....
, Grenfell
Grenfell, New South Wales
Grenfell is a country town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia, in Weddin Shire. It is 370 kilometres west of Sydney and five hours' drive from the city. It is close to Forbes, Cowra and Young. At the 2006 census, Grenfell had a population of 1,994.-History:Prior to European...
and Young
Young, New South Wales
-Demographics:On census night, 7 August 2001, there were 6,821 people counted in Young. There were 238 people who identified as being of Indigenous origin in the 2001 Census...
. However Caragabal remains an important grain producing (wheat, canola, oats and barley) area with storage facilities dominating the townscape. Wool, fat lambs and beef cattle are also significant.
Sport
In 1926 Caragabal established a women's hockey team and for many years fielded strong cricket sides. A rugby league team was also formed in 1926. However since the 1970s rugby union has become the favoured code with many Caragabal men playing for the highly successful Grenfell Panthers.In recent years the Caragabal community has organised annual sheep races. In 2009 the lawn bowling club merged with the golf club to form the Caragabal Country Club with an 18-hole golf course, new synthetic bowling green and tennis courts.
External links
- Caragabal Public School 2009 Annual Report http://www.caragabal-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/sites/swsRepo/1503/asset/2010/4/19eb9eeb280375d4012843429aca29f0.pdf
- Caragabal Sheep Races 2006 http://www.grenfellrecord.com.au/news/local/news/general/caragabal-resounds-to-the-beating-of-hooves/350088.aspx
- Bowling Green Last Hope for a Dying Town http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/29/2073212.htm
| Grain storage from the Pullabooka Road |