Drake, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Drake is a parish and small rural community on the Bruxner Highway
approximately 44 km east of Tenterfield, New South Wales
and about 800 km north of Sydney, New South Wales. It is in the Tenterfield Shire Local Government Area
, which is part of the New England
region. At the 2006 census
, Drake had a population of 409 people.
and quite a few years later copper
was also mined in the vicinity.
A Timbarra Post Office opened on 1 November 1858, was renamed Drake in 1867 and closed in 1871. The later Drake office opened on 1 April 1879 and closed in 1985.
During the 1860s the first sale of Drake allotments took place with 16 of the 40 lots being sold. The Public School opened in November 1887.
The Australian Antimony
Co. began mining here in 1872, with Drake as their community centre. Between 1872 and 1890 Drake was a thriving mining and timber town with 12 hotels, a town band, and many private dwellings, plus a number of businesses including a blacksmith
, post office and stores. A weekly coach
run was established to run from Tenterfield to Casino in 1885. The town also served as a stopping point for bullock teams, drover
s and settlers passing between inland and coastal regions.
The original Police Station and house is near the cemetery, but is privately owned. There is a new Rural Transaction & Resource Centre (next to the park and toilet facilities). St Peter the Apostle Anglican Church (former) has been placed on the Register of the National Estate
.
There are about thirty dwellings in Drake village which has a population of 131, and the surrounding area has about 409 people. The community is agricultural, timber and tourist based providing hiking, fishing and fossicking etc.
Bruxner Highway
The Bruxner Highway is one of the more obscure State highways in New South Wales, Australia. It forms an east-west link from the Northern Rivers coast, across the Northern Tablelands in northern New South Wales, close to the border with Queensland...
approximately 44 km east of Tenterfield, New South Wales
Tenterfield, New South Wales
Tenterfield is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the New England region at the intersection of the New England and Bruxner Highways. Tenterfield is a three-hour drive from Brisbane, 2.5 hours from Byron Bay, two hours from Armidale, New South Wales and 10 hours from Sydney....
and about 800 km north of Sydney, New South Wales. It is in the Tenterfield Shire Local Government Area
Local Government Area
A local government area is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory....
, which is part of the New England
New England (Australia)
New England or New England North West is the name given to a generally undefined region about 60 kilometres inland, that includes the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes regions in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The region has been occupied by Indigenous...
region. 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,...
, Drake had a population of 409 people.
History
In 1858 gold was discovered near Newman’s Pinch on the western side of Fairfield (now Drake) and TimbarraTimbarra Gold Mine
The Timbarra Gold Mine was a highly controversial gold mine located on the Timbarra Plateau, at the head waters of the Clarence River, near Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia. The gold ore body consisted of a greisen type granite...
and quite a few years later copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
was also mined in the vicinity.
A Timbarra Post Office opened on 1 November 1858, was renamed Drake in 1867 and closed in 1871. The later Drake office opened on 1 April 1879 and closed in 1985.
During the 1860s the first sale of Drake allotments took place with 16 of the 40 lots being sold. The Public School opened in November 1887.
The Australian Antimony
Antimony
Antimony is a toxic chemical element with the symbol Sb and an atomic number of 51. A lustrous grey metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite...
Co. began mining here in 1872, with Drake as their community centre. Between 1872 and 1890 Drake was a thriving mining and timber town with 12 hotels, a town band, and many private dwellings, plus a number of businesses including a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, post office and stores. A weekly coach
Coach (carriage)
A coach was originally a large, usually closed, four-wheeled carriage with two or more horses harnessed as a team, controlled by a coachman and/or one or more postilions. It had doors in the sides, with generally a front and a back seat inside and, for the driver, a small, usually elevated seat in...
run was established to run from Tenterfield to Casino in 1885. The town also served as a stopping point for bullock teams, drover
Droving
Droving is the practice of moving livestock over large distances by walking them "on the hoof".Droving stock to market, usually on foot and often with the aid of dogs, has a very long history in the old world...
s and settlers passing between inland and coastal regions.
The original Police Station and house is near the cemetery, but is privately owned. There is a new Rural Transaction & Resource Centre (next to the park and toilet facilities). St Peter the Apostle Anglican Church (former) has been placed on the Register of the National Estate
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
.
There are about thirty dwellings in Drake village which has a population of 131, and the surrounding area has about 409 people. The community is agricultural, timber and tourist based providing hiking, fishing and fossicking etc.