Barham is a town in the western Riverina

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...

 district 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...

. The town is located 823 kilometres south west of the state capital, 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 303 kilometres north west 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...

. 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...

 across from Koondrook

Koondrook, Victoria

Koondrook is a town situated on the Murray River, Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Gannawarra Local government area, north west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Koondrook had a population of 802.-History:...

 in the neighbouring state of Victoria

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....

, Barham had a population of 1,132 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,...

. The town is the largest in the Wakool Shire

Wakool Shire

Wakool Shire is a Local Government Area located between the Murray River and the Murrumbidgee River and on the Sturt Highway.Towns in the Shire are: Barham , Moulamein , Tooleybuc , Wakool and Koraleigh.- Council :...

 Local government area.

History

The land in the Barham area was thought to have been occupied by the Wemba-Wemba

Wemba-Wemba

The Wemba-Wemba are an Indigenous Australian group in north-Western Victoria and south-western New South Wales, Australia, including in the Mallee and the Riverina regions. They are also known as the Wamba-wamba....

 Aborigines

Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....

 prior to European settlement commencing in 1843.
The Post Office opened on 1 January 1895. Growth was slow until 1904 with the construction of a lift span bridge

Murray River crossings

The Murray River in south-eastern Australia has been a significant barrier to land-based travel and trade. This article lists and briefly describes all of the recognised crossing points. Many of these had also developed as river ports for transport of goods along the Murray...

 designed to allow paddle steamers

Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...

 through. A similar bridge was constructed upstream at the same time between Cobram, Victoria

Cobram, Victoria

Cobram is a town in Australia. Cobram is located on the Murray River which forms the border between Victoria and New South Wales. Cobram along with the nearby towns of Numurkah and Yarrawonga is part of Shire of Moira. Its twin town of Barooga is located on the north side of the Murray River....

 and Barooga, New South Wales

Barooga, New South Wales

Barooga is a border town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, situated just north of the Murray River which forms the border withVictoria. It is located in the Berrigan Shire Council Local Government Area...

.

The town today

The major industries in and around Barham are agriculture, including dairying and citrus, and forestry. Like much of the southern Riverina, the town is attuned culturally to Victoria, reading Victorian newspapers and watching Victorian television channels. The most popular team sport is 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...

, the town in conjunction with neighbouring township Koondrook across the Murray having an Australian Rules football team competing in the Central Murray Football League

Central Murray Football League

The Central Murray Football League is a major country Australian rules football competition based in northern Victoria, Australia and southwest New South Wales, Australia.-History:...

.

Golfers play at the Barham Golf and Country Club on Moulamein Road.

Notable people

Barham is the birthplace of Australian cyclist Michael Rogers and AFL footballer Brent Guerra

Brent Guerra

Brent Guerra is an Australian rules footballer who currently plays for Hawthorn in the Australian Football League , having previously played for Port Adelaide and St Kilda.-Port Adelaide career:...

.

External links

• Wakool Shire Council - Official site
• Koondrook-Barham Bridge - Local Newspaper
• Walkabout website - Tourist information