Murrurundi, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Murrurundi is a rural town in Upper Hunter Shire, located in the Upper Hunter Valley
of New South Wales
. Murrurundi, which is 193 km by road from Newcastle
and 309 km from Sydney
, has a population of 1,330 people (ABS
2006). The town is almost completely surrounded by mountains of the Liverpool Range
, and is located on the Pages River
, a tributary
of the Hunter River
.
settlement, the Murrurundi district was home to the Wanaruah - and possibly the Kamilaroi
- Aboriginal people. European settlement of the area began in the 1820s, and the town itself was established by the New South Wales government in 1840. In the same year, a local landholder - Thomas Haydon - established an adjacent private township called Haydonton. In 1913, the two neighbouring settlements were merged to create the modern-day town of Murrurundi.
The name "Murrurundi" is often erroneously thought to come from an Aboriginal word meaning "nestling in the valley". It does in fact mean "five fingers", a representation of the rock formation visible at the northern end of the township.
Benjamin Hall, father of bushranger
Ben Hall had a small farm in a valley near Murrurundi in 1839. He opened a butcher's shop at Haydonton in 1842. Ben Hall lived at Murrurundi until the age of 13.
Kerosene shale was mined at Mount Temi, some 11.25 km to the north of Murrurundi from 1886, but lay dormant for many years. The mine was revived in 1910 and a railway was constructed from Temple Court, 1.2 km west of Murrurundi, to the terminal of an airial ropeway
bringing shale from the mine. Operations ceased during the First World War.
Annual events include the annual rodeo
and the King of the Ranges stockman challenge.
There are only a few sporting facilities due to the low population. These sports are senior rugby league, touch football, swimming club and cricket.
The New England Highway
runs through the town, and it is served by a rail service.
, 352 km from Sydney. The station opened in 1872 and consists of a substantial brick station-house with a passing loop and goods yard. There was also a locomotive depot for bank engine
s which lasted until the end of steam.
It continues to be served by a daily rail service operated by a Countrylink
Xplorer train to and from Sydney
and Armidale
/Moree
. The train to Armidale/Moree stops at 2:40pm and the train to Sydney stops at 12:26pm. Trains will only stop at this station on request.
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
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...
. Murrurundi, which is 193 km by road from Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and 309 km from 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...
, has a population of 1,330 people (ABS
Australian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
2006). The town is almost completely surrounded by mountains of the Liverpool Range
Liverpool Range
The Liverpool Range is a mountain range and a lava-field province in New South Wales, Australia.The Liverpool Range starts from the volcanic plateau known as the Barrington Tops and runs for about 100 km westwards, forming the northern boundary of the Hunter Valley district...
, and is located on the Pages River
Pages River
-References:...
, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Hunter River
Hunter River
The Hunter River is a major river in New South Wales, Australia. The Hunter River rises in the Liverpool Range and flows generally south and then east, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Newcastle, the second largest city in New South Wales and a major port....
.
Overview
Prior to EuropeanEuropean ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
settlement, the Murrurundi district was home to the Wanaruah - and possibly the Kamilaroi
Kamilaroi
The Kamilaroi or Gamilaraay are an Indigenous Australian people who are from the area between Tamworth and Goondiwindi, and west to Narrabri, Walgett and Lightning Ridge, in northern New South Wales...
- Aboriginal people. European settlement of the area began in the 1820s, and the town itself was established by the New South Wales government in 1840. In the same year, a local landholder - Thomas Haydon - established an adjacent private township called Haydonton. In 1913, the two neighbouring settlements were merged to create the modern-day town of Murrurundi.
The name "Murrurundi" is often erroneously thought to come from an Aboriginal word meaning "nestling in the valley". It does in fact mean "five fingers", a representation of the rock formation visible at the northern end of the township.
Benjamin Hall, father of bushranger
Bushranger
Bushrangers, or bush rangers, originally referred to runaway convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who had the survival skills necessary to use the Australian bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities...
Ben Hall had a small farm in a valley near Murrurundi in 1839. He opened a butcher's shop at Haydonton in 1842. Ben Hall lived at Murrurundi until the age of 13.
Kerosene shale was mined at Mount Temi, some 11.25 km to the north of Murrurundi from 1886, but lay dormant for many years. The mine was revived in 1910 and a railway was constructed from Temple Court, 1.2 km west of Murrurundi, to the terminal of an airial ropeway
Ropeway
A ropeway is a form of naval lifting device used to transport light stores and equipment across rivers or ravines. It comprises a jackstay, slung between two sheers or gyns, one at either end, from which is suspended a block and tackle, that is free to travel along the rope and hauled back and...
bringing shale from the mine. Operations ceased during the First World War.
Annual events include the annual rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
and the King of the Ranges stockman challenge.
There are only a few sporting facilities due to the low population. These sports are senior rugby league, touch football, swimming club and cricket.
The New England Highway
New England Highway
The New England Highway is a highway in Australia running from Hexham near Newcastle at its southern end to Yarraman near Toowoomba at its northern end. At its southern end it connects to the Pacific Highway and at its northern end it connects to the D'Aguilar Highway. It traverses the Hunter...
runs through the town, and it is served by a rail service.
Railway station
Murrurundi railway station is located on the Main North railway lineMain North railway line, New South Wales
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
, 352 km from Sydney. The station opened in 1872 and consists of a substantial brick station-house with a passing loop and goods yard. There was also a locomotive depot for bank engine
Bank engine
A bank engine or helper engine or pusher engine is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grade...
s which lasted until the end of steam.
It continues to be served by a daily rail service operated by a Countrylink
CountryLink
CountryLink is the operator of passenger rail services in country New South Wales, Australia and into Queensland and Victoria. It is an operating brand of the Rail Corporation New South Wales, a government-owned entity...
Xplorer train to and from 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 Armidale
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
/Moree
Moree, New South Wales
Moree is a large town in Moree Plains Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Mehi River in the centre of the rich black-soil plains....
. The train to Armidale/Moree stops at 2:40pm and the train to Sydney stops at 12:26pm. Trains will only stop at this station on request.