Old Bonalbo, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Old Bonalbo is a rural village located 770 km north-east of Sydney, near Haystack Mountain in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales
, Australia. This village is on the Clarence Way between Bonalbo
and Urbenville
. This was the site of the original Bonalbo, the “Old” was added to its name in the early 1900s when a new settlement also called Bonalbo was built on the banks of Peacock Creek 11 kilometres to the south.
In the 1961 census Old Bonalbo had a population of 240 and in 2006 it was recorded as having 281 people resident. The town's name supposedly derives from the Gidabal word 'Bunawalbu' meaning 'bloodwood trees'.
The first European settler in the area was J.D. McLean, a Scots settler who drove his sheep up from the Hunter Valley
in 1841 when the depression struck. He established the 'Bunalbo' or Duck Creek run and later became a major pastoralist and the treasurer of Queensland. The Robertson Land Acts
of 1861 opened the territories up to free selectors (small landowners) but it was not until 1887 that the first, Donald McIntyre, took up a section of the old station, although the Robertson family had selected various sections themselves, possibly prior to 1880. It was at this time that Australian red cedar
-getters first moved into the area.
The Bonalbo village later developed on a part of McIntyre's holding which fronted on to Peacock Creek. However, the depression of the 1890s drove a number of selectors away, including McIntyre who sold his land to Paddy McNamee. New selectors appeared in the 1900s when McNamee proved the land was arable and when sawmills opened up west of the range.
Old Bonalbo has a general store that is also the post office. Beef cattle grazing is the main agricultural activity of the region. A number of timber plantations have been planted in the area.
In January 2011 Old Bonalbo was isolated by floodwaters from Duck Creek which cut off the village and left many individual properties around the village isolated.
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. This village is on the Clarence Way between Bonalbo
Bonalbo, New South Wales
Bonalbo is a rural village located 815 km north-east of Sydney in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia . In 2006, it had a population of 313 people. The town's name supposedly derives from the Gidabal word 'Bunawalbu' meaning 'bloodwood trees'.The first European settler in...
and Urbenville
Urbenville, New South Wales
Urbenville is a rural village in northern New South Wales, Australia. The village is located in the Tenterfield Shire Local Government Area, north of the state capital, Sydney, and south west of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Urbenville had a population of 245.The bank in the small town is...
. This was the site of the original Bonalbo, the “Old” was added to its name in the early 1900s when a new settlement also called Bonalbo was built on the banks of Peacock Creek 11 kilometres to the south.
In the 1961 census Old Bonalbo had a population of 240 and in 2006 it was recorded as having 281 people resident. The town's name supposedly derives from the Gidabal word 'Bunawalbu' meaning 'bloodwood trees'.
The first European settler in the area was J.D. McLean, a Scots settler who drove his sheep up from the Hunter Valley
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...
in 1841 when the depression struck. He established the 'Bunalbo' or Duck Creek run and later became a major pastoralist and the treasurer of Queensland. The Robertson Land Acts
Robertson Land Acts
The Crown Lands Acts 1861 were introduced by the New South Wales Premier, John Robertson, in 1861 to reform land holdings and in particular to break the squatters' domination of land tenure...
of 1861 opened the territories up to free selectors (small landowners) but it was not until 1887 that the first, Donald McIntyre, took up a section of the old station, although the Robertson family had selected various sections themselves, possibly prior to 1880. It was at this time that Australian red cedar
Toona ciliata
Australian Red Cedar , Toona ciliata is a forest tree in the family Meliaceae which grows throughout southern Asia from Afghanistan to Papua New Guinea and Australia. In Australia its natural habitat is now extensively cleared subtropical rainforests of New South Wales and Queensland...
-getters first moved into the area.
The Bonalbo village later developed on a part of McIntyre's holding which fronted on to Peacock Creek. However, the depression of the 1890s drove a number of selectors away, including McIntyre who sold his land to Paddy McNamee. New selectors appeared in the 1900s when McNamee proved the land was arable and when sawmills opened up west of the range.
Old Bonalbo has a general store that is also the post office. Beef cattle grazing is the main agricultural activity of the region. A number of timber plantations have been planted in the area.
In January 2011 Old Bonalbo was isolated by floodwaters from Duck Creek which cut off the village and left many individual properties around the village isolated.