Tilpa, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Tilpa is a town in the Far West
region of New South Wales
, Australia. The town is located on the Darling River
, in the Central Darling Shire
Local Government area, 917 kilometres (570 mi) north west of the state capital, Sydney.
At the 2006 census
, Tilpa and the large surrounding area had a population of 159. The town itself is said to have a population of only nine.
The Darling River at Tilpa has erratic flows and is often dry in periods of drought
. However floods in 1956
saw the Darling River span 80 kilometres (50 mi) at its widest, isolating Tilpa for five months.
s delivering supplies to nearby sheep station
s and returning down river laden with bales of wool. The wool was taken to Wentworth
—at the confluence
of the Darling and Murray River
s—and then either to Adelaide
or to Echuca
for passage to the port at Melbourne
. The town was home to a punt
, allowing sheep, horses and people to cross the Darling River safely, for a fee. The punt has since been replaced by a bridge.
—the Tilpa Hotel—was built over 100 years ago. A timber and corrugated iron
building, the inside walls are covered in messages and autographs placed by visitors in return for a donation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A feature of the town is a Boer War
memorial in Australia that includes a commemorative to Harry "Breaker" Morant
, who was controversially executed by the British Army for murdering Boer prisoners. The town also claims to have the smallest heritage trail in Australia (two signs across the street from each other) and the only cemetery in Australia with no interments.
along the river. Tourism, including farmstay programs on local stations, is the other major local industry. Fishing and camping are popular along the river. The prolonged drought in 2007 saw Tilpa run out of potable water
. A Sydney-based company has offered to trial a portable water filtration
plant to improve the quality of both the river and bore
water.
Far West (New South Wales)
The Far West region of New South Wales, Australia refers generally to a fairly flat and low lying area in the western part of the state, which is too dry to support wheat or other crops or intensive pastoral. It is west of the North West Slopes, Central West and the Riverina...
region 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. The town is located on the Darling River
Darling River
The Darling River is the third longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth, New South Wales. Including its longest contiguous tributaries it is long, making it the longest river system in Australia.The...
, in the Central Darling Shire
Central Darling Shire
Central Darling Shire is a Local Government Area in the Far West of New South Wales, Australia on the Barrier Highway. Central Darling Shire was constituted in 1959 and it is the largest Local Government Area in New South Wales.-Incomes:...
Local Government area, 917 kilometres (570 mi) north west of the state capital, Sydney.
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,...
, Tilpa and the large surrounding area had a population of 159. The town itself is said to have a population of only nine.
The Darling River at Tilpa has erratic flows and is often dry in periods of drought
Drought in Australia
Drought in Australia is defined as rainfall over a three month period being in the lowest decile of what has been recorded for that region in the past. This definition takes into account that drought is a relative term and rainfall deficiencies need to be compared to typical rainfall patterns...
. However floods in 1956
1956 Murray River flood
The 1956 Murray River flood involved the rising of waters in the Murray River and flooding of many towns in three states of Australia, including the towns of Colignan, Iraak, Mannum, Murray Bridge, Mildura, Nangiloc, Red Cliffs, Renmark, Wentworth and many others.The flood occurred due to higher...
saw the Darling River span 80 kilometres (50 mi) at its widest, isolating Tilpa for five months.
History
In its heyday, Tilpa was an important river port with paddle steamerPaddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
s delivering supplies to nearby sheep station
Sheep station
A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...
s and returning down river laden with bales of wool. The wool was taken to Wentworth
Wentworth, New South Wales
Wentworth is a small border town in the far south west of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It lies at the confluence of Australia's two most important rivers, the Darling and the Murray, the latter forming the border with the state of Victoria to the south. The border with the state of...
—at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Darling and 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...
s—and then either to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
or to Echuca
Echuca, Victoria
Echuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
for passage to the port at 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...
. The town was home to a punt
Cable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
, allowing sheep, horses and people to cross the Darling River safely, for a fee. The punt has since been replaced by a bridge.
Culture
The local pubAustralian pubs
A public house in Australia is an establishment performing many functions, often serving alcoholic beverages, meals, and providing basic accommodation.-Origin:...
—the Tilpa Hotel—was built over 100 years ago. A timber and corrugated iron
Corrugated galvanised iron
Corrugated galvanised iron is a building material composed of sheets of hot-dip galvanised mild steel, cold-rolled to produce a linear corrugated pattern in them...
building, the inside walls are covered in messages and autographs placed by visitors in return for a donation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A feature of the town is a Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
memorial in Australia that includes a commemorative to Harry "Breaker" Morant
Breaker Morant
Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant was an Anglo-Australian drover, horseman, poet, soldier and convicted war criminal whose skill with horses earned him the nickname "The Breaker"...
, who was controversially executed by the British Army for murdering Boer prisoners. The town also claims to have the smallest heritage trail in Australia (two signs across the street from each other) and the only cemetery in Australia with no interments.
Economy
Tilpa is mainly an agricultural area, with sheep grazing the primary activity, and some pockets of irrigated landIrrigation in Australia
Irrigation in Australia is a widespread practice to supplement low rainfall levels in Australia with water from other sources to assist in the production of crops or pasture. As the driest inhabited continent, irrigation is required in many areas for production of crops for domestic and export use...
along the river. Tourism, including farmstay programs on local stations, is the other major local industry. Fishing and camping are popular along the river. The prolonged drought in 2007 saw Tilpa run out of potable water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
. A Sydney-based company has offered to trial a portable water filtration
Water purification
Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from contaminated water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose...
plant to improve the quality of both the river and bore
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
water.