Walcha (New South Wales)
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Walcha (pronounced "Wolka") is a city in the northeast of the Australian state of New South Wales . It is located on the eastern edge of the Northern Tablelands of New England , 425 km north of Sydney and about 50 km south of Armidale . The city is the administrative center of the Walcha Shire Local Government Area and the 2016 census recorded 1,451 residents.
The Apsley River flows through town and then tumbles over Apsley Falls before flowing into the Macleay River . The river used to flood the city more often, but then the bank reinforcements were increased.
history
Before the European settlement, the Aboriginal tribes of the Ngayaywana and the Dyangadi probably inhabited the area. In 1818, John Oxley became the first white man to explore the area and the falls that were later called Apsley Falls .
Hamilton Collins Sempill was the first settler in New England when he took over the Wolka grazing land in 1832 . He built some stone huts on what is now Langford . Other early-populated pasture areas in the area were Bergen-op-Zoom (1834), Ohio (1836), Europambela (approx. 1836), Surveyor's Creek (1836), Emu Creek (approx. 1837), Ingalba (1837), Oorundumby (1837 ), Tiara (1837) and Winterbourne (1837). A severe economic crisis in 1841–1843 and low wool prices made life difficult for these early settlers. In 1848 the pasture grounds in Walcha are given as 260 km² and were leased to David Lenarch . In 1854 Walcha was sold to Rundle and Dangar , who held the pledge for Jamison and Connal . Later John Fletcher bought Walcha and moved from Branga Plains to Oorundumby . After the sale in 1905, Oorundumby was opened for the settlement of former soldiers in 1947 and divided into 22 parcels.
In 1842 construction began on a "wool road" to Port Macquarie (the Oxley Highway ) to transport wool from New England to the coast. The first post office in Walcha was opened on July 1, 1850. The mail came from Macdonald River (now Bendemeer ). In 1852 Walcha was designated as a village and land was sold. In the following years, more plots were offered for sale. At that time there was a blacksmith, a general store and a mill in Walcha. A Roman Catholic Church was established in 1854, a police station and the first Presbyterian Church in 1857, and the Walcha National School in 1859.
In 1861 there were 355 inhabitants and in 1862 the Anglican church was built from stones from a demolished settlement, Villa Walcha . This settlement was built on the Wolka pasture in the 1840s. The old church has beautifully painted glass windows showing some of the city's pioneers.
The population initially fell in the 1860s, but then rose again for two reasons: first, from around 1870, logging for red cedar trees were active in the area's rainforests, and second, gold was found in the area in the 1870s Near Walcha, in Glen Morrison, Tia, The Cells River and Nowendoc . High quality antimony , copper , graphite , manganese , silver and shale were also mined in this area.
On April 5, 1878, Walcha received city rights. The settlement was measured, its boundaries determined and a courthouse built. In 1882 a rail link was opened from Walcha Road to Sydney and Uralla . In 1889 Walcha became a self-governing city. On March 19, 1890, the Walcha Pastoral & Agricultural Association was founded. The annual exhibition shows cattle, agricultural products, vegetables, flowers, wool and handicrafts. The Walcha Cottage Hospital was founded in 1890 and was on the southern hills in the South Street. The Shire of Apsley was proclaimed March 7, 1906. It was divided into Vernon, Hawes, and Inglis Counties and included about 60 parishes. Its area was 6,497.6 km². The Shire of Walcha was formed when the city merged with the Shire of Apsley on June 1, 1955.
History was made in Walcha in 1950 when a De Havilland Tiger Moth was the first aircraft in Australia to distribute calcium hydrogen phosphate from the air onto the fields. The "superphosphate" was thrown on Mirani and other farmers soon followed suit to increase the fertility of their pastures and so be able to keep more cattle.
In 1992 the Walcha Telecottage was established and became Australia's first telecenter. Telecottage is a non-profit, state-of-the-art information technology facility designed to encourage connections between local communities to create jobs. This telecottage not only offers fundamental support such as vocational training, remote education, secretarial services and data analysis, but also access to the Internet for private individuals and small businesses. The Telecottage in Walcha publishes a weekly newsletter, the Apsley Advocate , which is distributed free of charge to over 1,600 businesses and private individuals.
In 2008, according to a report by Australian Property Monitors , Walcha saw the highest property appreciation (35% in 12 months).
climate
The temperatures in the clear mountain air fluctuate between - 2.0 ° C and + 11.9 ° C in winter (July) and between 11.8 ° C and 25.3 ° C in summer (January). The average annual rainfall is 808 mm and snowfall is not uncommon.
flora
Some native trees in and around Walcha are acacia , "Manna Gum" ( Eucalyptus huberiana ), "Yellow Box" ( eucalyptus melliodora ) schamlbättriger "Black Peppermint" ( Eucalyptus nicholii ), "New England Peppermint" ( Eucalyptus nova anglica ), rod-shaped Eucalyptus ( Eucalyptus viminalis ), "native cherry" ( Exocarpos cupressiformis ) and "dogwood" ( Jacksonia scoparia ).
Some of the rare and endangered plants in the area include the bird orchid ( Chiloglottis anaticeps ), the Hilgrove Spotted Gum ( Eucalyptus michaeliana ) and the mountain wax flower ( Philoteca myoporoides ) that grow in the national parks.
fauna
Eastern gray kangaroos , wallabies , possums , echins , black and brown snakes , bluetongue skinks and jacky dragons ( Amphibolurus muricatus ) can be seen around the city. The following bird species are found in the area: magpies , hunter's lairs , pluvialis , wood ducks , spoonbills , pink cockatoos , currawongs, pennant parakeets and cockatoos .
Demographics
The population of Walcha is predominantly Christian (80.4%) and was born in Australia (81.1%). The median age of 53 years is slightly higher than the Australian average of 37 years. Less than a third (32.1%) of Walcha's residents are over 65 years of age.
economy
Walcha is known as "Pasture Wonderland" (German: pasture wonderland). The predominant industries are livestock along with the growing timber industry. There are about 937,000 sheep, mostly merinos , and about 85,500 cattle in the county. The cattle from Walcha are considered to be one of the best in the country and the fine wool produced there has been recognized as one of the best in the world. A large, modern milk processing plant, which is expected to produce 5 million liters of milk per year, has been built south of the city.
Some good thoroughbred racehorses also come from the area, such as B. Blue Spec who won the Melbourne Cup in record time, Kennaquhair who won the Sydney Cup in record time and also the AJC Metropolitan Handicap , Eric and Tar Girl etc.
There are also different sized haulage companies, a communications company and an engineering office in the city. A number of retail stores can also be found there.
traffic
The Oxley Highway (Australian Route 34) runs through the city and crosses the tourist route Thunderbolts Way .
The Main Northern Railway Line (connection Sydney- Brisbane ) runs approximately 20 km west of the city through a village called Walcha Road . The CountryLink Xplorer from Sydney to Armidale stops there once a day in each direction . The railway was not built directly through Walcha, because otherwise the line on the western roof of the Great Dividing Range would have become too steep. Walcha Road was the closest point to the city that could still be reached by railroad.
Public services
- In 2007 a new hospital was opened in place of the old one.
- There is a modern central school, a Roman Catholic elementary school and a preschool
- Two doctors have their practices in town.
- Elderly care services are available at Riverview Hostel.
- Ambulance station with two full-time ambulance staff. A rescue helicopter is stationed in Tamworth .
- Community nurse service
- Police station (3 policemen) and courthouse (open on Thursdays)
- Civil protection
- Professional fire brigade (NSW station No. 481)
- Volunteer firefighter
- Home care service
- Cattle yard with a 14-day sheep and cattle market and a large autumn calf market
- Telecottage
National monuments
The following buildings and objects of natural, indigenous or historical importance in Walcha are listed as national monuments:
- Apsley Gorge National Park (within the 1977 boundaries), Oxley Highway
- Betts Farm, Irish Town, Thunderbolts Way
- Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, now known as Gondwana Rainforests_Australia (Hastings-Macleay Group)
- Europambela Homestead with outbuildings, land and cemetery, Moona Plains Road
- Langford Homestead, Garden and Cemetery, Nowendoc Road
- Ohio Homestead, Ohio Road
- Rowleys Creek Gulf Nature Reserve
- Former St. Andrews Anglican Church, South Street
- Formerly St. Andrews Rectory, with gardens and trees, Fitzroy Street
- St. Paul's Presbyterian Church and Fletcher Memorial Hall, Hill Street
- The Hole Creek Nature Reserve (within the 1977 limits), Winterbourne Road
- Walcha Courthouse, Apsley Street
Attractions
The natural attractions in the area include the Apsley Falls about 20 km east of Walcha right on the Oxley Highway. The first waterfall falls about 85 m and the second, about 800 m further downstream, falls about 65 m to the bottom of the gorge. Walcha is the southern gateway to Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and Werrikimbe National Park . They mainly consist of wild ravines. There are a total of 900 km², a part of which is listed as a World Heritage Site . Other national parks in the area include Mummel Gulf National Park and Cottan Bimbang National Park .
Walcha has an open air gallery where local, national and international artists have come together to create around 41 sculptures and works of art, as well as 30 designed verandas in front of local shops. Statistically, there is one work of art in the open air gallery for every 85 inhabitants of the city and, in addition, a large collection of works in the local art gallery, which makes Walcha a very art-loving city for its size.
The city has four churches for the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian denominations.
There are also many other tourist attractions such as 4x4 excursions, walking routes, the state forests, fishing, panning for gold, the Amaroo Museum & Cultural Center , the Pioneer Cottage Museum and local history archives .
Events
The Walcha Jockey Club , Walcha Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association , Walcha Show Society, and the Campdraft Club hold annual events, each lasting several days. The Walcha Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association collects large amounts of donations and gives them to local organizations and other good causes. The New England Merino Field Days, with exhibitions of local studs, wool and sheep, are held every two years, every even year. A biennial wood exhibition was also introduced, as was a biennial garden festival in the spring of even-numbered years. The income from this event goes to charitable purposes.
Web links
swell
- A Warm Welcome to Walcha - the Pasture Wonderland of Australia . Southern New England, November 1911
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics : Walcha ( English ) In: 2016 Census QuickStats . June 27, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
- ^ J. Kay Donald: Exploring the North Coast and New England . Kangaroo Press. Kenthurst 1978. ISBN 0-86417-121-8
- ^ Premier Postal History: Post Office List . Premier Postal Auctions. Archived from the original on August 19, 2008. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
- ↑ Andrew Hunter. Retrieved on January 23, 2009 ( Memento of the original from July 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Walcha News, Walcha Property Amongst the Best in NSW . Walcha News, May 15, 2008
- ^ Trees in our Town . Walcha News, series, ca.1975
- ↑ Threatened Species . Retrieved February 3, 2009
- ^ New England Country Information . Summerland Printers, Ballina
- ↑ Countdown to milking . Walcha News. Retrieved on May 29, 2009 ( Memento of the original from July 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ John Digby: Thoroughbred Families and Sires of Australian and New Zealand , AJC & VRC, 2002
- ^ Australian Heritage Places. Retrieved on November 23, 2008 ( Memento of the original from May 25, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Great Holiday Ideas - Relax at Walcha , Volume 4, May 2009, The Land, Rural Press, North Richmond, NSW
- ^ Damien Minton Gallery
- ↑ Walcha News, May 7, 2009, p. 2
