Ungarie
| Ungarie New South Wales |
|
 Wollongough St, the main street of Ungarie |
|
 Ungarie
|
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| Population: | 335[1] |
| Established: | 1872 |
| Postcode: | 2669 |
| Coordinates: | 33°38′S 146°58′E / 33.633°S 146.967°ECoordinates: 33°38′S 146°58′E / 33.633°S 146.967°E |
| Elevation: | 372 m (1,220 ft) |
| Location: |
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| LGA: | Bland Shire Council |
| State District: | Murrumbidgee |
| Federal Division: | Riverina; Parkes |
Ungarie (
/ʌŋˈɡɛəri/) is a town in New South Wales, Australia which is the second major town of the Bland Shire, located in the Central West region of New South Wales. It is located 513 kilometres (319 mi) west of Sydney and 615 kilometres (382 mi) north of Melbourne, between the towns of West Wyalong and Lake Cargelligo and is situated 262 metres (860 ft) above sea level. The town's name is derived from an Indigenous Australian word meaning 'thigh'.[2]
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[edit] History
John Oxley, explorer and NSW surveyor general, was probably the first European to cross through what is now the Ungarie district. This was part of his investigation of the Lachlan Valley area in May 1817. In describing the country he had penetrated he said:
"For the want of timber, grass and water, this country will never be inhabited by civilised man."
He was of course proven wrong and the land west of Bathurst soon opened up. It was about 1852 that John Regan explored the back country of what is now West Wyalong in search of more station country. The Regans had a property east of West Wyalong called The Bland. Soon after he continued to explore further west and came upon the creek that he called The Humbug.
His group was so impressed by the land that it was taken up. A Mr Ward entered into partnership with one of Regan’s friend, a Mr Wood. They called the new run Merrigreen which consisted of 42,220 acres (170.9 km2). After Regan’s explorations more men came to take up various stations.
Wollongough was taken up by Carlo Marino around 1871, followed by the King Family in 1878 and later by John Bros. In 1866 Roger Freeling took up Ungarie Station.
It was around about 1871 that the farming residents in the vicinity of the Humbug took up a petition for a Post Office to be established at Wollongough as they argued that the nearest post office at Marsden was too far away, 81 kilometres (50 mi). The postmaster at Forbes reported that about 20 to 30 residents would benefit from a post office.
Mr George Tout was appointed postmaster on 1 January 1872 with an allowance of ten pounds per annum. The post office closed in 1875 because of some disagreements regarding the cost of the tender for the mail service. There often appeared to be some concern expressed by postmaster Tout regarding the conditions and the viability of the Post office. Once the post office was established a small settlement began to grow.
Mr Tout had erected, at his own cost, an apartment adjoining the post office. It is believed that this was the first building in Ungarie and it was believed to have been located at the rear of Navin’s store on the creek.
The old hotel was owned by Mrs Kerwin, and a portion of it, which still stands at the rear of the butcher’s shop was the dining room and was built around 1883 by Mr Tout. In 1889 the hotel was sold to the Mackrell family who came here from Wardry, where they conducted a hotel business.
By 1892 the settlement comprised a post office, a hotel, two general stores, a blacksmith shop, a butchery and a boarding house. It was Mr Mackrell who apparently led a group for the establishment of a school in 1891. Even at this stage the Ungarie settlement did not have the distinction of being gazetted as a village and it was in November 1891 that application was made for Ungarie to be established as a village. Following this, Surveyor A. Maitland reported that a village should be surveyed on the south side of the Euglo or Humbug creek in a position which would now be mid-way between the present township and the original business place adjacent to the east.
Nothing had yet been finalised, so a petition was submitted to the Minister of Lands, urging a survey for a village. Surveyor Roberts reported in December 1892 that a more suitable site existed on the north side of Euglo or Humbug creek opposite the present day township. In September 1893 Surveyor A. Maitland surveyed the village on this site covering an area of 250 acres (1.0 km2). This was gazetted as the village of Ungarie on 31 March 1894.
The first police residence appeared from Yarrandale in 1896, however it is not exactly clear when the first police constable took up duties. The current police house was built in 1995.
By 1900 the village of Ungarie began to grow and a baker shop was added to the list of services provided in the town.
The current village of Ungarie includes a central school, an Australian rules football/cricket ground, a post office, a pub, a butchery, a fuel station, a mechanic, an AGnVET, a swimming pool, a retirement home and a Catholic church.
[edit] Places of interest
- White Elephant Water Tower
- Ungarie War Memorial Hall
- Ungarie Lawn Bowling Club
- Central Hotel
[edit] Sport
- Ungarie Magpies - Australian rules football & netball
- Ungarie Cricket Club - Cricket
- Ungarie Tennis Club - Tennis
- Ungarie Bowling Club - Lawn Bowls
- Ungarie Swimming Club - Swimming
In 1916, Ungarie became one of the foundation clubs of the Northern Riverina Football League (NRFL), with the town acquiring horizontal black and white stripes for its jumper and becoming the Ungarie Magpies. Over the next hundred years, the Ungarie Football Club fought through thick and thin to become one of the oldest current clubs in the competition. It was during these hundred years that the Magpies acquired more than twenty NRFL seniors premierships, helped bring the junior football and women's netball leagues into the competition and trained one of the most famous footballing families in history, the Danihers.
The four Daniher brothers (Terry, Neale, Anthony and Chris) went on to play a total of 752 games for the South Melbourne/Sydney and Essendon Football Clubs over 23 seasons, the most games by any group of brothers in AFL history; they also won three AFL premierships between them and one of them (Neale) went on to coach the Melbourne Football Club from 1998-2007. The Magpies also trained Ben Fixter, who played 54 games for the Sydney and Brisbane Football Clubs.
[edit] Notable people from the area
- Anthony Daniher, former Australian rules footballer
- Chris Daniher, former Australian rules footballer
- Neale Daniher, former Australian rules footballer and coach
- Terry Daniher, former Australian rules footballer
- Raymond Boultwood Ewers, war sculptor
- Ben Fixter, former Australian rules footballer
- John Kelly, former rugby league player
- Paul Smith, actor
[edit] Surrounding towns
- Tullibigeal (39 km)
- Burcher (46 km)
- Lake Cargelligo (75 km)
- Weethalle (57 km)
- West Wyalong (44 km)
[edit] References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Ungarie (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=UCL177800&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2007-06-30.
- ^ "Ungarie". Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/name_search/extract?id=SXKqlMrXJP. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- Astride the Humbug, 1872-1972 – Ungarie, 100 years of town building, published 1973
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ungarie, New South Wales |
- Bland Shire Council
- Central Hotel [1]
- Town and Country Tavern [2]
- Ungarie Railway Siding and Junction
