Barham, New South Wales

Last updated

Barham
New South Wales
BarhamHotel1.JPG
The Barham Hotel
Australia New South Wales location map blank.svg
Red pog.svg
Barham
Coordinates 35°37′36″S144°07′41″E / 35.6268005°S 144.1280514°E / -35.6268005; 144.1280514
Population1,134 (UCL 2021) [1]
Postcode(s) 2732
Elevation73 m (240 ft)
Location
LGA(s) Murray River Council
County Wakool
State electorate(s) Murray
Federal division(s) Farrer
The lift span bridge over the Murray River to Koondrook, Victoria BarhamBridge.JPG
The lift span bridge over the Murray River to Koondrook, Victoria

Barham is a town in the western Riverina district of New South Wales, Australia. The town is located 823 kilometres south west of the state capital, Sydney and 303 kilometres north west of Melbourne. Situated on the banks of the Murray River across from Koondrook in the neighbouring state of Victoria, Barham had a population of 1,159 at the 2016 census. [3] The town is in the Murray River Council local government area.

Contents

History

For thousands of years before white explorers arrived, the Barababaraba people camped, hunted fished and gardened here. Their cooking mounds, scar trees, middens and artefacts can readily be found on private land and throughout the forests. Each nomadic clan had their own territory with exclusive rights to the camping, fishing and hunting. There was some vigorous resistance to the first settlers, but the indigenous population dramatically decreased in the late 1800s, mainly due to disease.

The history of white settlement begins in 1843 when the 114,656 acre 'Barham' station was taken up by Edward Green, who named it after the maiden name of his wife. [4] The south bank of the Murray was then settled towards the end of the Victorian gold rush where squatters grazed sheep & cattle. The typical Australian struggle between squatters (on vast acreage) and selectors (who took up small lots) was played out throughout the district, with selectors such as Parkman, McConnell and Hudson moving in to take up small farms within the Barham station lease from 1877.

The Post Office opened on 1 January 1895. [5] Growth was slow until 1904 with the construction of a lift span bridge designed to allow paddle steamers through.

Heritage listings

Barham has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Also of historic and architectural interest in Barham are the Royal Hotel (1904) and the National Bank building (1912).

Timber industry

From the early 1870s, timber cutters began to set up camps and log the River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) that grow in the surrounding forests. Koondrook, on the Victorian side, developed more quickly than Barham, soon becoming the centre of a large forest industry with the timber being used to build boats & paddle steamers. Some of these boats are still operating, the paddle steamer Melbourne, built at Koondrook in 1914 is a tourist attraction at Mildura, the Alexander Arbuthnot, built in 1923, & the Emmylou built in 1980-1982 operate in Echuca. The timber industry has continued to supply building timber, garden timber and firewood with several sawmills operating in the area. The Bonum Sawmill, occupying land at the Northern edge of Barham, incorporated several significant value-adding enterprises, such as a kiln, veneering and finger-jointing before closing in 2010 when the New South Wales government closed access to many of the forest areas following many years of drought and poor tree growth.

Barham Bridge

Barham's development was aided when a lift span bridge across the river opened in 1904, designed by Ernest de Burgh of the Department of Public Works and constructed by Monash & Anderson, with John Monash in charge. The bridge replaced a punt that was used to ferry people, stock and goods across the river, and allowed road access between the Riverina and the Victorian markets, while permitting the passage of paddle steamers when the middle section was raised. Until it was motorised in 1997 it was operated by a system of weights worked by two men turning wheels. The span is still occasionally raised. The bridge is now one of the oldest remaining across the Murray River. [6] A similar bridge was constructed upstream at the same time between Cobram, Victoria and Barooga, New South Wales.

Agriculture

The region boasts a rich agriculture based on irrigation including rice, sheep, citrus, cereal crops, dairy, walnuts, olives, and beef cattle.

The town today

The major industries in and around Barham are agriculture, including dairying and citrus, and forestry. Like much of the southern Riverina, the town is attuned culturally to Victoria, reading Victorian newspapers and watching Victorian television channels. The most popular team sport is Australian rules football, the town in conjunction with neighbouring township Koondrook across the Murray having an Australian Rules football team competing in the Central Murray Football League. [7]

Golfers play at the Barham Golf and Country Club on Moulamein Road. [8]

Population

In the 2016 Census, there were 1,159 people in Barham. 83.5% of people were born in Australia and 89.9% of people only spoke English at home. The most common responses for religion were Anglican 28.6%, No Religion 24.4% and Catholic 18.1%. [3]

Notable people

Barham is the birthplace of Australian cyclist Michael Rogers and Danny Lolicato Victorian Young Engineer of the year 2017.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hay, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

Hay is a town in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales, Australia. It is the administrative centre of Hay Shire local government area and the centre of a prosperous and productive agricultural district on the wide Hay Plains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverina</span> Region in New South Wales, Australia

The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop into one of the most productive and agriculturally diverse areas of Australia. Bordered on the south by the state of Victoria and on the east by the Great Dividing Range, the Riverina covers those areas of New South Wales in the Murray and Murrumbidgee drainage zones to their confluence in the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murchison, Victoria</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Murchison is a small riverside rural village located on the Goulburn River in Victoria, Australia. Murchison is located 167 kilometres from Melbourne and is just to the west of the Goulburn Valley Highway between Shepparton and Nagambie. The surrounding countryside contains orchards, vineyards and dairy farms and also HM Prison Dhurringile. At the 2016 census, Murchison had a population of 925.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmah</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Barmah is a town in the state of Victoria, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerang</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Kerang is a town on the Loddon River in northern Victoria in Australia. It is the commercial centre to an irrigation district based on livestock, horticulture, lucerne and grain. It is located 279 kilometres (173 mi) north-west of Melbourne on the Murray Valley Highway a few kilometres north of its intersection with the Loddon Valley Highway, elevation 78 metres (256 ft). At the 2016 census, Kerang had a population of 3,893. Kerang is believed to be an Aboriginal word for Cockatoo. It is home to the largest solar and battery farm in the country which was opened in June 2019. The 50-megawatt battery system is located outside of Kerang and stores 100 per cent renewable energy. The 2,000 solar panels have become a tourist attraction and are drawing many businesses to the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berri, South Australia</span> Town in South Australia

Berri is a city in the Riverland region of South Australia. It is 238 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, the capital of the state of South Australia and a few kilometres west of the SA-Victoria border. It is primarily an agricultural and viticultural city on the north bank of the Murray River. It is the original home of a juice company, Berri Ltd..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swan Hill</span> City in Victoria, Australia

Swan Hill is a city in the northwest of Victoria, Australia on the Murray Valley Highway and on the south bank of the Murray River, downstream from the junction of the Loddon River. At 2021 census, Swan Hill had a population of 11,508.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray Shire</span> Former local government area in New South Wales, Australia

Murray Shire was a local government area in the Riverina region of south western New South Wales, Australia. It included the towns of Moama and Mathoura. It was abolished on 12 May 2016 and its area merged with the Wakool Shire to establish the Murray River Council.

<i>Alexander Arbuthnot</i> (paddle steamer)

The Alexander Arbuthnot is the last paddle steamer built as a working boat during the riverboat trade era on the Murray River, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tooleybuc</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

Tooleybuc is a town in the western Riverina district of New South Wales, Australia. The town is located on the Mallee Highway, 919 kilometres (571 mi) southwest of the state capital, Sydney and 381 kilometres (237 mi) north west of Melbourne. Situated on the banks of the Murray River across from Piangil in the neighbouring state of Victoria, at the 2011 census, Tooleybuc has a population of 277. The town is in the Murray River Council local government area. The Tooleybuc Bridgekeepers Cottage close to the Tooleybuc Bridge is of particular local historic interest. It is open to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Koondrook</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Koondrook is a town situated on the Murray River, Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Gannawarra local government area, 301 kilometres (187 mi) north west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2016 census, Koondrook had a population of 832.

PS <i>Hero</i>

The Hero is a paddle steamer that was built at Echuca in 1874 by George Linklater. The working life of Hero first ended in 1957, but it was later restored c2000 as a first class luxury paddle steamer finely fitted-out for private charters.

The New South Wales Central Murray Forests lie on the floodplain of the Murray River in the Riverina region of south-central New South Wales, Australia. On 20 May 2003 the forests were recognised as a wetland site of international importance (RS1291) by designation under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethanga Bridge</span> Bridge in Victoria, Australia

The Bethanga Bridge is a steel truss road bridge that carries the Riverina Highway across Lake Hume, an artificial lake on the Murray River in Australia. The dual heritage-listed bridge crosses the border between the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria, linking the Victorian towns of Bellbridge and Bethanga with the regional New South Wales city of Albury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray River Council</span> Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

The Murray River Council is a local government area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. This area was formed in 2016 from the merger of Murray Shire with Wakool Shire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Cobram-Barooga Bridge</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

Old Cobram-Barooga Bridge is a heritage-listed former road bridge and now footbridge over the Murray River at Barooga-Cobram Road, Barooga, New South Wales, Australia. The bridge links Barooga with Cobram, its sister town in Victoria. It was designed by Ernest de Burgh (engineer) and the New South Wales Department of Public Works and built from 1900 to 1902. It is also known as RMS Bridge No 3247. It is owned by Transport for NSW. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 1 April 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray River bridge, Barham</span> Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

The Murray River bridge is a heritage-listed road bridge that carries Main Road across the Murray River located at Barham in the Murray River Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Department of Public Works and built in 1904 by John Monash. The bridge is also known as the Barham Bridge over Murray River and the Barham bridge. The bridge is owned by the Murray River Council and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 20 June 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray River road bridge, Swan Hill</span> Bridge in New South Wales, Australia

The Murray River road bridge is a heritage-listed road bridge that carries Swan Hill Road across the Murray River, on the border between New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. The bridge connects Murray Downs in New South Wales with McCallum Street in Swan Hill, Victoria. The bridge was built in 1896 and is owned by Transport for NSW. The bridge is also called the Swan Hill Bridge and the Swan Hill-Murray River Road Bridge. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 20 June 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tooleybuc Bridge</span> Bridge crossing Murray River in Victoria, Australia

The Tooleybuc Bridge is a dual heritage-listed road bridge that carries Tooleybuc Road across the Murray River, located in Tooleybuc, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1925. The bridge is owned by the Transport for NSW, and is also called the Tooleybuc Bridge over Murray River. The bridge was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 20 June 2000 and the Victorian Heritage Register on 10 July 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moama Historic Precinct</span> Historic site in New South Wales, Australia

The Moama Historic Precinct is a heritage-listed abandoned settlement location, river wharf and public space on Hunt Street, Moama, New South Wales, Australia. It includes the Echuca – Moama Bridge and the Echuca Wharf on the Victorian side of the river. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Barham (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021.  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. ↑ Travelmate Archived 24 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine [ dead link ]
  3. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Barham-Koondrook (Barham Part) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 March 2018. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  4. ↑ T.R.McConnell, History of Barham (1951)
  5. ↑ Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List , retrieved 26 January 2021
  6. 1 2 "Barham Bridge over Murray River". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H01456. Retrieved 18 May 2018. CC BY icon.svg Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence .
  7. ↑ Full Points Footy, Koondrook-Barham, archived from the original on 20 November 2008, retrieved 25 July 2008
  8. ↑ Golf Select, Barham , retrieved 11 May 2009
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.