Conargo, New South Wales
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Conargo, is a small rural town located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia [1] and is the seat of Conargo Shire. It is situated on the Billabong Creek, a tributary of the Murrumbidgee River. The nearest towns are Jerilderie and Deniliquin.
The actual town itself is quite small, with only a pub, a convenience store that sells fuel and a small number of houses.
The surrounding rural area consists of large sheep stations, including some Merino studs.
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[edit] History
The Aboriginal name for the locality of Conargo was 'Gooriara', meaning "hopping" or "kangaroo ground". In 1859 William McKenzie opened the Conargo Inn there (named after the nearby "Conargo" pastoral run). A township at Conargo was laid out in 1860 by the surveyor McCulloch. During 1865 another hotel was built at the village - the Riverine Hotel (publican James McKeys). At about the same time the Conargo Inn, together with 320 acres, was sold for £1,857 to T. Robertson. In 1866 Conargo was reported as having a population of thirty persons, with a post-office, a store, and two hotels. In 1867 the Billabong Hotel was added to Conargo's hotels (with David Rogers as its first publican). In 1869 the Baker brothers built a store there. In 1872 Conargo was described as a small village with a store and three hotels.[2]
In February 1878 a correspondent to the Town and Country Journal said: "Conargo... was once - according to tradition - intended to be a town, which attempt finally diminished to a total failure". The writer added that the proprietor of the only store in the village had recently died after "a long and continued illness". Of the three hotels it was claimed the Conargo Hotel was the "better house", doing "a great deal more business than the other two combined".[3]
[edit] Conargo Pub
Conargo is famous amongst people who attend Ute Musters (who are known locally as Friggers) because of the humour in visiting a pub in such a remote location.
Ute enthusiasts often decorate their vehicles with bumper stickers, and to cash in on this market the Conargo Pub as it is known, offers stickers that read "CONARGO PUB" in black writing on a white backdrop. Since, Conargo's town is neighbouring Deniliquin which hosts the worlds largest Ute Muster, the popularity of the Conargo pub sticker has spread amongst the ute community and adorning their vehicle with one has developed into a status symbol among ute enthusiasts.
The Conargo Pub has recently (mid 2005) been taken over by the owner as the leasees decided to take off before the lease ended. The pub now is pretty much up and running with meals starting again in March - April (2006).
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Conargo (A) (Local Government Area). 2001 Census QuickStats. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved on 2006-11-08.
- ^ 'The Western Riverina: A History of Its Development' by James Jervis (Royal Australian Historical Society Journal and Proceedings Vol. XXXVIII 1952), p. 142; Listings of Publicans Licenses, New South Wales Government Gazettes.
- ^ Town and Country Journal, 2 March 1878, p. 422.
