Conargo, New South Wales

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Conargo New South Wales
The "famed" Conargo Pub praised by the Ute Muster sub-culture
Population:	95 (within 7 kilometres radius)[1]
Postcode:	2710
Elevation:	95 m
Location:	676 km from Sydney 191 km from Griffith 34 km from Wanganella 26 km from Coree [2]
LGA:	Conargo Shire Council
County:	Townsend
State District:	Murray-Darling
Federal Division:	Farrer

Conargo, is a small rural town located in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia 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 Aboriginal name for the locality of Conargo was 'Gooriara', meaning "hopping" or "kangaroo ground".^[3] The actual town itself is quite small, with only a pub, a convenience store that sells fuel and a small number of houses, however the Shire now covers an area of approximately 8830 square kilometres and has a population of 1806. There are five nearby villages - Blighty, Mayrung, Pretty Pine, Wanganella and Booroorban.^[4]

The surrounding rural area consists of large sheep stations, including some Merino studs.

Contents 1 History 2 Conargo Pub 3 See also 4 External links 5 References

[edit] History

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.^[5]

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".^[6]

[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^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] See also

• Ute Muster
• Bachelor and Spinster Balls

[edit] External links

• Conargo Shire Council website

[edit] References

1. ^ Conargo, Australia, Fallingrain.com
2. ^ Travelmate
3. ^ Geographical Names Board of NSW
4. ^ Conargo.nsw.gov.au
5. ^ '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.
6. ^ Town and Country Journal, 2 March 1878, p. 422.

Coordinates: 35°19′S 145°09′E