Dundee, New South Wales

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New England Highway, Dundee, NSW

Church, Dundee, NSW

Dundee (29°33′S, 151°51′E) is a rural locality about 40km north of Glen Innes on the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the New England Highway at the Severn River in Severn parish, Gough County, New South Wales. The elevation is 982.3m.

[edit] History

In 1838 John Baker and several others left Sydney to seek land and setup stations on the Northern Tablelands. After the others selected their land Baker continued north to secure the lease of 40,000 acres, which he called “Dareel Plains”, later to become Dundee. By 1844 the property had been sold several times before Major Innes took it over that year. At one stage Innes was one of the wealthiest men in the Colony, butt suffered heavily during the 1840s depression and was declared bankrupt in 1852. In 1845 the newly established Dundee flour mill was the first flour mill north of Aberdeen, New South Wales. Major Innes built the ‘Golden Fleece’ Hotel at Dundee in 1847, to become one of the first 3 hotels built in New England. The large colonial style brick building was the first important building to be erected near the shallow river crossing.

Cobb and Co. Coaches ran a coach service to Armidale, prior to the advent of the rail service. The Dundee Railway is 387 miles (705 km) north of Sydney and opened 1 September 1886 and closed 27 Mar 1976. The Public School opened in August 1853, closed May l974. Another school opened as Dundee Railway Station in August l891, changed to Dundee Rail 1940 and closed 1949. The Post Office opened 1 0ctober l851, closed 1974; a second PO opened as Dundee Railway Station 16 Aug l885, closed 1955.

In 1989 the Severn River Rail Bridge, 6km west-south-west of Dundee and 18km north-north-east of Glen Innes on the Main Northern Railway Line, was listed on the Register of the National Estate.^[1] The bridge consists of a series of timber trusses which was considered a significant technical accomplishment. When completed it was the longest timber truss bridge in Australia.

Little else remains of the village that once existed there, aside from the church, a sports ground and the cemetery.

The surrounding district supports sheep and beef cattle grazing plus some tourism.