Kiandra, New South Wales

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Site of Anglican Church of the Ascension

Former court house

Kiandra Snow Shoe Carnival 1900

Kiandra Coordinates: 35°53′S, 148°30′E is an abandoned gold mining town in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in Snowy River Shire and in Kosciuszko National Park. Its name is a corruption of Aboriginal 'Gianderra' for 'sharp stones for knives'. It was earlier called Gibson's Plains, named after Dr. Gibson, a settler in the district in 1839.^[1]

There has been no permanent population since the 1880s even though a few ruins and one building still exist. The town, at its height, housed about ten thousand miners and storekeepers. Mining ceased in 1903.

It is situated on a high, treeless ridge which is snow-covered during winter, on the banks of the Eucumbene River and is subject to high winds. The town is also known as the birthplace of Australian skiing.

Kiandra lies approximately 90 kilometres north-west of Cooma on the Snowy Mountains Highway. Gold was discovered in 1859.^[2] At the time of the gold rush, which followed, a 9 kg nugget was discovered in river deposits under what became known as New Chum Hill. Kiandra post office opened on 1 June 1860.^[3]

Kiandra is often isolated by deep snow which make it inaccessible during winter. The last resident left Kiandra in 1974, after which the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) took over the town and demolished most of its buildings.

The Kiandra area has many relics of Australian pioneer history, including water races used for mining operations, old cemeteries and old mining sites.

[edit] References

^ Kiandra Geographical Names Board of New South Wales
^ Canberra's Engineering Heritage, William Charles Andrews, Institution of Engineers, Canberra, 1990 p. 5
^ Brown, Alan G. and Campbell, Hugh M. (1963) New South Wales Numeral Cancellations Victoria: The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria, Australia, and London: Robson Lowe Ltd.