Wombat, New South Wales

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Wombat is a small township in New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the Olympic Highway, 15 km South-west of Young. It is in the local government area of Harden Shire Council and in the Federal Government electoral area of Hume. Wombat has a population of approx 180 people. The postcode is 2587

[edit] History

The area was occupied by the indigenous Wiradjuri people for thousand of years.

1860 - Gold discovered at nearby Young. 20,000 miners converge on surrounding areas.
1865 - The village of Wombat was established. Many Chinese miners moved to the area taking plots of land.
1867 - Wombat Public School was founded in a bark hut
1873 - foundation stone of St Matthews Church of England laid
1875 - Roman Catholic Church built
1877 - Wombat Hotel began trading
1880 - Carlo Lazzarini, (1880-1952), NSW politician and trade unionist was born in Wombat.
1895 - Mechanics Institute opened
1903 - Wombat Hotel's current building constructed
1909 - Roman Catholic convent opened
1923 - Wombat Soldiers' Memorial hall officially opened
1924 - the old hall was destroyed by fire
1950's & 1960's - The Olympic Way highway was built through

[edit] Attractions

The Wombat Hotel, which has had a continuous liquor license since 1877, making it the longest in NSW. Wombat Heights, a farm on a hill which produces jam, fruit wine and liqueurs from traditional recipes. Visitors are invited to do-it-themselves. Wilkies Cottage Restaurant/Café. The Old Convent Geranium Nursery, Hope St, offers many colours & varieties of miniatures of variegated, climbing and scented geraniums. The highway into to Wombat is graced with a statue of a wombat, made of local material, which was erected in 2002.