Weethalle

Weethalle
New South Wales

Railway St (Mid-Western Highway), the main street of Weethalle
Weethalle
Coordinates 33°52′32″S 146°37′30″E / 33.87556°S 146.62500°ECoordinates: 33°52′32″S 146°37′30″E / 33.87556°S 146.62500°E
Population 307 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 2669
Location
LGA(s) Bland Shire
State electorate(s) Cootamundra
Federal Division(s) Riverina

Weethalle (/ˈwiːθæli/ WEE-thal-ee) is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is in the Bland Shire local government area and on the Mid-Western Highway, 526 kilometres (327 mi) west of the state capital, Sydney, and 100 kilometres (62 mi) north east of Griffith. At the 2011 census,Weethalle and the surrounding area had a population of 307.[1] The name "Weethalle" is said to be an Australian aboriginal word for drink.[2]

History

The Weethalle area was set aside as homestead farms for returned soldiers in 1921.[3] The Rankins Springs railway line was extended to Weethalle in 1922.[4] Land clearing commenced and by 1923 the first wheat from the area was delivered to the Weethalle railway station.[5]

By 1924, a site was surveyed for a village to service the surrounding farms with town allotment sales taking place the following year.[6][7] A "skeleton" town was in existence by 1926, with "buildings in all states of construction" and "built mostly of wood".[8] In the same year, a provisional school was established along with a branch of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney.[9][10]

An observer in 1928 described the growth of Weethalle as "remarkable" with the town having "sprung up in the night".[11] In that year, a new hotel was built at a cost of £13,000. The hotel was the newest addition to a town that also boasted a bank, "2 stores ... butchers, bakers, hairdresser and tobacconist, several agents, a school, a doctor, a dance and picture hall, and a tri-weekly rail service."[11]

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Weethalle (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Weethalle". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "ORIGINAL HOMESTEAD FARMS.". Narandera Argus and Riverina Advertiser (NSW : 1893 - 1953) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 2 August 1921. p. 1. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "BARMEDMAN R.S. RAILWAY.". The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette (NSW : 1900 - 1928) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 28 July 1922. p. 3. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "DISTRICT NEWS.". Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW : 1896 - 1938) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 21 December 1923. p. 25. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "WEETHALLE.". The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette (NSW : 1900 - 1928) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 14 November 1924. p. 4. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "WEETHALLE TOWNSHIP.". The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette (NSW : 1900 - 1928) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 29 September 1925. p. 7. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "WEETHALLE NOTES.". The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette (NSW : 1900 - 1928) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 25 May 1926. p. 5. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "WEETHALLE PUBLIC SCHOOL.". The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette (NSW : 1900 - 1928) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 12 October 1926. p. 6. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "BANK OPENED AT WEETHALLE.". The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette (NSW : 1900 - 1928) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 7 May 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "RISING WEETHALLE.". The West Wyalong Advocate (NSW : 1928) (NSW: National Library of Australia). 19 October 1928. p. 8. Retrieved 14 January 2014.

Further reading

External links

Media related to Weethalle, New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons