Colo Vale, New South Wales
| Colo Vale New South Wales | |||||||||||||||
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 Colo Vale Railway Station located on the Old Picton Loop Line | |||||||||||||||
  Colo Vale | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 34°24′S 150°29′E / 34.400°S 150.483°ECoordinates: 34°24′S 150°29′E / 34.400°S 150.483°E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 1,618 (2016 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1837 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2575 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | 125 km (78 mi) South-West of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Wingecarribee Shire | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Southern Highlands | ||||||||||||||
| County | Camden | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Colo | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Wollondilly | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hume | ||||||||||||||
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Colo Vale /ˈkɒloʊveɪl/ (Known colloquially by locals as 'The Vale') is a Northern Village of the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. It is situated 2 km north-west of Aylmerton, 5 km from the Hume Highway and 12 km drive to Mittagong.
At the 2016 census, Colo Vale had a population of 1,618.[1]
The surrounding area is part of the Parish of Colo which includes the villages of Aylmerton, Willow Vale, Alpine and Yerrinbool.
Facilities
Colo Vale has a mixed-business general store and many home based businesses are situated within the town, including hairdressers, small manufacturing businesses, and a large native plant nursery (Wariapendi Nursery).
Colo Vale also has a Public School on Wattle Street. A large sporting oval is located adjacent to the school. It includes community facilities include sporting fields, tennis courts, a community hall and a Rural Fire Service station.
History
The village was formerly a station on the Main Southern Railway, until that line was deviated in 1919 to a less steep alignment with easier grades and the original line became the Picton Loop line. Colo Vale railway station, though disused, has been restored and is in good condition.
The word Colo is believed to be an Aboriginal word for "a hill formed by volcanic rock", thus in 1837 when John Kiernan purchased some land where modern Colo Vale is, he called it Colo. In addition, this name became the official Parish name for the area.
During the early 1860s, increased settlement occurred due to the rich soil which derived from decomposing volcanic rock.
St. Pauls Anglican Church which still stands today was built in 1884. This operates as a branch church of Mittagong Anglican Church.
The first school was built in 1911. In 1923, Colo Vale was settled by English migrant poultry farmers. In 1954, Colo Vale had a population of 121 with 37 dwellings.
References
- 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Colo Vale". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
External links
Bibliography
- Bayley, W. A. 1973. Picton-Mittagong Loop-Line Railway. Bulli: Austrail. ISBN 0-909597-14-6
- Bayley, W. A. 1975. Picton-Mittagong Main Line Railway. Bulli: Austrail. ISBN 0-909597-15-4
Photo gallery
- Images of Colo Vale
Town Entry Sign, Wattle Street 
Village Store, Railway Street 
Rural Fire Service Shed, Banksia Street 
War Memorial Hall, Railway Street 
Road overbridge, closed 
St Paul's Anglican Church, Church Ave