Matakana is a rural locality in western New South Wales, Australia. It is situated just off the Kidman Way, 78 kilometres north of Hillston and 177 kilometres south of Cobar. The small settlement of Mount Hope is located 17 kilometres to the north on the Kidman Way.
Matakana is on the route of the Broken Hill railway line, between the Euabalong West and Ivanhoe stations. Matakana was once a siding on the railway line. A short branch line connecting Matakana to Mount Hope was opened in February 1919 and closed after five years.[1] A small rural community settled in the vicinity of the Matakana siding during its operation.
Historyedit
In August 1901 there was a report of a “small gold rush” near Matakana, nine miles south of Mount Hope, after the discovery of a reef where “gold can be seen in the stone”. The discovery by prospectors Eldridge and Grogan caused a flurry of excitement at Mount Hope where “the Warden's clerk has been kept busy issuing miner's rights”.[2]
In early July 1924 the train service between Matakana and Mount Hope was discontinued “because of the paucity of business”; there had been “so little hope of a mining revival in the district that the whole of the mining machinery at Mount Hope was dismantled and removed”.[4][5]
In July 1929 “a site near the railway line at Matakana” was selected as the location of “an experimental farm within the area to serve prospective settlers”. The selection of the site was a part of the “preliminary investigations” by E. S. Clayton (Chief Experimentalist of the Department of Agriculture) “for the projected settlement of a large area of the south-western mallee lands in N.S.W.” . The area was expected to “be devoted chiefly to wheatgrowing, with a probable subsequent extension to sheep”. The water supply, "in addition to bores”, was proposed to be drawn from Wyangala dam.[6] In August 1930 Matakana was described as “the proposed Mallee wheatgrowing settlement”.[7]
In October 1941 “new trucking yards” were completed at Matakana and it was expected that “persons trucking stock there will find a great improvement”.[8]
In July 1952 a description was published of an overnight camp at Matakana, described as “that unexpected railway line break in the midst of miles and miles of thick high mallee”. Trains passed along the track during the night: “on a westward bound goods train we counted 54 trucks in the bright moonlight”.[9]
In December 1957 five separate bush fires “were raging out of control” between Condobolin and Hillston. The main Western railway line was cut and tracks destroyed. Fires around Euabalong and Mount Hope were “burning on a 100-mile front”. A fire “threatened to engulf” the “village of Matakana” and “20 women and children were driven through an arch of flames to escape the fire” and provided with accommodation at nearby Mount Hope. Fire fighters “managed to divert the flames” around Matakana.[10]
Environmentedit
Matakana is surrounded by two extensive nature reserves, Nombinnie to the south-west and Round Hill to the east. The reserves comprise a large area of plain and ridge country, and together with the Yathong Nature Reserve (north-west of Mount Hope), the area protects the largest remaining contiguous stand of mallee in NSW and supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including many rare and endangered species.[11]
Notes and referencesedit
^"Mount Hope Branch". NSWrail.net. NSW Government. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
^District News: Mount Hope, Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser, 31 August 1901, page 15.
^The Railway News, N.S.W. School Railway Clubs Association, November–December 1977, pp. 104-108.
^Drought in North-West, Barrier Miner (Broken Hill), 7 July 1924, page 4.
^Doings in Different Districts, Riverine Grazier (Hay), 11 July 1924, page 4.
^Mallee Lands, The Land (Sydney), 26 July 1929, page 2.
^Cargelligo Wheat, West Wyalong Advocate, 8 August 1930, page 6.
^Mount Hope, Lachlander and Condobolin and Western Districts Recorder, 6 November 1941, page 3.
^Eleanor Barbour’s Pages, Chronicle (Adelaide), 24 July 1952, page 28.
^Raging Fires Cut Main Western Line, Canberra Times, 23 December 1957, page 3; Heavy Stock Losses in Western Bush fires, Canberra Times, 24 December 1957, page 13.
^Yathong Nature Reserve, Nombinnie Nature Reserve and Round Hill Nature Reserve: Plan of Management, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, November 1996.
November 12, 2023
matakana, south, wales, matakana, rural, locality, western, south, wales, australia, situated, just, kidman, kilometres, north, hillston, kilometres, south, cobar, small, settlement, mount, hope, located, kilometres, north, kidman, matakana, south, walesmataka. Matakana is a rural locality in western New South Wales Australia It is situated just off the Kidman Way 78 kilometres north of Hillston and 177 kilometres south of Cobar The small settlement of Mount Hope is located 17 kilometres to the north on the Kidman Way Matakana New South WalesMatakanaCoordinates32 59 27 S 145 54 22 E 32 99083 S 145 90611 E 32 99083 145 90611Elevation150 m 492 ft Location17 km 11 mi S of Mount Hope78 km 48 mi NNE of HillstonLGA s Cobar ShireFederal division s ParkesMatakana is on the route of the Broken Hill railway line between the Euabalong West and Ivanhoe stations Matakana was once a siding on the railway line A short branch line connecting Matakana to Mount Hope was opened in February 1919 and closed after five years 1 A small rural community settled in the vicinity of the Matakana siding during its operation History editIn August 1901 there was a report of a small gold rush near Matakana nine miles south of Mount Hope after the discovery of a reef where gold can be seen in the stone The discovery by prospectors Eldridge and Grogan caused a flurry of excitement at Mount Hope where the Warden s clerk has been kept busy issuing miner s rights 2 The Matakana to Mount Hope single track branch railway line was opened in February 1919 3 In early July 1924 the train service between Matakana and Mount Hope was discontinued because of the paucity of business there had been so little hope of a mining revival in the district that the whole of the mining machinery at Mount Hope was dismantled and removed 4 5 In July 1929 a site near the railway line at Matakana was selected as the location of an experimental farm within the area to serve prospective settlers The selection of the site was a part of the preliminary investigations by E S Clayton Chief Experimentalist of the Department of Agriculture for the projected settlement of a large area of the south western mallee lands in N S W The area was expected to be devoted chiefly to wheatgrowing with a probable subsequent extension to sheep The water supply in addition to bores was proposed to be drawn from Wyangala dam 6 In August 1930 Matakana was described as the proposed Mallee wheatgrowing settlement 7 In October 1941 new trucking yards were completed at Matakana and it was expected that persons trucking stock there will find a great improvement 8 In July 1952 a description was published of an overnight camp at Matakana described as that unexpected railway line break in the midst of miles and miles of thick high mallee Trains passed along the track during the night on a westward bound goods train we counted 54 trucks in the bright moonlight 9 In December 1957 five separate bush fires were raging out of control between Condobolin and Hillston The main Western railway line was cut and tracks destroyed Fires around Euabalong and Mount Hope were burning on a 100 mile front A fire threatened to engulf the village of Matakana and 20 women and children were driven through an arch of flames to escape the fire and provided with accommodation at nearby Mount Hope Fire fighters managed to divert the flames around Matakana 10 Environment editMatakana is surrounded by two extensive nature reserves Nombinnie to the south west and Round Hill to the east The reserves comprise a large area of plain and ridge country and together with the Yathong Nature Reserve north west of Mount Hope the area protects the largest remaining contiguous stand of mallee in NSW and supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna including many rare and endangered species 11 Notes and references edit Mount Hope Branch NSWrail net NSW Government Retrieved 8 April 2021 District News Mount Hope Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser 31 August 1901 page 15 The Railway News N S W School Railway Clubs Association November December 1977 pp 104 108 Drought in North West Barrier Miner Broken Hill 7 July 1924 page 4 Doings in Different Districts Riverine Grazier Hay 11 July 1924 page 4 Mallee Lands The Land Sydney 26 July 1929 page 2 Cargelligo Wheat West Wyalong Advocate 8 August 1930 page 6 Mount Hope Lachlander and Condobolin and Western Districts Recorder 6 November 1941 page 3 Eleanor Barbour s Pages Chronicle Adelaide 24 July 1952 page 28 Raging Fires Cut Main Western Line Canberra Times 23 December 1957 page 3 Heavy Stock Losses in Western Bush fires Canberra Times 24 December 1957 page 13 Yathong Nature Reserve Nombinnie Nature Reserve and Round Hill Nature Reserve Plan of Management NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service November 1996 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Matakana New South Wales amp oldid 1062697834, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
