Mongarlowe, New South Wales

Mongarlowe is a village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.^[2][3] In former times, it was also known, in various contexts, as Little River, Monga, and Sergeants Point. The name, Mongarlowe, also applies to the surrounding area, for postal and statistical purposes.

Mongarlowe New South Wales
Mongarlowe Location in New South Wales
Coordinates	35°25′19″S 149°56′20″E / 35.422°S 149.939°E / -35.422; 149.939
Population	117 (2016 census)^[1]
Postcode(s)	2622
Location	13 km (8 mi) from Braidwood
LGA(s)	Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council
Region	Southern Tablelands
County	St Vincent
Parish	Budawang
State electorate(s)	Monaro
Federal division(s)	Eden-Monaro
Localities around Mongarlowe: Durran Durra Back Creek Charleys Forest Braidwood Mongarlowe Budawang Braidwood Northangera Currowan

Location and features

 

Mongarlowe river in Mongarlowe

It is situated on the Mongarlowe River and about 13 km east of Braidwood. At the 2016 census, the village and the surrounding area had a population of 117.

Several buildings have survived from the 19th century, when it was much larger, as has the village's cemetery.^[4]

History

Mongarlowe was a substantial mining settlement during the mid-19th century due to the New South Wales gold rush. It was called Monga until 1891.^[5]

Aboriginal history

The area now known as Mongarlowe lies on the traditional lands of Walbanga people,^[6] a group of Yuin.

Dispossessed of their best land during settler colonisation, individual Aboriginal families sought land on which to live. 140 acres of land was set aside as a reserve for Aborigines, in 1879—north of Mongarlowe in the neighbouring Parish of Mongarlowe—in the name of an Aboriginal woman, Mary Ann Willoughby.^[7][8] In 1885, a second reserve, of just under 9 acres, was set aside there, in the name of another Aboriginal woman, Margaret Bryant.^[9] In 1893, these earlier reserves were revoked and a new reserve of 50 acres was set aside on the left bank of Currowan Creek, not far from its confluence with the Clyde River estuary, on the coastal side of the Budawang Range. That reserve, Currowan Creek Aboriginal Reserve, lasted until 1956.^[10][11]

Probably due to reasons such as finding a viable means of sustenance, most of the surviving Aborigines living in the goldfields around Braidwood, migrated toward the coast—also Walbanga country—in the later years of the 19th-century. Mary Ann Willoughby—already living thereabouts in 1876^[12]—and her children were still living near Mongarlowe in 1902.^[13][14]

Gold mining

Following other alluvial gold finds in the Braidwood district, prospectors were searching the Little River (now Mongarlowe River), a tributary of the Shoalhaven River), as early as December 1851,^[15] and there were miners working the Little River diggings by March 1852.^[16] The river was called the Little River, because another name for the Shoalhaven was the 'Big River'.^[17]

By 1865, there were alluvial gold diggings from the village to the river's confluence with the Shoalhaven River and, in the other direction, upstream for about seven miles, as well as in gullies, particularly that of Tantalean Creek.^[18] The gold was patchy^[17] and the field attracted hard-working Chinese miners who were prepared to persevere and work in teams, for a modest return on their labour and time.^[19]

In a remarkable piece of work, Chinese miners constructed a water race, ten miles long, from the headwaters of Currawan Creek—in the catchment of the Clyde River—to carry water to sluice high ground in Broad Gully, on the right bank of the river downstream from the village.^[20] Extensive remnants of Chinese mining and sluicing works are still evident on Tantalean Creek.^[21]

Downstream of the village, just below the junction with Feagan's Creek,^[22] the river had cut off a large oxbow, creating a landform still known today as the 'Half Moon', or 'Half Moon Flat'. While the Half Moon was still a part of the river, alluvial gold had accumulated there over thousands of years from the gold reefs around Mongalowe. The shortcut made by the river also created a landform known as 'Sydney Heads', which would become the site of a mining camp.^[23] In the early 20th-century, Half Moon would be the location of dredge mining.

The Mongalowe field had both alluvial working and hard-rock quartz reef mines. By 1870, quartz reefs were being mined.^[19] The reef mines lay to the east and to the north-east of the village, away from the river.^[24][25] The Day Dawn mine was the deepest of the quartz reef mines in the area and reached a depth of 400 feet. It operated from 1884 to 1891 and again from 1900 to 1905^[26][27] There was at least one ethnic-Chinese owned hard-rock mine, named for the prominent local Nomchong family,^[28] who as well as having mining interests were storekeepers in the village and at Braidwood.^[29][30]

A goldfield of 'Mongarlowe and Shoalhaven River' was proclaimed on 18 July 1896.^[31]

Significant mining had all but ceased after 1905. There was a pump gold dredge working at the Half Moon Flat, from 1901 until late 1905. The dredge was removed and taken to Adelong.^[26][32][33] By 1917, the prospects of any future hard-rock gold mining at Mongarlowe were bleak.^[34] However, a bucket dredge operated at Half Moon, intermittently, between 1908 and 1915 and again between 1916 and 1922.^[35] During the Great Depression, there was a minor revival in gold mining and mining activity in the area continued sporadically up to at least the mid-1990s.^[36]

Mining village

A settlement arose between the right bank of the river and the left bank of its tributary Sergeants Point Creek.^[31] at a location where crossing the river was easy.

In its early years, there were four names used, more or less concurrently. The nearby diggings were known as Sergeants Point^[37] or Little River, and those names were also used to designate the settlement. The name Mongarlowe (or 'Mungarlowe') had been in use, since at latest 1870,^[19] and according to the Lands Department and their maps, the village was called Mongarlowe from 1889.^[31][38] The village's post office was called Monga—as was its police station—and Monga was used as the village's postal address and in other contexts^[18][5] However, Monga is also the name of another locality—upstream on the river, near the junction of the Clyde Road and the road from Reidsdale—where a village site was officially reserved in 1881.^[39][40] By 1891, confusion with that other, relatively nearby Monga, was leading to mail being directed to the wrong place. Residents asked that the postal name be changed to Mongarlowe, which happened in the same year.^[41] From that time, Mongarlowe was the only official name for the village. The name Sergeants Point also continued to be used locally, until at least the very earliest years of the 20th-century.^[42] The road from Braidwood to Mongalowe is still known as Little River Road.^[43]

 

Village c.1870, with Chinese temple in the foreground.and river crossing at centre.^[44]

The village became the centre for a number of smaller mining camps spread widely throughout the area. By 1870, the village had "two or three hotels, a large store, a good schoolhouse, and a police station." The goldfields area had ten hotels, nine stores, three mills, and, in 1868, a population of 1,332, of whom 350 were Chinese.^[19]

As a result of the Crown Lands Act of 1884, the boundaries of the village of Mongarlow were officially proclaimed on 29 July 1889,^[38] although the settlement had been in existence for many years before then. The haphazard arrangement of the village's street plan reflected the original settlement, rather than a carefully planned village.^[31]

A bridge across the Mongarlowe River (previously Little River) was opened at Mongarlow in 1894. The bridge is a six-span timber trestle and beam bridge, with a timber deck. Prior to the bridge, pedestrians crossed the river using stepping stones.^[45] The old ford was just downstream of the bridge.^[46] The realignment of the main road from the ford, to pass over the bridge, left the town's hotel with its rear to the main road.

In 1905, the village had a "police station, hotel, three stores, public school, blacksmith's shop, three churches; a Chinese joss house, and private residences", and a population of ''about 700 Europeans and 23 Chinese.''^[34] The Chinese temple (or 'joss house') and its burial ground stood on the left bank of the river, just downstream of the old ford.^[44][46] The village had a public school from 1863 to 1963.^[47][48]

The village's hotel was known as the 'Rising Sun Hotel'.^[42] It was burned down in July 1907, in what was later found to be a case of arson. It was rebuilt but lost its licence soon afterward. It is now a private residence and one of the few remaining original public buildings in the village, the others being the old post office and schoolhouse.^[49] Another original building, the old lock-up, has been removed and reinstated at the Braidwood Museum.^[50]

In January 1919, the village was severely affected by bushfire, losing its police station, both its Anglican and Catholic churches, several residences, a crushing battery.^[51][52] and the Chinese temple (or 'joss house').^[53][54] It was a catastrophe for a village already in decline. At the time of the fire, the population was 'around 100" and only one Chinese resident remained by 1922.^[45][54]

Another minor population boom occurred, during the Depression, when many returned to distill eucalyptus oil and search again for gold.

A new Catholic church was opened in 1937.^[55] After some year of disuse, the church was demolished.^[56]

There was a proposal for a 98 lot subdivision in proximity to the village which was cancelled in 2008 under pressure from concerned residents.

Heritage listings

Mongarlowe has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Half Moon Road: Half Moon Farm House^[57]

Three of the four known sites, at which the critically endangered Mongarlowe Mallee (Eucalyptus recurva) exists, are close to Mongarlowe. Only six plants existed in 2011.^[58]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Mongarlowe (state suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 June 2017.  
2. "Mongarlowe". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 November 2017.  
3. "Mongarlowe". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
4. "Australian Cemeteries Index - Cemetery 1799 - Mongarlowe". austcemindex.com. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
5. Information sign at Mongarlowe
6. "Tindale Tribes - Walbanga". archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
7. "RESERVES FOR ABORIGINES. - The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) - 5 Mar 1884". Trove. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
8. "RESERVE FROM SALE FOR MARY ANN WILLOUGHBY, AN ABORIGINAL". New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900). 14 February 1879. p. 744. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
9. "RESERVE FROM SALE FOR THE USE OF MARGARET BRYANT (AN ABORIGINAL)". New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900). 20 May 1885. p. 3319. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
10. "ABORIGINES BOARD". Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930). 5 May 1893. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
11. "Parish of Currowan, County of St. Vincent [cartographic material] : Land Districts of Moruya & Milton, Clyde & Eurobodalla Shires, Eastern Division N.S.W." Trove. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
12. "LATE EPITOME OF NEWS". Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW : 1856 - 1861; 1863 - 1889; 1891 - 1954). 4 August 1876. p. 4. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
13. Donaldson, Susan Dale (January 2015). "Appendix 2: Some Background on Aboriginal History Description of cultural landscape – Palerang LGA version 2" (PDF). Garrett Barry Planning Services. pp. 200, 201.
14. "Apprehensions, &c". New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime (Sydney : 1860 - 1930). 26 January 1887. p. 32. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
15. "THE GOLD MINES". Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875). 16 December 1851. p. 2. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
16. "THE LITTLE RIVER". Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser (NSW : 1848 - 1859). 20 March 1852. p. 3. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
17. "MINING NOTES". Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1954). 20 April 1907. p. 2. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
18. "RANDOM NOTES". Sydney Mail (NSW : 1860 - 1871). 29 July 1865. p. 5. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
19. "MUNGARLOWE, OR THE LITTLE RIVER". Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931). 19 January 1870. p. 4. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
20. Russell, Bruce (1989). Mongarlowe and the Little River Goldfield. pp. 23, 23, 32, 33. ISBN 0-9599380-4-4.
21. McGowan, Barry (1996). "The Typology and Techniques of Alluvial Mining: The Example of the Shoalhaven and Mongarlowe Goldfields in Southern New South Wales" (PDF). Australasian Historical Archaeology (14): 39.
22. "Mongarlowe, Half Moon and Feagan's Creek". Google Maps. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
23. von Sneidem, Sandra. "Half Moon Flat Wildlife Refuge" (PDF).
24. "Mongarlowe, St Vincent Co., New South Wales, Australia". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
25. "St Vincent Co., New South Wales, Australia". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
26. "Dame Burden's Post Office". Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907). 3 May 1905. p. 39. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
27. "Day Dawn Gold Mine, St Vincent Co., New South Wales, Australia". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
28. "Nomchong and Company, St Vincent Co., New South Wales, Australia". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
29. "Advertising". Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1954). 2 March 1889. p. 3. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
30. "Chinese". www.braidwoodmuseum.org.au. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
31. "Village of Mongarlowe and adjoining lands [cartographic material] : Parish - Budawang, County - St Vincent, Land District - Braidwood, Shire - Tallaganda". Trove. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
32. "The Dredge Mining Industry". Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907). 25 May 1901. p. 55. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
33. "LOCAL NEWS". Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888 - 1954). 22 November 1905. p. 2. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
34. "OUR MINING INDUSTRY". Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1915 - 1954). 4 September 1917. p. 1. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
35. Russell, Bruce. (1989). Mongarlowe and the Little River goldfields. Ellis, Netta., Ruzicka, Penny Kane., Braidwood and District Historical Society. [Braidwood, N.S.W.]: Braidwood and District Historical Society. p. 30. ISBN 0-9599380-4-4. OCLC 27621480.
36. Russell, Bruce. (1989). Mongarlowe and the Little River goldfields. Ellis, Netta., Ruzicka, Penny Kane., Braidwood and District Historical Society. [Braidwood, N.S.W.]: Braidwood and District Historical Society. p. 34. ISBN 0-9599380-4-4. OCLC 27621480.
37. "A STROLL THROUGH THE BRAIDWOOD DIGGINGS. - (From the Goulburn Chronicle, June 28.) - Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875) - 1 Jul 1856". Trove. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
38. "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900). 3 August 1889. p. 5259. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
39. "SITE FOR THE VILLAGE AT MONGA". New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900). 25 April 1881. p. 2349. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
40. "Parish of Monga, County of St. Vincent [cartographic material]". Trove. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
41. Maddrell, Roslyn. Braidwood District, Post Office and People. Braidwood, N.S.W. pp. 160, 206.
42. "BRAIDWOOD". Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW : 1881 - 1940). 26 January 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
43. "Little River Rd · New South Wales 2622". Google Maps. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
44. "The Little River Quartz Reefs, New South Wales". Illustrated Sydney News (NSW : 1853 - 1872). 20 January 1870. p. 12. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
45. "A Retrospect". Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1915 - 1954). 2 May 1922. p. 4. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
46. Russell, Bruce (1989). Mongarlowe and the Little River goldfields. Ellis, Netta., Ruzicka, Penny Kane., Braidwood and District Historical Society. [Braidwood, N.S.W.]: Braidwood and District Historical Society. pp. 40, 41, 42. ISBN 0-9599380-4-4. OCLC 27621480.
47. "Mongarlowe public school in the School history database search". New South Wales Department of Education. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
48. "Glossary of school types". education.nsw.gov.au. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
49. Russell, Bruce. (1989). Mongarlowe and the Little River goldfields. Ellis, Netta., Ruzicka, Penny Kane., Braidwood and District Historical Society. [Braidwood, N.S.W.]: Braidwood and District Historical Society. pp. 37, 38, 39. ISBN 0-9599380-4-4. OCLC 27621480.
50. "Museum attracts tourists". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 16 October 1984. p. 2. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
51. "Terrible Fire at Mongarlowe". Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1915 - 1954). 14 January 1919. p. 7. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
52. "BUSH FIRES". Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). 16 January 1919. p. 7. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
53. Russell, Bruce. (1989). Mongarlowe and the Little River goldfields. Ellis, Netta., Ruzicka, Penny Kane., Braidwood and District Historical Society. [Braidwood, N.S.W.]: Braidwood and District Historical Society. p. 41. ISBN 0-9599380-4-4. OCLC 27621480.
54. "IN THE TRACK OF THE FLAMES". Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930). 18 January 1919. p. 9. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
55. "NEW R.C. CHURCH AT MONGARLOWE". Braidwood Review and District Advocate (NSW : 1915 - 1954). 8 June 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
56. Russell, Bruce (1989). Mongarlowe and the Little River goldfields. Ellis, Netta., Ruzicka, Penny Kane., Braidwood and District Historical Society. [Braidwood, N.S.W.]: Braidwood and District Historical Society. p. 53. ISBN 0-9599380-4-4. OCLC 27621480.
57. "Half Moon Farm House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00288. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
58. Biodiversity Conservation Section Environment Protection and Regulation Group Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW) (2011). "NATIONAL RECOVERY PLAN FOR THE MONGARLOWE MALLEE" (PDF). Office of Environment and Heritage (NSW).

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mongarlowe.

• Map of the Village of Mongarlowe and adjoining lands (1971)