BALRANALD NSW

0574 Balranald

This charming heritage town is on the banks of the meandering Murrumbidgee River and only a short drive from four other splendid rivers. FROM: visitnsw.com IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0575 - Balranald

Various early explorers - including John Oxley in 1817, Charles Sturt in 1830 and Sir Thomas Mitchell in 1836 - visited the area. It was Mitchell's enthusiastic comments about the quality of the land in the region that encouraged settlement, and Balranald was gazetted in 1851. As a crossing point on the Murrumbidgee River, Balranald prospered throughout the second half of the 19th century. FROM: visitnsw.com IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0576 - Balranald

The town of Balranald is located where the Sturt Highway crosses the Murrumbidgee River in a remote, semi-desert area. Although it is part of New South Wales, Balranald receives Victorian television stations, with a range of Sydney and Melbourne newspapers available. Balranald was featured heavily in 2010-2015 Australian tourism ads, displaying the natural flora of the region with over 30 subspecies of shrubs native to Balranald and its surrounds. FROM: Wikipedia IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0577 Balranald

Balranald is located in Mutthi Mutthi traditional country. The area has a long history before non-indigenous settlement and a strong indigenous culture continues to this day. FROM: Wikipedia IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0578 Balranald

In about 1847–48 George James McDonald, the Commissioner for Crown Lands for the Lower Darling District, arrived at the site of the present-day township with a police escort. Commissioner McDonald had chosen the site as his base, and he and his entourage set up their camp under canvas. In 1848 Leighton Robinson and Thomas Duggan established a general store at Balranald and during the same year a public-house, the Balranald Inn, was erected by a Mr Robertson. FROM: Wikipedia IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0579 Balranald

In 1849 the Crown Lands Commissioner McDonald recommended to the Colonial Secretary that a township be established at the location. McDonald was a Scotsman, born at Balranald on North Uist in the Outer Hebrides; he chose the name of his birthplace for the new settlement. He pointed out that the township’s position, on the lower reaches of the Murrumbidgee River, was expected to be of strategic importance with the impending introduction of steam navigation on the Murray. FROM: Wikipedia IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0580 Balranald

The township of Balranald was gazetted on 4 April 1851 and the first land sale held on 14 January 1852, with thirty-five lots submitted to public auction. On 1 March 1852 an official post office opened in the township. (An earlier post office had opened in the area on 1 January 1850 but closed and was replaced by an unofficial service).[5] From 1853 the mail contractor, John Bent, operated a service along the Murrumbidgee River between Wagga Wagga and Balranald. FROM: Wikipedia IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0581 Balranald

Balranald became a major crossing place for stock from South Australia. In 1866 Peter Young built the Royal Hotel at Balranald and began operating a second punt at the township. A toll-house was later erected on the north bank of the river near Young's punt. William Hall purchased the Balranald Inn and the Mayall Street punt from Denis Hanan in 1867. The Commercial Hotel was erected in 1869 and the first licensee was John Russell. In 1871 a new Post & Telegraph Office was erected at Balranald, the first brick building to be built in the township. FROM: Wikipedia IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014

0582 Balranald

In 1881 the population of Balranald was about 400 and it was reported that the town supported five stores and six hotels. Balranald was proclaimed a Municipality in 1882 and Herman Levy was elected its first mayor. FROM: Wikipedia IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: July 2014