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| The banks of the Edward
River at Deniliquin |
Deniliquin (including Wanganella)
Large service centre surrounded by rivers and lagoons.
Deniliquin is a town of 7895 persons on the Edward River, a
branch of the Murray River which was created by a fault in
the earth's surface. Unusually, within the town, a series of
lagoons snake off into parkland and state forest, and a
footbridge across a creek opposite the town hall in Cressy
St leads to an island wildlife sanctuary.
Deniliquin is situated 734 km south-west of Sydney via
the Hume and Riverina Highways and 91 metres above
sea-level. Its situation makes it ideal for fishing,
waterskiing, canoeing, boating, safe swimming, and relaxing
on both sandy McLeans Beach (signposted through town) and
Willoughby's Beach within the state forest. There are boat
ramps, a golf course, and river cruises to enjoy (to make
bookings for the latter phone (03) 5881 3017 or 015-481965).
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| An irrigation channel -
vital to the prosperity of the Riverina
|
Deniliquin lies at the centre of four irrigation
districts which cover 725 000 hectares, the largest area
under irrigation in Australia. It produces rice, wool, dairy
products, wheat, barley, fat lambs, vegetables and fruit,
timber and cattle. Local industry includes rice and timber
mills, dairy, cordial and seed-processing factories, an
abattoir and a fibrous plaster works. To the north are
several famous Merino studs.
The area was inhabited by the Barapa Baraba Aborigines
before European settlement. Seeking to extend his pastoral
holdings inland Benjamin Boyd (see entry on Eden)
established the head station of a run known as 'Deniliquin'
6.5 km upstream of the present township around 1842. The
name is said to derive from a local Aboriginal chief known
as Denilakoon who was noted for his size, strength and, it
is said, his wrestling. A rush for land was started that
year by the reports of pastoralist Augustus Morris who
traced the Edward to its junction with the Wakool River.
The first inn went up in 1845 or 1847 on the ground now
occupied by the North Deniliquin School. In 1847 a punt was
put into use by a Dr Coward, the first resident on the south
side of the river. He established his base on what is now
the Island Sanctuary, once called 'Coward's Island'.
The townsite was surveyed in 1848 and gazetted in 1850,
the year a two-roomed slab hut was built for Henry Wyse, who
used it as a store and post office. The site became an
important river crossing for stock as it was situated at the
convergence of three major stock routes from Queensland and
NSW to Victoria.
The first gaol was built in 1856 (population 155) after
concerns were raised about Wyse's tendency to chain
law-breakers to a log in his cow yard. A courthouse was
built on the site of the present ANZ Bank but was replaced
in 1861. The first hospital was built in 1856 but, as it was
not open to working people, another opened in 1858. The two
amalgamated in 1861 and the original building, with its
stained-glass window depicting the goddess Hygeia, is still
part of the current complex.
The first bridge went up in 1861 joining the two parts of
the township, though the south side developed at the expense
of the north. It was replaced by a toll bridge and then by
another span in 1896. Deniliquin was declared a municipality
in 1868. At the time it had 11 hotels and about a thousand
people. Early industry included a brewery (1866) and a flour
mill (1872). In 1876 a private railway arrived from Echuca
and a town hall was built.
With the growing population new school buildings were
erected in 1879 and the old 1862 schoolhouse was made into a
teacher's residence. It was extended to its current form in
1899 and 1905 and it now houses the Peppin Heritage Centre,
a tribute to the Peppin family.
George Hall Peppin and his two sons were experienced
English sheep breeders who settled at nearby Wanganella
station in 1858. Dissatisfied with the yield and quality of
wool from the merino, they channelled their efforts into
developing a new breed that was better adapted to Australian
conditions, larger of frame and able to yield a greatly
improved quality and quantity of wool. Their successes
constitute the foundation of Australia's reputation as a
quality wool exporter. Peppin sheep now predominate among
the flocks of South Africa, New Zealand and South America
and 60-85 % of Australian merinos have Wanganella blood.
Peppin's 'Morago' homestead, 40 km north-west, was built
in 1861. The Falkiner family bought up the Peppin lands and
stock between 1878 and 1958 and F.S. Falkiner & Sons is now
owned by News Corporation. It covers 360 000 acres, contains
170 000 sheep and is still a major ram stud. One of the old
stations, 'Boonoke', lies on the road to Conargo. The
'Wanganella' and 'Peppinella' stations are situated on the
road north to Hay (the Cobb Highway). Near the gate of the
'Wanganella' station is a bronze effigy of a merino ram
intended as a memorial to the Peppin family.
The Deniliquin Easter Festival a street parade, tennis
championships, a Rotary Art Exhibition, a rodeo and both
golf and bowls championships. A major ball is held at
Conargo on New Year's Eve.
Things to see:
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| The monument outside the
town's Multi Arts Centre |
The Peppin Heritage Centre
The Peppin Heritage Centre, in George St, is open from 9-4
weekdays and 11-2 on weekends. It has an historic classroom
and the insight it affords into nineteenth-century pedagogy
it focuses on the history of the wool industry with historic
photographs and displays, a video, a thatched-roof ram shed,
exhibitions, shops and crafts. The centre also contains the
original Wanganella lock-up which features a Headless
Horseman sound and light show (see entry on Booroorban).
Historical Town Walk
The Heritage Centre has a pamphlet outlining an historical
town walk. The most notable heritage building is the
stuccoed Victorian classical courthouse in Poictiers St,
built 1883-87 and designed by James Barnet, with additions
made the following decade that appear to have been part of
the original conception. The entrance and portico are
particularly impressive. In Cressy St the town hall, council
building, former Globe Hotel shops and Pastoral Times
newspaper building represent a group of largely intact late
Victorian buildings which are also important to the
townscape. The clock in the town hall tower was donated in
1903 by a resident in memoriam of Queen Victoria's long
reign. Opposite the community health centre in Macauley St
is the old police inspector's residence, now the home of the
historical society. Dating from the late nineteenth century
it has been restored and contains historic items (open
Tuesdays 10-12). St Andrew's Uniting Church is a quite
elaborate building with a window that replicates Da Vinci's
Last Supper.
Waring Gardens
Waring Gardens, in Cressy St (the main thoroughfare), were
originally a chain of lagoons associated with the Edward
River. The park was established in 1881 and named after
Deniliquin's first town clerk. A bridge was built and a band
rotunda added in 1887. Numerous Moreton Bay figs, palms,
willows and other trees date from the 19th century.
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| Edward River and the
Island sanctuary |
Island Sanctuary
The visitor's centre also has a pamphlet on the island
sanctuary where there are kangaroos, possums, bats, and
birds aplenty amidst river red gum. It contains the burial
site of 'Old Jack', a member of the Melville gang,
bushrangers who visited Deniliquin in 1851. Apparently Old
Jack was so drunk that his compatriots tied him to a tree
and threw turpentine over him, thinking it to be water. As
his hollering increased one gang member approached him with
a candle and Jack burst into flames. Once untied he threw
himself in the river but died after two days. The sanctuary
is also a good place to start the riverside walk to McLeans
Beach.
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| Boating on the Edward
River |
Blake Botanic Reserve
There are also some beautiful landscaped gardens, with
natural lagoons, barbecues, picnic facilities, ducks,
peacocks and a Moreton Bay fig growing out of the trunk of a
large gum, on a block overlooking the main shopping area off
Napier St. If you head south-west along Napier and then turn
right into Harfleur St it will take you to Blake Botanic
Reserve.
Pioneer Park
6 km north on the road to Hay (the Cobb Highway), on the
banks of a billabong, is Pioneer Park, a 50-acre block of
red gum forest which has been in the family since 1856.
Recently converted to a tourist park there are restored
antique steam trains and petrol pumps, set in motion at
Easter when jazz bands perform at the Pioneer Gardens Annual
Display, a garden centre, a gallery of historic paintings
and photographs and accommodation (03-58815066). The
reception centre is a faithful recreation of the old
Imperial Hotel.
Stevens Weir and other attractions
26 km north-west of Deniliquin via the Wakool Rd are
riverside gardens and picnic facilities at Stevens Weir. If
you head north-east along the road to Conargo, there are
turnoffs to Galveston Lakes Water Ski Park (03-58824256) and
the dry garden at East Tolans, open by appointment only
(03-58824343). At Conargo itself is the Conargo Hotel (1853)
and Wayside Gardens with its picnic and barbecue facilities.
It is one of several friendly country pubs in the area. If
you're passing through Pretty Pine or Blighty their hotels
are also a pleasant spot to stop for lunch or the evening.
The Australian Ricegrower's Cooperative Mill
The Australian Ricegrower's Cooperative Mill, on Barham Rd,
is the largest rice mill in the southern hemisphere with a
milling capacity of 50 tonnes per hour. It has a visitor's
centre open weekdays 9.30-12 and 2-4, which looks at the
process of growing and milling.
Lawson's Syphon
Lawson's Syphon, 6 km east of Deniliquin, is an impressive
engineering complex that diverts 10 000 megalitres a day
from Mulwala Canal (at 155 km it is the largest irrigation
channel in Australia) under the Edward River into a series
of canals which irrigate the area. Take Crispe St out of
town, swing left into Ochtertyre St and then turn left into
Lawson Syphon Rd.
Forest Drives
8 km south-east, on the Edward River, bordering the Tuppal
Forest, is Deniliquin Youth and Recreation Camp
(03-58815518). There are plenty of forest drives to pursue
in the vicinity. A warning however: be sure to obtain a
topographical or forestry map before heading off.
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Deniliquin
