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| Temora Post Office in the
main street |
Temora
A typical rural service centre.
Temora is a rail centre to a large wheat and sheep area. It
is located 422 km west of Sydney, 53 km north of
Junee, 65 km south of
West Wyalong and 80 km west of
Harden.
Temora has a current population of some 4600 people and
is situated at 292 m above sea-level. It has one of the
state's largest inland grain storage terminals. One
kilometre round at the base, it is 3 km from the main street
on the Old Cootamundra Rd. There is also a major
agricultural research station outside of town, an extensive
feedlot and some manufacturing in town.
The Temora run was established in 1847. Prior to that
time the area was occupied by the Wiradjuri Aborigines.
The district had a brush with some well-known bushrangers
in July 1862. It began when three officials, in search of
the felons who had robbed the gold escort, came across
'Flash' Johnny Gilbert, his brother Charles and Henry Manns.
Charles and Henry were arrested at gunpoint and some of the
stolen gold was retaken. However, John Gilbert escaped and
rode 112 km to the Weddin Mountains to obtain assistance for
a rescue attempt. The gang, including Frank Gardiner,
galloped through the night in order to facilitate a morning
ambush. The two parties met at Sprowle's station, not far to
the east of present-day Temora. The police were outnumbered
and they retreated, surrendering their prisoners but not the
recaptured gold.
Gold, however, was to have a more crucial role in
Temora's history. It was first found in the area in 1869 but
the main rush commenced in 1879. The following year a
townsite was chosen, laid out and proclaimed as Watsonforde,
after the colonial treasurer, James Watson. However, it was
soon renamed after the original sheep station at the request
of locals and of Watson himself.
Despite drought conditions, it is said that, by 1881, the
Temora field was producing half the state's gold. Even the
road to Cootamundra was covered by claims, making night
travel on the road unsafe. In the first few years there were
allegedly some 20 000 residents, mostly miners. However,
gold returns soon declined and the population fell
dramatically. The focus then shifted to wheat production,
causing the subdivision of the large pastoral estates. Many
of the new selectors were Germans from South Australia.
The railway arrived in 1893 from Cootamundra, making
Temora the wheat terminal that it remains to this day.
Cattle saleyards and a butter factory were opened in 1912
and an enormous wheat terminal in 1970. Temora Aerodrome was
established in 1941 as a training school for the RAAF.
In 1975, a local priest named Father Gregory Hannan was
killed in a hang-gliding accident when only 8 km short of
the world endurance record for a towed glider (165 km). A
park in town has been named in his honour.
Until 1996, the state's largest open-cut gold mine was
operating to the north of town and, although it is currently
closed, exploration is ongoing. Some of the old mines,
including the Mother Shipton where a 7.3-kg nugget was found
in the early 1880s, can be seen off Moroney's Lane, south of
the Old Cootamundra Rd.
Temora is a centre for harness racing with numerous
trotting studs throughout the district. One of the most
successful horses to be bred locally was Paleface Adios (aka
'The Temora Tornado') and there is a large replica of the
horse going through its paces in Paleface Park (cnr Hoskins
and Loftus Sts).
The Golden Gift Foot Race is held on the second weekend
in February, the Temora Show on the fourth Saturday in
September and the Antique Engine Field Day in October.
Things to see:
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Tourist Information
The town's community centre (tel: 02 6978 0500) is located
at 296 Hoskins St. They carry a small amount of local
tourist information although the council has a tourism
officer. The shire chambers are at 105 Loftus St, tel: (02)
6977 1099.
Rural Museum
The Rural Museum is a comprehensive and expertly ordered
affair located in a 2-km landscaped area at the edge of
town, off the Junee Rd. The main building has a souvenir
shop, information centre and two large exhibition halls
containing ceramics, antiques, furniture, fashion items,
photographs, literature, musical instruments and glassware.
The extensive Rock and Mineral Museum is now located
within the Rural Museum complex. It contains a large
collection of minerals and semi-precious stones from around
the world, local fossils and Temora greenstone (some of
which has been made up into fashion jewellery), exhibits
from the Paragon Open-Cut Goldmine and a replica of the
Mother Shipton nugget (7.3 kg) which was found .
There is an extensive range of working agricultural
machinery, including 30 vintage tractors dating back to
1915, restored traction and other steam engines, a 1920s
header and many oil and petrol engines.
The Telecom Exchange Building has a range of telephone
exchanges, switchboards and telephones from yesteryear, as
well as antique phonographs, radios, television sets, film
projection units and cameras.
The complex also features a number of reconstructed or
replicated buildings, including a slab cottage that was Sir
Donald Bradman's first home, a small church, an ambulance
station, a country dance hall and a two-storey replica of an
old flour mill with working machinery, including the
ten-tonne, 156 hp twin cylinder diesel engine which has been
restored.
All operable items are set in motion during the Rural
Museum Live Exhibition on the second Saturday in March.
There is also an underground archive and storage area with
copying facilities, microfiche and microfilm.
The museum is open from 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily and
from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on public holidays. Other times
can be arranged for groups who can be given a guided tour.
For general information ring (02) 6977 2289 or (02) 6977
1922 or for group bookings ring (02) 6977 2561.
Historic Buildings
Temora has a number of handsome Federation and Edwardian
buildings in the central area. A guided walk is available
from the information centre.
The Italianate stucco design of the Westpac Bank, at the
corner of Loftus and Hoskins Sts, was completed in 1907 as
the Bank of NSW which was previously in a wooden building
established at the outset of the goldrush.
Diagonally opposite is the ANZ Bank (originally the Union
Bank), the first of a group of Edwardian buildings on the
eastern side of Hoskins St. Adjacent is the post office
(1901).
Further along Hoskins St, on the other side of the road,
is the three-storey Royal Hotel (c.1915). Cross over
Victoria St to the Westminster, the earliest brick hotel in
town (1882). A little further south, on the same side of the
road, is the Shamrock Hotel. The original was a wooden
structure built in 1882. The present building, with its
lacework balcony and other decoration, dates from early in
the 20th century.
Return along Hoskins St and turn right into Victoria St.
To the left are 'Terang' and 'Mortlake', two semi-detached
houses from the turn of the century with large bay windows,
plaster detailing, coloured glass and cast-iron valance
panels and brackets. Turn left into De Boos St and proceed
to the ornate courthouse (1902).
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| Sacred Heart Roman
Catholic Church |
The Corner of the Churches
Further north at the corner of De Boos St and Hoskins St is
St Paul's Anglican Church (1906). On the other side of
Loftus St is the decorative facade of the Temora Shire
Council offices with its stucco plasterwork and
stained-glass windows. Adjacent, in De Boos St, is St
Andrew's Presbyterian Church (1933). The present church hall
was originally the town's first St Andrew's Church (1882).
On the other side of De Boos St is one of the town's most
interesting buildings, The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Catholic Church (1906-07) with its ornate stained-glass
windows and carved wooden altar.
Adjacent in Loftus St is St Joseph's Hall, built of
Flemish bonded brick in 1913. The attractive two-storey
building next door is St Mary's Presbytery. Note the fence
design of the Catholic group.
Return along Loftus St to the corner and turn right into
De Boos St. To the immediate right are St Brigid's convent
and St Anne's school.
Parkes Street
Continue north along De Boos to the Parkes St corner. Here
you will find the Temora Primary School. The original
single-storey section dates from 1883.
Head west along Parkes St to the Hoskins St corner where
you will find the Railway Hotel (1893).
Parks and Gardens
The main picnic areas in town are Callaghan Park in Loftus
St and Gloucester Park at the corner of Loftus and
Gloucester Sts. Both have free barbecues, toilets and a
childrens' playground.
The Town Hall Gardens are planted entirely with native
plants. There is a full listing and location map in the
shire library, adjacent the town hall complex.
Lake Centenary
4 km north of town beside the West Wyalong Rd is Lake
Centenary, a popular 22-ha waterway with three small islands
and a landscaped recreation and viewing area. It is an ideal
spot for power boating, sailing, canoeing, fishing, swimming
and picnics. It is joined to the town by a 4-km walking and
cycling track.
The Temora Aviation Museum
The Temora Aviation Museum features a fine collection of
military aircraft which are important to Australia's
aviation history. Moreover they are kept in working
condition and taken out for flights one weekend a month. The
aeroplanes include a Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIII, a Gloster
Meteor F.8, an English Electric Canberra TT.18, a DH-115
Vampire T35, a Cessna A37B Dragonfly, a Cessna O-2A "Oscar
Deuce" an Extra 300s, a CA-16 Wirraway and a DH-82A Tiger
Moth.
The museum is located at Temora Aerodrome which was the
base, in World War II, of the largest RAAF Elementary Flying
Training School, which trained 2741 pilots between May 1941
and May 1945 in Tiger Moths. There is a display relating to
the school and the entire Empire Training Scheme. It is
located in the former guardhouse which includes its original
walls, windows and floor. A second building replicates a
period barracks building for instructors and trainees. It
contains a theatrette and exhibits relating to RAAF
formation display teams, Australian Aerobatics Champions, ,
the history of the Spitfire, Australia's Spitfire pilots and
the history of the Deltas.
Temora Aerodrome is also a venue for gliding
championships, aerobatics, joy rides in a glider, glider
instruction, ultralight instruction, skydiving and
ballooning.
To get there follow the signs heading north along the
main street (Hoskins St) and turn left into Kitchener Rd.
Continue across the railway line as the road bends to the
right becoming Airport St. About 1.2 km beyond the railway
make a left into Menzies St.
It is open Wednesday to Sunday and public holidays from
10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.. The4 cost of entry, at May 31,
2003, was $10 for adults, $5 for children (3-18 years) and
seniors (65+). Annual passes are also available, tel: (02)
6977 1088 or email: info@aviationmuseum.com.au
Ingalba Nature Reserve
Ingalba Nature Reserve (3450 ha) is a quiet and secluded
area of open dry sclerophyll forest and woodland which has a
range of native flora and fauna, including the mallee fowl.
It is about 8 km west of town on both sides of the road to
Ariah Park.
Berrin Barran
Berrin Barran (the Wiradjuri name for the area) is a nature
reserve with walking tracks in a pleasant woodland area in
Substation Rd, off the Old Cootamundra Rd.
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Temora
