Alectown, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids AlectownNew South Wales |
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 Alectown
Location in New South Wales
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| Postcode(s) | 2870 |
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| LGA(s) | Parkes Shire |
| State electorate(s) | Orange |
| Federal Division(s) | Calare |
Alectown is a small town located in the Central West area of New South Wales, Australia. It sits right on the Newell Highway and is part of the Parkes Shire local government area. Alectown is about 382 kilometers (237 miles) west-north-west of Sydney, which is the capital city of New South Wales. The name "Alectown" also refers to the farms and rural areas around the town.
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Alectown's Past: A Gold Rush Town
Alectown was originally called Alecs Flat. It got its name from three men named Alexander – Alexander Cameron, Alexander Patton, and Alexander Whitelaw. They were the first people to look for gold here.
Gold Mining Days
A long time ago, Alectown was a busy gold mining town. More than 1,000 people lived here during the gold rush!
The town had a post office called Bachelors Rush which opened in 1888. It was later renamed Alicktown and then Alectown. The post office closed in 1983. A police station was also in Alectown, but it closed much earlier, in 1930. There was even a school in Alectown from 1890 to 1974.
Today, Alectown is much quieter. Only two churches and a few houses remain from its busy past.
Alectown West Railway Station
About 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) west of Alectown, along the Parkes-Narromine railway line, was the Alectown West railway station. This station closed in 1974. While there are still buildings for storing grain there, trains no longer stop to load goods at this spot.
The Parkes Radio Telescope
Alectown is famous for being the actual address of the Parkes Radio Telescope. This amazing telescope is run by the CSIRO, which is Australia's national science agency. It is the biggest radio telescope in Australia!
The Parkes Radio Telescope is used for important scientific research. Scientists use it to study space and learn more about the universe. It has also helped with NASA projects, including the historic Moon landings.
Who Lives in Alectown?
In 2016, a survey showed that Alectown and the areas around it had 168 people living there. By the 2021 census, the population had slightly decreased to 151 people.
Notable Residents
- Scott Westcott
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