Danglemah, New South Wales facts for kids
Danglemah is a small rural area, also known as a locality, located in the New England (New South Wales) region of Australia.
Contents
Where is Danglemah?
Danglemah is found in an open valley that was shaped by glaciers long ago. This valley is upstream from a very steep part of Jamison Creek.
The area sits along Jamiesons Creek, which flows into the Peel River. It's surrounded by mountains like Flaggy Mountain (984 meters high) and Cooee Mountain (1019 meters high). These mountains are part of the Moonbi Ranges, which are themselves part of the larger Great Dividing Range.
Danglemah is about halfway between the towns of Tamworth and Walcha. It's located about 320 kilometers north of Sydney. The nearby village of Bendemeer, New South Wales is just 14 kilometers to the west. Danglemah is also a Civil Parish in the County of Inglis.
The land here is about 655 meters above sea level.
A Look Back in Time: Danglemah's History
Danglemah has had a few different names over the years! It was first called Cooinget, then Jamison’s Siding, before finally becoming Danglemah. The name Danglemah likely comes from Mount Danglemah, a mountain to the south of the area.
Early letters from the Maher family, who were among the first European settlers, mention that Aboriginal people, likely from the Dunghutti tribe, would camp in the area for a few weeks before moving on.
The first permanent European settlements in the area were on the edges of two large stations, Surveyors Creek and Swamp Oak. The Lonergan Family were the first to settle specifically in Danglemah, on the southern side of where the railway line is now.
On the northern side, a major development was the Rutherglen outstation, which grew into the Rutherglen property. This property was bought and developed by Alex Mitchell, who was the Shire President of Cockburn Shire.
A big change for Danglemah came with the building of the Great Northern Railway Line. This important train line connected Sydney to Wallangarra on the Queensland border, and then on to Brisbane. It was finished in 1888.
The train line near Ulindra, just north of Danglemah, is one of the steepest railway gradients in New South Wales!
The railway construction brought many workers, and with them, temporary hotels and stores. Later, Danglemah had a post office, a school, a railway station, and homes for railway workers and farmhands. There were also two main homesteads: Escourt and Rutherglen.
Rutherglen was later sold to John Cameron, who had been a tin miner in Malaysia and was the President of the Singapore Race Club. Interestingly, his nephew, Robin Gray, became the premier of Tasmania. Also, Barnaby Joyce, who later became the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, grew up at Rutherglen.
The Joyce family bought Rutherglen in the mid-1960s, and Escourt was sold to the Obien family in the 1980s. Both families still own these properties today.
What's in a Name?
The exact meaning of the name Danglemah is a bit of a mystery. It's an Aboriginal word, and it probably describes the area's location among the hills and near the creek. However, we don't know which specific Aboriginal tribe the name comes from.
Well-Known People from Danglemah
- Alex Mitchell: He was the President of the Cockburn Shire, a local government area.
- John Cameron: He was a successful tin miner and the President of the Singapore Race Club.
- Barnaby Joyce: He served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia twice.
- Vikki Campion: She is a well-known political columnist for the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
What Danglemah Produces
In the past, the main industry in Danglemah was raising sheep for wool, with cattle as a smaller part of the business. However, as wool prices changed, the area has mostly shifted to raising and fattening cattle.
The Rocks of Danglemah
The geology of Danglemah is quite special! The area has unique granite and sedimentary rocks that formed during the Carboniferous and Permian periods, millions of years ago. You can also find basalt, rhodonite, jasper, and black quartz here.
