Gloucester, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GloucesterNew South Wales |
|
|---|---|
The Bucketts Range, Gloucester, 2008
|
|
 Gloucester
Location in New South Wales
|
|
| Population | 2,390 (2016 census) |
| Established | 1855 |
| Postcode(s) | 2422 |
| Elevation | 111 m (364 ft) |
| Location |
|
| LGA(s) | Mid-Coast Council |
| State electorate(s) | Upper Hunter |
| Federal Division(s) | Lyne |
Gloucester (
i/ˈɡlɒs[unsupported input]/ GLOST-ər) is a town in New South Wales, Australia. It is known for its dairy and beef cattle farms. The town is part of the Mid-Coast Council area. It is located in the beautiful Barrington Coast region.
Gloucester is very close to the amazing Barrington Tops National Park. This park is so special it's a World Heritage site. You can reach Gloucester by train on the North Coast railway line. It's about 145 km from Newcastle and 220 km from Sydney. The Gloucester River flows right next to the town. It joins the Avon River nearby.
In 2016, about 2,390 people lived in Gloucester.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Early Days and Farming
The Gloucester area was first explored by Henry Dangar in 1826. Robert Dawson also visited later that year. People started to settle here in the 1830s. The town of Gloucester officially began in 1855. At first, settlers tried to raise sheep, but the land wasn't quite right for it.
Today, the main industries in Gloucester are tourism, timber, and cattle farming. The timber industry has been important since the late 1800s. Cattle farming, both for dairy and beef, is still a big part of the local economy.
Gold Rush and Mining
In 1876, gold was found in Copeland. This small town is north-west of Gloucester. The gold discovery made Copeland grow very quickly. It became a large town with over 3,000 people. Many red cedar trees were also found there. However, Copeland's population has since become much smaller.
A company called the Australian Agricultural Company once owned a huge area of land around Gloucester. They even thought about building a railway in the 1850s. But they decided it would be too hard because of the mountains and rivers. So, the railway wasn't built, and coal mining plans were stopped.
Bringing Electricity to Town
In 1923, Gloucester got electricity! A company called the Gloucester Electric Supply Company Ltd was started. Fred Lowe was a key person in setting up the town's electricity. He designed the power plant and helped get it running.
The company faced tough times, especially during the Great Depression in 1929. But they kept going. In the 1930s, the government offered help to build power lines to farms. Fred Lowe designed the first rural power line, which opened in 1938. He used his surveying skills to plan it.
In 1946, the local council took over the electricity supply. Fred Lowe continued to work for them as an electrical engineer. He kept working to bring electricity to more rural areas. When he retired in 1951, people thanked him for all he had done for Gloucester.
Modern Mining and Community Action
In 1995, a company started coal mining near Stratford. This village is about 12 km south of Gloucester. Today, this mine is owned by Yancoal. It is the only coal mine still working in the valley.
In 2016, another mining company planned to drill for gas in the Gloucester Valley. But the local community strongly disagreed. They protested and blocked the drilling sites. Because of their efforts, the company cancelled its plans. This showed the power of community action!
Past Entertainment
For most of the 1900s, Gloucester had two movie cinemas on Church Street. The Star cinema closed around 1968. The Majestic Theatre was built in the early 1920s. It closed around 1980. Today, the building is a shopping area.
The local newspaper for the area is The Gloucester Advocate.
Fun Events
Gloucester was the first place to host the Groovin' the Moo music festival. This big event happened at the Gloucester Showground on April 24, 2005. Famous bands like Screaming Jets, Killing Heidi, and Evermore played there. Even though the festival hasn't returned to Gloucester, it became a popular yearly event in other regional towns across Australia.
Who Lives in Gloucester?
The 2016 census gives us a good idea of the people living in Gloucester:
- About 10.8% of the population were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- Most people (87.7%) were born in Australia.
- Almost everyone (92.7%) spoke only English at home.
- For religion, the most common choices were Anglican (31.3%), No Religion (23.5%), and Catholic (15.0%).
Images for kids
-
A view of the town of Gloucester, the Gloucester River, and Gloucester Valley, from Bucketts Tops, 2013.
-
Dairy farming in the Gloucester Valley, 1908. Photo courtesy of the NSW State Records Authority.
.jpg)
