Gundaroo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids GundarooNew South Wales |
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Main street of Gundaroo
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 Gundaroo
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 1,146 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1830s | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2620 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 579 m (1,900 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Yass Valley Council | ||||||||||||||
| County | Murray | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Gundaroo | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Goulburn | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Eden-Monaro | ||||||||||||||
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Gundaroo is a small village in the Southern Tablelands area of New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Yass Valley Council. The village is located east of the Yass River. It's about 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of Sutton. Gundaroo is also about 15 kilometers (9 miles) west of the Lake George area. In 2016, about 1,146 people lived in Gundaroo and its surrounding areas.
Contents
Gundaroo's Early History
The land where Gundaroo is today was traditionally home to the Gandangara and Ngunawal Aboriginal peoples. These groups spoke languages that were very similar.
In 1820, explorers Charles Throsby and Joseph Wild traveled through the Yass River valley. The Aboriginal people called this valley Candariro. This name meant "blue crane" or "big waterhole." It might be where the name Gundaroo came from.
First European Settlers
The first European settler, Peter Cooney, was given 30 acres of land in 1825 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. More settlers arrived quickly. By the 1840s, about 400 people lived in the area. The first public building in Gundaroo was the Harrow Inn, a type of hotel, built in 1834.
In 1847, a plan for the town was officially published. A post office opened in 1848. St Luke's, an Anglican church, was built in 1849. The first school started in 1850, and a police station opened in 1852.
Gold Rush and Growth
A big reason Gundaroo grew in the mid-1800s was the discovery of gold nearby in 1852. This brought many people hoping to find their fortune. There was another short period of gold mining in the 1890s.
Considered for Australia's Capital
Gundaroo was once thought of as a possible location for Australia's capital city. It was part of the 'Yass-Canberra' district that was being considered. However, after a survey in 1909 by Charles Scrivener, Canberra was chosen as the site for the new national capital.
World War II Air Crash Memorial
On December 7, 1943, a RAAF plane, a Lockheed Ventura, crashed near Gundaroo. All five crew members on board died. A special memorial has been built in the town to remember them.
Gundaroo's Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Gundaroo:
- William Affleck (1836–1923) was a politician from Australia, born in Scotland.
- John Forrester-Clack is a well-known Australian artist.
- Jack Clemenger (1899–1964) was an Australian tennis player.
- Charles Elliott (1870-1938) was also an Australian politician.
- Les Haylen (1898–1977) was an Australian politician, but he also wrote plays, novels, and worked as a journalist.
- Maud Jeffries (1869–1946) was an actress from America.
- Dick Smith (born 1944) is a famous Australian businessman, pilot, and someone who gives a lot to charity. He is also involved in politics.
Gallery
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St Mark's Anglican Church in Cork St, formerly Gundaroo Court House, built in 1875
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The Royal Hotel Gundaroo
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Gundaroo Community Church was originally the Presbyterian Church (1864). It is now under a Uniting Church.
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Gundaroo War Memorial
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Gundaroo Catholic Pioneer Cemetery established in 1857
