O'Connell, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids O'ConnellNew South Wales |
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Saint Francis of Assisi Church, O'Connell, New South Wales
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 O'Connell
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 355 (2006 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2795 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 698 m (2,290 ft) | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | Oberon Shire | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Bathurst | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Calare | ||||||||||||||
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O'Connell is a small village in New South Wales, Australia. It's about 23 kilometres from Oberon, located on O'Connell Road. This village is special because the National Trust of Australia has classified it as a heritage area. In 2006, a census showed that O'Connell and the nearby areas had a population of 355 people.
Contents
A Glimpse into O'Connell's Past
O'Connell has a long and interesting history. It was once located on the main road between Bathurst and Sydney. This important road was used until 1836. After that, the road, now called the Great Western Highway, was changed. Traffic then went through Rydal and Yetholme instead.
Early Explorers and Discoveries
In 1813, an explorer named George Evans crossed the Blue Mountains. He was checking what other explorers like Blaxland, Lawson, and Wentworth had found. Evans and his group reached the end of the earlier explorers' journey near a place he named Mount Blaxland.
They then traveled further west. Near where the Fish River and Campbells River meet, Evans saw two large plains. He named them the O'Connell Plains and the Macquarie Plains. He named O'Connell Plains after the Lieutenant-Governor, Maurice Charles O'Connell. A Lieutenant-Governor is a high-ranking official who helps govern a state or territory.
Evans wrote about the O'Connell Plains, saying it was "the handsomest Country I ever saw." He thought it was a beautiful place with rich land. The clear land stretched for about a mile on each side of the river.
Rivers and Local Landmarks
The Fish River flows through O'Connell, and you can cross it on the road from Bathurst to Oberon. From O'Connell, the Fish River flows generally northwest. It then joins with the Campbells River to form the Macquarie River. The Macquarie River then flows through the city of Bathurst.
The village has an old hotel that was built in 1865. Today, this hotel is a popular spot for people to meet up.
There's also a historic former Catholic Church called St Francis of Assisi. It was built in the 1860s and has since been restored into a home. The cemetery next to it has been closed for a long time. The Anglican Church of St Thomas is still used today. Its cemetery has memorials dating back to 1835.
O'Connell also had a Post Office that opened on August 14, 1834. It closed its doors in 1980. In 1890, a telephone line was built connecting O'Connell to Bathurst and Brewongle. Before that, all messages to other towns were sent using the Morse Telegraph.
Places of Historical Importance
O'Connell has several sites that are listed for their historical importance. These are places that are protected because they tell us about the past.
- 2509 O'Connell Road: Lindlegreen Barn is one of these heritage-listed sites.
