Stuart Town, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stuart TownNew South Wales |
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Stuart Town, overlooking the railway station
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 Stuart Town
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 487 (2011 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 2820 |
| Elevation | 548 m (1,798 ft) |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Dubbo Regional Council |
| State electorate(s) | Dubbo |
| Federal Division(s) | Parkes |
Stuart Town, once called Ironbark, is a small town in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the Central Western Slopes region. The town is part of the Dubbo Regional Council.
Stuart Town is about 317 kilometers (197 miles) north-west of Sydney. In 2011, about 487 people lived there. The land around Stuart Town is used for cattle farming and growing fruit. The town helps provide services to these farms.
Stuart Town has a public school. It also has churches for Catholic and Anglican faiths.
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History of Stuart Town
The land where Stuart Town is today was originally home to the Wiradjuri people. They are an Aboriginal Australian group.
Gold Rush Days in Ironbark
Stuart Town was first known as Ironbark. It started as a village in the early 1850s after gold was found nearby. Gold mining was very popular in the late 1850s and 1860s.
The gold attracted bushrangers to the area. Bushrangers were outlaws who lived in the Australian bush. They often robbed people, especially those carrying gold.
How Stuart Town Got Its Name
The town's name changed to Stuart Town in 1879. This happened when the Main Western railway arrived from Sydney. The town was renamed after Sir Alexander Stuart. He was a politician who later became the Premier of New South Wales.
Later Gold Mining and Local Benefits
Gold mining started again around 1899 and continued into the early 1900s. During this time, special machines called gold dredges were used. They dug for gold in the nearby Macquarie River bed.
Stuart Town has also benefited from being close to Lake Burrendong. This large lake helps with water supply and recreation.
Famous Connections to Stuart Town
Many people say that Sir Robert Askin was born in Stuart Town. He was a former Premier of New South Wales. However, he was actually born in Sydney. He did spend a lot of his childhood growing up in Stuart Town.
The town's original name, Ironbark, is famous from a poem. It is used in the Banjo Paterson poem called "The Man from Ironbark". Today, Stuart Town holds an annual festival named after this poem.
Heritage Sites in Stuart Town
Stuart Town has some places that are listed for their historical importance. These are called heritage-listed sites.
- Main Western railway: Stuart Town railway station
Getting Around Stuart Town
The Stuart Town station has a daily train service. This train is called the XPT. It travels between Sydney and Dubbo.
