Towrang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TowrangNew South Wales |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Towrang
Location in New South Wales
|
|||||||||||||||
| Population | 171 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2580 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 629 m (2,064 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Goulburn Mulwaree Council | ||||||||||||||
| County | Argyle | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Norrong | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Goulburn | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hume | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Towrang is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Goulburn Mulwaree Council area. The village is located about 13 kilometers north of Goulburn city. It is also around 180 kilometers south of Sydney. In 2016, Towrang had a population of 171 people.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Early Days
Towrang was settled in the 1800s, not long after Europeans arrived in New South Wales. This area was once famous for growing lots of fruit. This fruit was then sent to be sold in Sydney.
The Towrang railway station opened in 1869. It was on the Main Southern railway line. For a while, it was one of the busiest stations in the state. However, the station closed in 1974. This happened as Goulburn grew bigger than Towrang. Also, fruit farming in the area became less common.
The Convict Stockade
From about 1836 to 1842, a large camp for convicts was located at Towrang Creek. This camp was on the north side of the Hume Highway. The convicts were forced to work on building the Great South Road. This stockade was the main convict settlement in southern New South Wales.
Life at the stockade was very strict. Around 250 convicts slept there. They had bare wooden beds and only one blanket each. Up to 10 men shared a single cell.
Old Road Features
On the south side of the Hume Highway, there is a rest area. Here, you can see a well-preserved old bridge. It was built in 1839. There is also an old culvert, which is like a small tunnel for water. Some people think the famous bridge designer, David Lennox, might have designed this bridge.
The old convict stockade site is on the north side of the highway. There used to be a way to access it, but it has been removed. This was done to make the road safer. It helps prevent people from stopping at a busy intersection.
You can still find some remains of the stockade. There's an old powder magazine near the Wollondilly River. A powder magazine was a building used to store gunpowder. There are also three graves on the north bank of Towrang Creek. You can also see what's left of a weir on Towrang Creek. This weir was built to help the stockade.
Ancient History
Even before Europeans arrived, people lived in this area. Aboriginal stone tools have been found along the banks of Towrang Creek. This shows that this route was used by people for a very long time. It was a well-traveled path long before Hamilton Hume explored this way in 1818.
Highway Upgrades
The Hume Highway near Towrang was improved in 2006 and 2007. These upgrades were done to make the road safer. They helped improve the intersections with Towrang and Carrick Roads.
Important Historic Places
Towrang has a few places that are listed for their historical importance. These are called heritage-listed sites. One of them is:
- The Old Hume Highway: Towrang Convict Stockade
Gallery
-
The Towrang bridge, built in 1839.
-
The Towrang culvert, built in 1839, near the bridge.
Old Hotel
One of the first hotels in Towrang was called the Red Lion Inn. It was built before 1863. Joseph Davidson was the person who ran it and had its license.
