Walcha (New South Wales)

Walcha (pronounced " Wolka " ) is a city in the northeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies on the eastern edge of the northern table-land of New England, 425 km north of Sydney and 50 km south of Armidale. The city is the administrative center of the Local Government Area Walcha Shire and at the 2006 census, 1623 inhabitants were noted.

The Apsley River flows through the city and then plunges over the Apsley Falls before it empties into the Macleay River. Earlier, the river flooded the city more often, but then the embankments were raised.

History

Before European settlement, probably inhabited the Aboriginesstämme the Ngayaywana and Dyangadi the area. 1818 John Oxley was the first white man who explored the area and the waterfalls, which were later called Apsley Falls.

Collins Sempill Hamilton was the first settlers in New England when he took over the pasture area Wolka 1832. He built some stone huts on the terrain where Langford is today. Other early populated grazing lands in the surrounding area were Bergen- op-Zoom (1834 ), Ohio (1836 ), Europambela ( 1836 ), Surveyor 's Creek (1836 ), Emu Creek ( 1837 ), Ingalba (1837 ), Oorundumby (1837 ), Tiara (1837 ) and Winterbourne (1837 ). A severe economic crisis 1841-1843 and low wool prices made ​​these early settlers hard n life. 1848, the pastures are given in Walcha, with 260 km ² and were leased to David Lenarch. In 1854 Walcha was sold to Rundle and Dangar, who held the seized items for Jamison and Connal. Later John Fletcher Walcha bought and moved from Branga Plains to enable Oorundumby. After the sale in 1905 Oorundumby released in 1947 for the settlement of former soldiers and divided into 22 plots.

1842 began with the construction of a " wool road " to Port Macquarie ( the Oxley Highway) to transport wool from New England to the coast. The first post office in Walcha was opened on 1 July 1850. The post came from Macdonald River (now Bendemeer ). 1852 Walcha was designated as a village and sold plots. In the following years more land was offered for sale. At that time there was a blacksmith, a general store and a mill in Walcha. A Roman Catholic church was built in 1854, a police station and the first Presbyterian Church in 1857 and the Walcha National School in 1859.

In 1861, 355 inhabitants counted and 1862 the Anglican church was made ​​of stones an aborted settlement, Villa Walcha, built. This settlement was built in the 1840s on the Wolka - pastures. The old church has beautiful stained glass windows that show some of the pioneers of the city.

In the 1860s, the population fell at first, but then she got out two reasons again: First, were from about 1870 lumberjacks who were looking for the Red Cedar, active in the rainforests of the area and secondly, it was found in the 1870s gold in the near Walcha, Glen Morrison, Tia, The Cells River and Nowendoc. Antimony, copper, graphite, manganese, silver, and slate of high quality were also reduced in this region.

On April 5, 1878 Walcha received city rights. The settlement was measured to set their boundaries and built a courthouse. 1882 a railway connection of Walcha Road to Sydney and Uralla was opened. 1889 Walcha became a self-governing city. On March 19, 1890, the Walcha Pastoral & Agricultural Association was founded. The annual exhibition livestock, farm products, vegetables, flowers, wool and craft products. The Walcha Cottage Hospital was founded in 1890 and was on the southern hill in the South Street. The Shire of Apsley was proclaimed on March 7, 1906. It was divided into the counties of Vernon, Hawes, and Inglis, comprising some 60 communities. Its area was 6497.6 km ². The Shire of Walcha was formed by the merger of the city with the Shire of Apsley on 1 June 1955.

Story was written in 1950 in Walcha, when the first plane to Australia in calcium hydrogen phosphate from the air, a De Havilland Tiger Moth distributed to the fields. The " super phosphate " was dropped on Mirani and other farmers soon followed the example to increase the fertility of its pastures and thus be able to keep more livestock.

In 1992 the Walcha Tele Cottage was established and became the first telecentre Australia. The Tele Cottage is a non-profit organization with the latest in information technology, which aims to promote links between local communities and create jobs. This telephoto Cottage not only provides fundamental support, such as vocational training, distance education, Sekretäriatsservice and data analysis, but also access to the Internet for individuals and small businesses. The Tele Cottage in Walcha is a weekly newsletter that Apsley Advocate, out, which is distributed free to more than 1,600 businesses and private individuals.

In 2008, the highest increase in value of land (35% in 12 months ) was determined according to a report from Australian Property Monitors in Walcha.

Climate

The temperatures in the clear mountain air vary between - 2.0 ° C and 11.9 ° C in winter (July) and between 11.8 ° C and 25.3 ° C in summer (January). The average annual rainfall is 808 mm and snowfall is not uncommon.

Flora

Some species of native trees in and around Walcha are acacias, " Manna Gum" (Eucalyptus huberiana ), " Yellow Box " (Eucalyptus Melliodora ) schamlbättriger "Black Peppermint " (Eucalyptus nicholii ), "New England Peppermint " (Eucalyptus nova anglica ), rod -shaped eucalyptus (Eucalyptus viminalis ), " Native cherry" ( Exocarpos cupressiformis ) and " Dogwood " ( Jack Sonia scoparia ).

Some of the rare and endangered plants in the area are the Vogelorchidee ( Chiloglottis anaticeps ), the " Hilgrove Spotted Gum" (Eucalyptus micha eliana ) and the mountain wax flower ( Philoteca myoporoides ), which grows in the national parks.

Fauna

Eastern gray kangaroos, wallabies, possums, echidnas, black and brown snakes, Blauzungenskinks and Jacky dragon ( Amphibolurus muricatus ) can be observed around the city. The following bird species occur in the area: Magpies, Hunter Liesten, Pluvialis, wood ducks, spoonbills, Pink cockatoos, Currawongs, Pennant Parrots and cockatoos.

Demography

The population of Walcha is predominantly Christian faith ( 80.4 %) and born in Australia ( 90.6 %). The mean age of 42 years is slightly higher than the Australian average of 37 years. Less than a third ( 31.9 %) of the inhabitants of Walcha are over 55 years old, compared to the Australian average of 24 %.

Economy

Walcha is considered " Pasture Wonderland " (Eng.: Willow Wonderland ). The predominant economic activities are cattle raising along with the growing timber industry. In the county there are about 937,000 sheep, mostly merinos, and about 85,500 cattle. The cattle from Walcha is considered one of the best in the country and there produced fine wool was honored as one of the best in the world. A large, modern milk processing plant, which will produce 5 million liters of milk per year, the city was built to the south.

Some good thoroughbred race horses are also from the area, such as Blue Spec, who won the Melbourne Cup in record time, Kennaquhair, who won the Sydney Cup in record time and also the AJC Metropolitan Handicap, Eric and Tar Girl, etc.

Furthermore, there are different sized trucking company, a communications company and an engineering office in the city. Also, a number of retail shops can be found there.

Traffic

The Oxley Highway (Australian Route 34) runs through the city and crosses there the tourist road Thunderbolts Way.

The Main Northern Railway Line ( connecting Sydney - Brisbane ) runs about 20 km west of the city through a village called Walcha Road. There stops once daily in each direction of the Countrylink Xplorer from Sydney to Armidale. The railroad was not built directly by Walcha, because the track would have been too steep on the western slope of the Great Dividing Range. Walcha Road was the city nearest point that could be reached by the railway line.

Public services

• 2007, a new hospital was opened in place of the old.
• There is a modern central school, a Roman Catholic elementary school and a preschool
• Two doctors have their surgeries in the city.
• The Riverview Hostel aged care service is available.
• Ambulance station with two full-time ambulance personnel. A rescue helicopter is based in Tamworth.
• Community nursing service
• Police station (3 officers ) and Courthouse ( open on Thursdays )
• Civil Protection
• Professional fire ( NSW station No. 481 )
• Volunteer Fire Department
• Home Care Service
• Stockyard with 14 daily sheep and cattle market and a large fall - calf market
• Tele Cottage

National monuments

The following buildings and objects of natural or historical significance ureinwohnerlicher in Walcha are listed as a National Monument:

• Apsley Gorge National Park ( within the boundaries of 1977), Oxley Highway
• Betts Farm, Irishtown, Thunderbolts Way
• Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves, now known as Gondwana Regenwälder_Australiens (Hastings - Macleay Group)
• Europambela Homestead with outbuildings, land and cemetery, Moona Plains Road
• Langford Homestead, garden and cemetery, Nowendoc Road
• Ohio Homestead, Ohio Road
• Rowley Creek Gulf Nature Reserve
• Former St. Andrews Anglican Church, South Street
• Former St. Andrew's Rectory, with garden and trees, Fitzroy Street
• St. Paul's Presbyterian Church and Fletcher Memorial Hall, Hill Street
• The Hole Creek Nature Reserve ( within the limits of 1977), Winterbourne Road
• Courthouse Walcha, Apsley Street

Attractions

Among the natural attractions in the area include the Apsley Falls about 20 km east of Walcha on the Oxley Highway directly. The first waterfall plunging about 85 meters down and the second, about 800 m further downstream, falls about 65 m to the bottom of the gorge. Walcha is the southern gateway to the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and Werrikimbe National Park. They consist mainly of rugged gorges. In total, there are 900 km ², of which a part is listed as a World Heritage Site. Other national parks in the area are the Mummel - Gulf National Park and the Cottan - Bimbang National Park

Walcha has an Open Air Gallery, where local, national and international artists have teamed up to make about 41 sculptures and works of art, as well as 30 designed Verandas before local shops. Statistically, there are about 85 per inhabitant of the city is a work of art in the Open Air Gallery and in addition a large collection of works in the local art gallery, which makes Walcha to a very art-loving city for its size.

The city has four churches for Roman Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian denomination.

In addition, there are many other tourist attractions such as seeing excursions with four wheel drive vehicles, walking tours, state forests, fishing, gold panning, the Amaroo Museum & Cultural Centre, the Pioneer Cottage Museum and local history archives.

Events

The Walcha Jockey Club, the Walcha Bushmen 's Camp Draft and Rodeo Association, the Walcha Show Society and the Camp Draft Club hold annual events from, each lasting several days. The Walcha Bushmen 's Camp Draft and Rodeo Association collects large amounts of donations and passes them on to local organizations and other good causes. The New England Merino Field Days with exhibitions of local studs, wool and sheep are held every two years, each held in even years. It also introduced a biennial exhibition of wood, as well as a biennial Garden Festival in the spring of even-numbered years. The proceeds from this events flow to charitable causes.