Mendooran
History
The district was inhabited by the Wiradjuri tribe before white settlement. The first European to visit the area was surveyor John Evans who came as close as 10 kilometres from Mendooran in 1815. Two years later it was John Oxley's group that passed through the area while conducting one of the first inland expeditions. It is believed that the name derived from that of a local Aboriginal tribal leader named either "Mundo" or "Mundoo". Lucerne, wheat and sheep were established on the station in later years.
The small village grew in the 1860s on the old station near the bridge which passed over the Castlereagh River. As at 1866 there were 24 residents recorded in the area. The village was called Mundooran until the arrival of the railway around 1915 when the name was changed to Mendooran.
The John Bull Inn was erected to serve the passing traffic of the 1860s. A bridge was erected over the Castlereagh River in 1869 which increased the road traffic and contributed to local development. The town was laid out in 1881 with a school, police station and courthouse being built.
The Robertson Land Act of 1893 broke up the larger squatting runs and closer settlement then came about.
Mendooran hosts an annual agricultural show. It also hosts an annual Raceday Festival in September that sees the town population swell to above 300 as race-goers from around the world visit.
In February 2019 Mendooran was experiencing severe shortages of water and had been placed on level six water restrictions, the highest level of restrictions mandated in NSW.
Mendooran formerly had a rugby league team, the Mendooran Tigers, who competed in the Group 14 Rugby League competition.
The town is mentioned in Banjo Paterson's poem 'The Travelling Post Office' (1894):
The roving breezes come and go, the reed beds sweep and sway,
The sleepy river murmurs low, and loiters on its way,
It is the land of lots o' time along the Castlereagh.
The old man's son had left the farm, he found it dull and slow,
He drifted to the great north-west where all the rovers go.
"He's gone so long," the old man said, "he's dropped right out of mind,
But if you'd write a line to him I'd take it very kind
He's shearing here and fencing there, a kind of waif and stray,
He's droving now with Conroy's sheep along the Castlereagh.
The sheep are travelling for the grass, and travelling very slow:
They may be at Mundooran now, or past the Overflow.
Today Mendooran (the spelling has changed since Paterson wrote the poem) is small and sleepy. It is a convenient stopover for people heading towards the Warrumbungles.
Things to see and do / Places to Stay
Since 2022, the Central West Bike Trail has become a popular activity that includes Mendooran as one of many local towns on the route.
The Central West Cycle trail links the major towns of Mudgee, Dubbo and Wellington and a handful of smaller ones including Gulgong, Dunedoo, Mendooran and Ballimore. The 400 kilometre loop has rapidly become an iconic, must-do ride!
https://centralwestcycletrail.com.au/trail-description/
Accommodation in Mendooran is available but limited.
The Royal Hotel is the hub of the town and offers clean rooms and simple country food typical of a pub in a small country town. The people are welcoming, the beer is cold and the showers are hot.
Next to The Castlereagh and behind the old police station is a free council-run campsite. There is no electricity but there are basic toilets. There are no cabins on site so it is strictly byo camping gear. This site is popular during holiday periods.
The Cosy Comfort Cottage is popular with cyclists and offers 5/5 facilities for up to 10 people. https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/s/5WuqVZFZvhZ4TSAcA
Notable People
Notable people from Mendooran include-
- Ron Quinton - Successful Jockey and Horse trainer
- Gaye Chapman - Multi Award Winning Contemporary Artist - Painter and Narrative Illustrator
- Katrina Gibbs - Commonwealth Games High Jump Champion 1978, Australian National High Jump Champion 1978 and 1982
- Gail Neall - Gold Medal Winning Medley Swimmer 1972 Olympics in Record Time - Taught at Mendooran Central School (Primary) in the 1970s.
- Emeritus Professor Stephen Dinham OAM - international education expert - taught at Mendooran Central School 1976-1981.
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Mendooran (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ Browning, Jennifer; Davies, Jessie. "Mendooran, where families survive on two loads of washing a week and three minute showers". ABC Western Plains. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ "Gaye Chapman, 2003". National Portrait Gallery collection. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "Gaye Chapman - Speakers Ink". www.speakers-ink.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
External links
Media related to Mendooran at Wikimedia Commons