Bumbalong Explained

Type:town
Location3:Sydney
Location1:Canberra
Dist2:48
Dir2:N
Location2:Cooma
Dist3:356
Dir3:SW
Near-N:Clear Range
Dist1:72
Near-Ne:Michelago
Near-E:Colinton
Near-Se:Bredbo
Near-S:Bredbo
Near-Sw:Shannons Flat
Near-W:ACT
Dir1:S
Fedgov:Eden-Monaro
Bumbalong
Lga:Snowy Monaro Regional Council
State:nsw
Coordinates:-35.8586°N 149.1337°W
Pushpin Label Position:right
Local Map:yes
Zoom:9
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in New South Wales
County:Cowley
Stategov:Monaro
Parish:Bumbalong
Region:Monaro
Postcode:2626
Pop:24
Near-Nw:ACT

Bumbalong is a rural locality in the Snowy Monaro Region, New South Wales, Australia. Although it lies in the valley of the Murrumbidgee River, it is sometimes referred to by its residents as Bumbalong Valley. At the 2016 census, it had a population of 24.[1]

It occupies an area bounded in the east and south by the Murrumbidgee River, and in the west by the Australian Capital Territory border. To the north, the valley narrows, becoming Colinton Gorge.[2] The Parish of Bumbalong once extended as far as the Naas River, but this western portion—part of the catchment of the Naas—became a part of the A.C.T.[3] The settled area lies in the valley close to the left (western) bank of the Murrumbidgee River, opposite Colinton.

The area now known as Bumbalong lies on the traditional lands of Ngarigo people.[4]

The presence of gold was recorded in the southern part of the locality, on the land inland from the large bend in the river.[5] Although there was gold mining, nearby, on the eastern side of the river, at Colinton, no mining at Bumbalong seems to be recorded.[6] [7] The locality is agricultural, with activities including grazing.

The only road connection is from the Monaro Highway at Colinton, via Bumbalong Road and the Bumbalong Bridge across the Murrumbidgee. The bridge is a low-level concrete structure that is covered during floods, isolating the locality.[8] In earlier times, the only river crossing was a ford. Bumbalong locality is on the western side of the river only and has no roads open to the public. Bumbalong Road ceases at an intersection of a right of carriageway that runs generally parallel to the river.[9] The right of carriageway, designated as Upstream Road and Downstream Road, commences at the western end of the concrete crossing;[10] it passes through private land, over its entire length, in both upstream and downstream directions, and is for private use of residents only.[11]

Bumbalong was badly affected by the Clear Range bushfire, on 1 February 2020, losing six of its 14 dwellings.[12]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2016 Census QuickStats: Bumbalong. 2020-12-06. quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au. en.
  2. Web site: http://www.waterwaysguide.org.au/section-detail/[nid Bredbo To Colinton]. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180418074557/http://www.waterwaysguide.org.au:80/section-detail/[nid] . 18 April 2018 . 2020-12-16. Waterways Guide. en.
  3. Web site: Parish of Bumbalong, County of Cowley [cartographic material] : Land District of Queanbeyan, Yarrowlumla Shire, Eastern Division, N.S.W. & Commonwealth Territory]. 2020-12-06. Trove. en.
  4. Web site: Studies. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. 2021-09-09. Map of Indigenous Australia. 2021-09-19. aiatsis.gov.au. en.
  5. Web site: Map showing gold and other mineral localities in the basins of the Snowy & Upper Murrumbidgee Rivers [cartographic material] : chiefly discovered by the Revd. W.B. Clarke in the years 1851-2 and published by him to illustrate his work entitled the Southern goldfields, Second edition, showing the country dividide into parishes comprised in the Counties of Auckland, Beresford, Buccleuch, Cowley, Dampier, Murray, Selwyn, St Vincte, Wallace & Wellesley. ]. 2023-01-19 . Trove . en.
  6. News: 1897-09-14. Mining in the Queanbeyan District. PAST AND PRESENT.. 2. Queanbeyan Observer (NSW : 1894 - 1908; 1910 - 1915). 2020-12-06.
  7. News: 1896-02-18. A Country Pressman's Outing.. 2. Queanbeyan Observer (NSW : 1894 - 1908; 1910 - 1915). 2020-12-06.
  8. News: 1989-10-06. The bridge is a burning issue in Bumbalong as it is now used by heavy vehicles. 3. Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 2020-12-06.
  9. Web site: Bumbalong · New South Wales 2626, Australia. live. 2021-09-19. Google Maps. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210920222103/https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bumbalong+NSW+2626/@-35.8578881,149.128397,15.54z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b3d784d32267983:0x40609b49043dba0!8m2!3d-35.8454659!4d149.1302644 . 20 September 2021 .
  10. News: 1998-10-09. YARROWLUMLA COUNCIL. 8221. Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001). 2020-12-06.
  11. Web site: CONVEYANCING ACT 1919 - SCHEDULE 8. 2021-09-19. classic.austlii.edu.au.
  12. Web site: 2020-06-13. Families with homes destroyed by bushfire told by bureaucrats they 'weren't fire affected'. 2020-12-06. www.abc.net.au. en-AU.