Bellata (postcode 2397) is a small village in north-central

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, in

Narrabri Shire Narrabri Shire is a local government area in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located adjacent to the Namoi River and the Newell and Kamilaroi Highways. It was formed on 1 January 1981 from the amalgamat ...

. At the , Bellata had a population of 529. The place name ''Bellata'' could be derived from the local

Aboriginal Aborigine, aborigine or aboriginal may refer to: *Aborigines (mythology), in Roman mythology * Indigenous peoples, general term for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area *One of several groups of indigenous peoples, see ...

word meaning "kangaroo" or possibly "home of belar trees".

Overview

It is north of

Narrabri Narrabri ( ) is a locality and seat of Narrabri Shire local government area in the North West Slopes, New South Wales, Australia on the Namoi River, northwest of Sydney. It sits on the junction of the Kamilaroi Highway and the Newell Highway. At ...

, around halfway between Narrabri and Moree when travelling along the

Newell Highway Newell Highway is a national highway in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It provides the major road link between southeastern Queensland and Victoria via central NSW and as such carries large amounts of freight. At in length, the Newell is th ...

. The village's area is known for its array of mineral deposits, and fossickers will find high quality agate, jasper, carnelian, petrified opal and petrified wood in the vicinity. Located on the rich black soil basalt plains of north western New South Wales, it is an important agricultural region and the area is known for some of the best "primehard" wheat production in Australia. There is a large array of grain storage and handling facilities in the town.

Buildings

A turn-of-the-century, two-storey colonial style hotel, the Nandewar Inn Hotel, constructed in 1902, was a well-loved local landmark until it was destroyed by fire in April 2006. Once a thriving rural center, Bellata, in the early to mid-20th century, boasted a post office, two general stores, two stock and station agencies, two garages, a café, a telephone exchange, a fully operational

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

with a station master and a doctor. Bellata still has a road house, a police station, primary school, nine-hole sand green golf course and Golf Club, tennis courts, Anglican and Catholic churches, a memorial hall where movies were once shown, caravan park and several community groups. ''Woolabra'' Post Office opened on 1 September 1899 and was renamed ''Bellata'' in 1909.

Railway station

Bellata railway station Bellata railway station is located on the Mungindi line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the village of Bellata, opening on 1 April 1897 as Woolabra when the line was extended from Boggabri to Moree. It was renamed Bellata on 1 March ...

is situated on the Mungindi line, from

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

. The station opened in 1897 as Woolabra however was renamed Bellata in 1909. It consists of a platform and unstaffed basic passenger waiting shed, and is currently served by a single daily Xplorer diesel railmotor between Moree and Sydney in the morning and by another Xplorer heading in the opposite direction to Moree in the evening. The station is optional, and sometimes trains do not stop at it.

References

External links

{{authority control Towns in New South Wales Newell Highway Narrabri Shire