Millthorpe is a town located between

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

and Blayney in

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 the

Blayney Shire Blayney Shire is a local government area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located adjacent to the Mid-Western Highway and the Main Western railway line, and is centred on the town of Blayney. Blayney Shir ...

. At the , Millthorpe had a population of 1,253 people. The town was once a major

potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...

growing area and continues to have extensive

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

activities. The town was originally called Spring Grove. Millthorpe is a picturesque, compact and historic village set amidst gently rolling hills. Classified by the National Trust, it has a number of fine historic buildings, as well as cobbled, bluestone-bordered streets, art galleries, gift and antiques shops, a museum, two hotels, restaurants and cafes, a bowling club and motel. Two of the main streets, Victoria (which runs east-west) and Park (north-south), follow the contours of the local topography with a more regularised grid system extending outwards from them. Millthorpe is located 252 km north-west of

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 ...

and 22 km south of Orange. The area now known as Millthorpe lies on the traditional lands of the

Wiradjuri The Wiradjuri people (; ) are a group of Aboriginal Australian people from central New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , ...

people. European settlement of the area began when a government stock station was established in 1823. The town is based upon a land grant originally known as Grove Farm which was made out to convict overseer Charles Booth in 1834. Noted explorer Thomas Mitchell twice stayed there during inland expeditions. The area developed as a farming centre from 1840 to 1880 with orchards established in the 1860s. Local agriculture received a considerable boost from the arrival of the

railway 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 ...

in the 1870s complete with a

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 ...

. A large flour mill was established in 1882. Consequently, in 1884 the town's name was changed from Spring Grove to Millthorpe. Today it is still essentially a service centre to the rich farmlands which surround it. Millthorpe's commercial area was extended after the depression of the 1890s and many of its largely brick buildings date from that period. The town's decline after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

means that it was spared redevelopment and so many of its buildings have survived with very little alteration.

Heritage listings

Millthorpe has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: * Main Western railway:

Millthorpe railway station Millthorpe railway station is a heritage-listed railway station located on the Main Western line in Millthorpe, New South Wales, Australia. History The original station opened on 19 April 1877 as Spring Grove when the line was extended from ...

* 27 Victoria Street:

Grand Western Lodge The Grand Western Lodge is a heritage-listed former hotel and boarding house at 27 Victoria Street, Millthorpe, Blayney Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was built by John Wells. It is also known as Grand Western Lodge Hotel. It was added ...

Notable Millthorpians

* Ellen Esther Dawson (1895-1961) - wife of

Arthur Stace Arthur Malcolm Stace (9 February 1885 – 30 July 1967), known as Mr Eternity, was an Australian soldier. He was an alcoholic from his teenage years until the early 1930s, when he converted to Christianity and began to spread his message by ...

. Known as Pearl she was brought up in Millthorpe, later moving to

to work as a domestic servant for a medical practitioner. She married Stace in 1942. *

Bluey Wilkinson Arthur George "Bluey" Wilkinson (27 August 1911 – 27 July 1940) was an international speedway rider. Wilkinson was Speedway World Champion in 1938 after narrowly missing out on winning the inaugural Championship in 1936. Early life Wi ...

(1911-1940) - Born in Millthorpe. International speedway rider. 1938 World Champion and 3 time Australian Champion. Image:MillthorpeCommercialHotel.jpg, Commercial Hotel Image:MillthorpePostOffice.jpg, Post office Image:MillthorpePublicSchool.JPG, Public school

Climate

Millthorpe has warm, stormy summers and cold, wet winters with occasional

snowfalls Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...

. Its great seasonal range approaches that of climates much farther south, due to its far western location.

Notes and references

External links

{{authority control Towns in the Central West (New South Wales) Blayney Shire