Ungarie is a town in

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, Australia which is the second major town of the

Bland Shire Bland Shire is a Local government areas of New South Wales, local government area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. it covers an area of . As at the the population was 5,995. It is a member of the League of Extraordinary Comm ...

, located in the Central West region of New South Wales. It is located west of

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

and north of

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, between the towns of

West Wyalong West Wyalong is the main town of the Bland Shire in the northern Riverina region of western New South Wales, Australia. In the 2021 Census, West Wyalong's population was 3,037. Located west of Sydney as well as being above sea level, it i ...

and

Lake Cargelligo Lake Cargelligo () is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on Lake Cargelligo. It is in Lachlan Shire. Its name is said to be a corruption of the Aboriginal word ''kartjellakoo'' meaning 'he had a coolamon'. Alterna ...

and is situated above sea level. The town's name is derived from an

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

word meaning "thigh".

History

John Oxley John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1784 – 25 May 1828) was an English List of explorers, explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He served as Surveyor General of New South Wales and is perhaps bes ...

, explorer and NSW surveyor general, was probably the first European to cross through what is now the Ungarie district. This was part of his investigation of the Lachlan Valley area in May 1817. In describing the country he had penetrated he said:

"For the want of timber, grass and water, this country will never be inhabited by civilised man."

He was of course proven wrong and the land west of Bathurst soon opened up. It was about 1852 that John Regan explored the back country of what is now West Wyalong in search of more station country. The Regans had a property east of West Wyalong called The Bland. Soon after he continued to explore further west and came upon the creek that he called The Humbug. His group was so impressed by the land that it was taken up. A Mr Ward entered into partnership with one of Regan's friend, a Mr Wood. They called the new run Merrigreen which consisted of . After Regan's explorations more men came to take up various stations. Wollongough was taken up by Carlo Marino around 1871, followed by the King Family in 1878 and later by John Bros. In 1866 Roger Freeling took up Ungarie Station. It was around about 1871 that the farming residents in the vicinity of the Humbug took up a petition for a Post Office to be established at Wollongough as they argued that the nearest post office at Marsden was too far away, . The postmaster at

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...

reported that about 20 to 30 residents would benefit from a post office. Mr George Tout was appointed postmaster on 1 January 1872 with an allowance of ten pounds per annum. The post office closed in 1875 because of some disagreements regarding the cost of the tender for the mail service. There often appeared to be some concern expressed by postmaster Tout regarding the conditions and the viability of the Post office. Once the post office was established a small settlement began to grow. Mr Tout had erected, at his own cost, an apartment adjoining the post office. It is believed that this was the first building in Ungarie and it was believed to have been located at the rear of Navin's store on the creek. The old hotel was owned by Mrs Kerwin, and a portion of it, which still stands at the rear of the butcher's shop was the dining room and was built around 1883 by Mr Tout. In 1889 the hotel was sold to the Mackrell family who came here from Wardry, where they conducted a hotel business. By 1892 the settlement comprised a post office, a hotel, two general stores, a blacksmith shop, a butchery and a boarding house. It was Mr Mackrell who apparently led a group for the establishment of a school in 1891. Even at this stage the Ungarie settlement did not have the distinction of being gazetted as a village and it was in November 1891 that application was made for Ungarie to be established as a village. Following this, Surveyor A. Maitland reported that a village should be surveyed on the south side of the Euglo or Humbug creek in a position which would now be midway between the present township and the original business place adjacent to the east. Nothing had yet been finalised, so a petition was submitted to the Minister of Lands, urging a survey for a village. Surveyor Roberts reported in December 1892 that a more suitable site existed on the north side of Euglo or Humbug creek opposite the present day township. In September 1893 Surveyor A. Maitland surveyed the village on this site covering an area of . This was gazetted as the village of Ungarie on 31 March 1894. The first police residence appeared from Yarrandale in 1896, however it is not exactly clear when the first police constable took up duties. The current police house was built in 1995. By 1900 the village of Ungarie began to grow and a baker shop was added to the list of services provided in the town.

Railway

After considerable agitation from residents a new branch railway line was approved for construction from the existing terminus of West Wyalong to Ungarie and on to Lake Cargelligo. Construction commenced in 1913 with the line opening on 13 November 1917. The new railway station was located approximately one half mile from the original village, a new village eventually grew around the new station. Nine years later work started on a new branch line from Ungarie to Naradhan to service more wheat collection sidings, this line opened on 11 February 1929.

Present

The current village of Ungarie includes a central school, an Australian rules football/cricket ground, a post office, a pub, a butchery, a fuel station, a mechanic, an AGnVET, a swimming pool, a retirement home and a Catholic church.

Places of interest

* The BIG FOOTY (Celebrating the contribution of the Danihers to AFL) * White Elephant Water Tower * Ungarie War Memorial Hall * Ungarie Lawn Bowling Club * Central Hotel

Sport

The most popular sport in Ungarie is

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

, despite

being a largely rugby league supporting state. This is due in part to the legacy of the Daniher Family. * Ungarie Magpies -

netball Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own. It is one of a ...

* Ungarie Cricket Club -

Cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

* Ungarie Tennis Club -

Tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

* Ungarie Bowling Club -

Lawn Bowls Bowls, also known as lawn bowls or lawn bowling, is a sport in which players try to roll their ball (called a bowl) closest to a smaller ball (known as a "jack" or sometimes a "kitty"). The bowls are shaped (biased), so that they follow a curve ...

* Ungarie Swimming Club -

Swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

Notable people from the area

Anthony Daniher Anthony Joseph Daniher (born 21 January 1963) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne/Sydney and Essendon football clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL). Daniher's brothers, Terry, Neale and Chris, ...

, former Australian rules footballer *

Chris Daniher Christopher James Daniher (born 31 March 1966) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). His brothers Terry, Neale and Anthony also played for Essendon in the AF ...

, former Australian rules footballer *

Neale Daniher Neale Francis Daniher (born 15 February 1961) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was later the coach of the Melbourne Football Club between 1998 and 20 ...

, former Australian rules footballer and coach *

Terry Daniher Terrence "Terry" John Daniher (born 15 August 1957) is a former Australian rules footballer best known for his career with Essendon Football Club, Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL) where he was a dual-premiership p ...

, former Australian rules footballer * Raymond Boultwood Ewers, war sculptor * Ben Fixter, former Australian rules footballer *

Paul Smith Paul Smith is the name of: Music * Paul Smith (composer) (1906–1985), American film music composer * Paul Smith (pianist) (1922–2013), Los Angeles jazz pianist * Paul Smith (English singer) (born 1979), vocalist and songwriter of British in ...

, actor

Gallery

File:Ungarie Central Hotel 004.JPG, Ungarie Central Hotel File:UngarieTown&CountryTavern.JPG, Ungarie Town & Country Tavern File:Country Women's Association (CWA) rooms in Ungarie, New South Wales.jpg, CWA rooms in Ungarie File:Ungarie Anglican Church 001.JPG, Ungarie Anglican church File:Ungarie Lutheran Church.JPG, Ungarie Lutheran Church File:Ungarie Roman Catholic Church.JPG, Ungarie Roman Catholic Church File:Ungarie Community Church.JPG, Ungarie Community Church File:Ungarie Bing Wallder Park.JPG, Ungarie Bing Wallder Park File:Ungarie Football Ground Entry.JPG, Ungarie Football Ground Entry File:Ungarie Squash Courts.JPG, Ungarie Squash Courts File:Ungarie War Memorial.JPG, Ungarie War Memorial File:Ungarie War Memorial Hall 001.JPG, Ungarie War Memorial Hall File:Ungarie War Memorial Hall 002.JPG, Ungarie War Memorial Hall File:Ungarie Town Entry Signs.JPG, Ungarie Town Entry File:Ungarie Supermarket.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Verandas.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Butcher Shop.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Footpath.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Former Bank 001.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Former Bank 004.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Garage.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie General Store.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Hospital.JPG, Ungarie Hospital File:Ungarie Main Street 003.JPG, Main Street File:Ungarie Majestic Cafe 002.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Majestic Cafe & Museum.JPG, Main Shopping centre and Post Office File:Ungarie Motorcycle Shop.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Petrol Station 001.JPG, Main Shopping centre File:Ungarie Police Station.JPG, Police Station

Surrounding towns

Tullibigeal Tullibigeal is a small farming community in the Central West, New South Wales, Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. At the 2021 census, it had a population of 263. Etymology The name is an Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal word f ...

(39 km) * Burcher (46 km) *

(75 km) *

Weethalle Weethalle ( ) is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is in the Bland Shire local government area and on the Mid-Western Highway, west of the state capital, Sydney, and north east of Griffith. At the , Wee ...

(57 km) *

(44 km)

References

* Astride the Humbug, 1872-1972 – Ungarie, 100 years of town building, published 1973

External links

Bland Shire Council
* Central Hote

* Town and Country Taver

Ungarie Railway Siding and Junction
{{authority control Towns in New South Wales Towns in the Central West (New South Wales) 1872 establishments in Australia Populated places established in 1872 Bland Shire