History of Inverell and District
The town had its beginnings when Colin & Rosana Ross arrived in August 1853, to start a store for the settlers who had moved into the district during 1839-40. Ross Hill is named after the family.
However, the man who was to give Inverell its name and lay the foundations for todays modern community was Alexander Campbell. A Scottish immigrant, Campbell came to Australia in 1824 and was employed by Peter MacIntyre in the Hunter Valley.
In March 1835, Campbell set out on what proved to be a long and hazadous journey to explore the new country known as the New England.
After travelling through Guyra & Bundarra, Campbell established a property for his employer, calling it Byron Station and established Inverell Station for himself. The Station can still be seen today, on the Ashford Road, just north of town.
The name Inverell means: "Inv" a meeting place & "Ell" swans, so named because of the many swans in the area at that time. Today you can see the swans at Lake Inverell on the eastern edge of town.
During the early days Inverell was known as Green Swamp and was a favourite camping place for bullockies. The location was most favoured for crossing the Macintyre River.
Green Swamp was an obvious site for the village and with many travellers passing through and families settling in the district Inverell was named in 1856.
Major Events in Inverell’s History 1827 – 1920
May-July 1827 Allan Cunningham’s exploratory journey
1836 Settlers occupied the Gwydir River
c. 1837 Alexander Campbell, on behalf of Peter Macintyre, discovered and claimed Byron Plains
1839/4 The whole of the present Inverell Shire settled by squatters
1846/47 Wellingrove, Warialda became administrative centers
August 1853 The Ross family arrived at Green Swamp, started an inn, store, flour mill on Ross Hill
September 1856 Survey of ‘Inverell’ by P.H Henderson
1857/59 Arguments about the location of the township, Green Swamp Vs Byron
March 1859 Sales of town blocks at Inverell and Byron
October 1859 First store – John Moore’s – opened in present business area
1860 First Inverell Races: Inverell became a police and district place for holding court
August 1862 Opening of first public school, Inverell
1866 Beginning of Free Selection in the Inverell district
May 1867 Thunderbolts raid on Bonshaw
1867 First P & A Society Show; arrival of telegraph
1871 First newspaper – The Courier
June 1871 Joseph Wills’ tin discovery at Elsmore publicised and tin rush began
March 1872 Inverell incorporated as a municipality
December 1872 Serious flood
May 1875 First issue of The Inverell Times
September 1876 Opening of bridge over the Macintyre
December 1877 Inverell Hospital opened
May 1878 Railway decision – Armidale, not Inverell, to receive line from Tamworth
December 1880 First elections for the seat of Inverell
September 1887 Opening of new Court House
1888 Great agitation in favour of railway line to Glen Innes
1888 (winter) Worst drought to this date
1889 G A Cruikshank became Inverell’s Member of Parliament
March 1891 First town street lighting
May 1892 Opening of Ross Hill Infants’ School
September 1892 Inverell’s biggest snow fall – 4 to 5 inches in town
April 1893 Bank Crisis – beginning of depression
1896 Beginning of large – scale diamond mining at Copeton
July 1896 Opening of new Macintyre Bridge, costing 9859 pounds
1898 John Howell began to exploit Bora Creek silver lode
1901 Tin dredging began, heralding a new tin boom
November 1901 Opening of Inverell’s railway line from Moree
1902 Major drought: arrival of rabbits; first car seen
1902 Otho Street fire; opening of butter factory
May 1903 Telephone exchange started
1904 Fire brigade formed; state seat of Inverell abolished; completion of new Post Office
1904/05 First Closer Settlement subdivisions, including Myall Creek
August 1905 Opening of Town Hall
June 1906 First meetings of Shire Councils
1909 Beginning of foundry; first Boy Scout troop formed
February 1910 Opening of Municipal saleyards
December 1911 Official opening of the Electric Lighting Scheme
1912 Suspension bridge built; picture palace opened; Tennis Club courts opened (Sinclair Place); closure of Howell Mine
1914 Formation of Bowling Club; new flour mill; drought
April 1914 Inverell won District Trophy, Royal Easter Show
August 1914 First volunteers departed for World War 1
January 1916 Departure of “The Kurrajongs”
1916 The Weir built; beginning of sapphire mining
1917 New fire station; showground moved
1918/19/20 Drought (off and on)
1919 Pneumonic influenza epidemic; visit of first “flying machine”
1919-25 Cunningham, Lucien Lawrence elected to parliament - Federal Member for Gwydir
1920 New State movement; water supply debate; first Rugby League match
Major Events in the History of Inverell District 1921 – 1996
July 1921 Major flood on the Dumaresq
Oct. 1922 Municipal jubilee 1872 – 1922
Sept. 1924 Ambulance society formed
Nov. 1924 War memorial dedicated in Otho Street
1925+ Golf links made at Sheep Station Gully
Feb. 1926 Great Tingha fire
April 1927 Capitol Theatre opened
July 1927 Inverell’s newspapers amalgamated
1929 First town water connections to homes
1929-31 Cunningham, Lucien Lawrence - Federal Member for Gwydir
Nov. 1929 Unemployment began to be felt
1931+ Rise of Ashford tobacco industry
June 1932 Ben Wade elected to State Parliament
Oct. 1933 Big Flood Yetman
1934 Silos completed (Inv., Del, Mt Russell)
1935 New Hospital opened
1936 Inverell’s first radio station (2LV)
1937 Inverell Rotary Club founded
Dec. 1936 Inverell High School Completed
1937 Opening of Glen Innes Road aerodrome
1938 Inverell celebrated its centenary
1938 Water supply dam completed
Nov. 1940 Bannockburn/Macintyre amalgamation
Jan. 1941 Funeral of first war casualty
1942 Preparations for possible invasion
1944 Formation of Boys Club
1944 Brigadier Varley presumed to be dead
April 1945 Formation of North West County Council
Oct.1945 Opening of Ambulance Station
Dec. 1945 Formation of East – West Airlines
Jan. 1947 First soldier settlement : Gragin
Sept. 1947 Opening of Soil Conservation Station
Mar. 1948 Opening of Inverell’s sewerage scheme
Oct. 1949 First Eisteddfod
March 1951 Beginning of North West Abattoirs
1952 Closure of Butter factory
Dec. 1953 Ian Allan elected member for Gwydir
Feb. 1955 Flood
June 1955 H.N. McLean home opened
Nov. 1955 Opening of aerodrome at Gilgai
1957 Opening of Homes for the Aged duplex
May 1958 Ashford Power Station is opened
Nov. 1958 Inverell War Memorial Baths opened
Oct. 1959 First Floral Week
Dec. 1960 New Police Station
Dec. 1960 Gwydir Highway completed to Grafton
1961 Growing interest in sapphire mining
Sept. 1961 First Grafton – Inverell cycle race
Dec. 1961 New saleyards complex
March 1962 J.C. Bruxner elected State Parliament
1962 Beginning of open – cut tin mining
Feb. 1963 Holy Trinity opened for 110 boys
Dec. 1963 Munincipal Council moved into White House
Jan. 1964 First Aborigines moved into Inverell
April 1964 Jubilee of Wood Parades
April 1965 First good local TV reception
1965 Serious Drought
April 1967 New State referendum – district 76% Yes
Feb. 1968 P & A Society Centenary Show
Jan. 1969 Pindari Dam completed
Oct. 1969 Inverell now in Ian Sinclair’s electorate
1970+ Sapphire boom
Mar. 1970 Beginning of Pioneer Village
Sept. 1971 Automatic (STD) phones – Inverell
April 1972 Opening of RSM Club
Oct. 1973 First Sapphire City Festival
1974-5 Capitol Theatre controversy
Aug. 1974 First classes held new Macintyre High
Nov. 1974 New building for Northaven
Feb. 1976 Official opening of Copeton Dam
Nov. 1978 Convent children moved to Holy Trinity
1st July 1979 Amalgamation of Inverell Municipality and Ashford and Macintyre Shires
1979-83 Drought off and on
May 1981 Goonoowigall Wilderness reserve open
May 1982 Closure of old Macintyre Bridge
1983 Opening new R.C. church, Shire Administration building
Nov. 1983 End of passenger rail service to Inverell
Nov. 1985 New fire station opened
1985 Virtual end of tin industry
Oct. 1986 Vietnam veteran’s memorial dedicated
July 1987 Opening of Catherine Campbell Centre
1988 Community effort – Bicentennial Memorial
Nov. 1989 Elsmore tornado
1989-94 Finish of tobacco industry
1989 McLean Village extensions
1990 Snackfood factory constructed
1990 Tourist Centre moved to Water Towers
Feb. 1991 Flood
April 1991 Library extensions opened
May 1991 Beginning of Business Enterprise Centre
1991-95 Drought off and on
1994 25th anniversary of Sports Council
1995 State government takes over NWCC
April 1996 Tom Roberts Festival
1996 Redevelopment of CBD began
Name of Station | Earliest known settler | First official licensee | 1841 census | 1850 stock numbers | Subsequent ownership to 1900 | Approxacreage |
Auburn Vale | William Murray Borthwick c. 1838 | W.M. Borthwick 1839 | 4 free males, 4 free females | 44 horses, 1155 cattle, 8219 sheep | John Borthwick 1851; Ann Borthwick 1862; Theo Cooper 1872; Stirton and Beauchamp 1907 | 76000 |
Bannockburn | John Cameron c.1838 | John Cameron 1839 | 9 free males, 5 free females, 11 male convicts | 82 horses, 1308 cattle, no sheep | William Waterford c.1843; James Hale 1845; W. Durham 1858; Fraser and Anderson 1867; G.A. Cruikshank 1879; Andrew Murray 1882;1901 Richmond & Scott; 1903 P.H. Morton | 32000 |
Bonshaw | Rev Irving Hetherington | W.C. Hetherington bro. Rev Irving 1840 | 2 free males, 2 male convicts | 10 horses, 2500 cattle, 4000 sheep | 1854 J.H. Keys & Hetherington. Remained in Hetherington family – by 1889 Charles Tindal | 140000 |
Bukkulla | John Gaggin (or Gegan) c.1838 | George Wyndham 1839 | 3 free males, 1 convict | 300 horses, 2000 cattle, 7000 sheep | Subdivided by Wyndham Bros. – Karoola, Redbank, Arthur’s Seat, Dinton Vale, Westholme, etc | 100000 |
Byron (Plains) | Alexander Campbell c.1836 | Peter McIntyre 1837 | 47 residents (about half convicts) | 7 horses, 1600 cattle, 12000 sheep | Mary McIntyre 1841; Fraser and Anderson1873;G.A. Cruikshank 1879; subdivided 1906 | 115000 |
Cope’s Creek | Terence Hughes c.1838 | Esther Hughes 1845 | Not known | 1250 cattle, no sheep | J. Perfrement 1860; Capt. E.G. Swinton 1871; Theo Cooper | 22000 |
Egerton (or Edgerton previously Charing | Thomas Collins 1840 | Wilks & Merton 1842 | 1 free male,6 male convicts | 40 horses, 1400 cattle, 5400 sheep | D. & J. Dickson 1844 (storekeepers, Maitland); J.H. Keys 1854; J.S. Fitzgerald 1859; R.P. Abbott 1881 | 64000 |
Elsmore (also known as Elsmore, Ellmore originally Glenmore | John Campbell 1838 | Campbell & Muir 1839 | 5 free males, 1 free female, 3 male convicts | 66 horses, 1300 cattle, no sheep | Brown & Alcorn 1843; Alexander Campbell of Inverell Station 1852 – Part of Inverell Station till 5000 acres sold to H.W. Hughes 1900 | 50000 |
Frazer’s Creek (Originally Mypoolba) | Gregory Blaxland Jnr. April 1840 | G. Blaxland, May 1840 | 6 free males, 6 male convicts | 73 horses, 4300 cattle, no sheep | E. Ashbee 1846; Samuel Moffatt 1855; John & Hugh McDonald c.1865; J.&D. Fletcher; John Sinclair & John Swan 1901 | 60000 |
Inverell (Known first as Swanbrook) | Alexander Campbell | Alexander Campbell 1842 | At least 1 stockman | 14 horses, 40 cattle, 1700 sheep | Held by the descendants of Alexander Campbell | 60000 |
King’s Plains (also upper Frazer’s Creek) | J.Vivers 1838 | William Vivers 1839 | 5 free males, 1 free female, 6 male convicts | 57 horses, 1300 cattle, 12500 sheep | Thomas, William & Robert Vivers (nephews) 1857; remained in William’s family | 106000 |
Mandoey Creek | W.C. Hetherington | W.C. Hetherington 1847 |  | 4 horses, 7100 sheep, no cattle | J.H. Keys 1849; always run with Bonshaw | 50000 |
Newstead (formerly Frenchaye, Glencorse) | Joseph King for Clerk & Rankin 1838 | E.G. Clerk & John Rankin 1839 | 2 free males, 3 free females, 1 female convict | 20 horses, 145 cattle, 21090 sheep | John Rankin 1840; Colin Anderson & Duncan Sinclair 1841; C. Anderson alone 1847; remained in Anderson family | 72000 |
Nullamanna | Thomas Collins 1840 John Goodwin 1841 | D.J. Dickson 1845 | | 12 horses, 5000 sheep | George Wyndham 1848, run with Bukkulla; owned later by A. Cruikshank, then Inverell Station till 1900 | 32000 |
Paradise Creek | Tom Hewitt for H. Dangar early 1839 | Henry Dangar | With other Dangar stations | 8 horses, 50 cattle, 6500 sheep (usually more) | Mrs Dangar 1861; Dangar Bros 1868; 2 lge prop. 1884 – G. McLean & Anne Munzie; 1900 Paradise Cr. Sold by H.W. Hughes to G.A. Cruikshank | 52000 |
Pindari (previously Darlington) | J. Isbel 1840 | J.B. Isbel 1841 | 5 free males | 2 horses, 6000 sheep | George Polhill c. 1845; A. Campbell & B. Buchanan 1855 (run with Wellingrove) ; remained in Campbell family (of Inverell Station) | 50000 |
Strathbogie | H. Gordon 1840 | Hugh Gordon 1841 | 2 free males, 3 free females, 6 male convicts | 10 horses, 60 cattle, 15000 sheep | Remained in Gordon family till 1901, when sold to E.C. Body | 90000 With Rocky Creek |
Texas | John McDougall 1840 | J.F. McDougall, June 1840 | 1845 – 2 free males, 1 free female, 2 convicts | 1854 – 45 horses, 3000 cattle | Morehead & Young 1862; Scottish Aust. Investment Co 1875 | 80000 |
Beebo (sometimes with Wymoo) originally Kittah Kittah | John ‘Tinker’ Campbell 1840 (Jan.) | C. Abercrombie | 1846 – 5 free males, 1 convict | 1846 – 12 horses, 2100 cattle, no sheep | E.W Hargraves; C. Abercrombie; Campbell & Smith 1846; Miles O’Connell 1852; William Lalor 1870 | 76000 |
Blue Nobby | | William Russell & George Burgess 1846 | | 3 horses, no cattle, 11000 sheep | Run as part of Wallangra till sold 1921 | 35000 |
Boonal | George & Samuel Dight c.1837 | G. & S. Dight | 4 free males, 1 convict | 4 horses, 1600 cattle | Run with Merawah or Yetman. Sold by Dights after 1890 flood | 53000 |
Eena | Benjamin Singleton 1839 | B. Singleton 1840 | With Trigamon | 3 horses, 350 cattle, 4000 sheep | Singleton insolvent 1842, sold to W.M. Russell and George Burgess, then runs with Wallangra from 1850 | 50000 |
Gragin | Capt John Pike c.1839 | Capt Robert Mayne 1840 with Warryalda | 1 married couple, 4 children, 1 free male, 11 convicts | 15 horses, 2300 cattle | P.J Elwin (Mayne’s partner) took over 1843; Cheeke & Broadhurst 1846; 1864 Gordons of Strathbogie, who retained it | 90000 |
Graman | John Balfour 1839 | J. Balfour 1840 | 1 married couple, 2 children, 7 free men, 6 convicts | 17500 sheep | P.J. Elwin by 1844. Always afterwards run as part or Gragin. Gournama was in same ownership 1849-65 | 80000 |
Gunnee (Reedy Creek) | Francis Dickson | Dickson & Nagle 1840 | 2 free males, 8 convicts | 200 horses, 2000 cattle | By 1845 owned by James Kelly & Henry Rose; W.J. Cobcroft 1850; Rossiter & Knapp; J.J.R. Gibson 1860-1900 | 60000 |
Mundoe (later Coolootai) | Richard Byam Ottley by 1841 | R.B. Ottley August 1843 | | 20 horses, 2500 cattle | Run with Bangheet (Bingara), Ashton Joyce Ottley 1849; C.J. & A. Codrington 1862 | 70000 |
Myall Creek | Boundaries marked 1837 by Dangar’s men | Henry Dangar | 1 free male, 1 ex-convict, 2 convicts | 60 horses, 1400 cattle, 10000 sheep | W.J. Dangar 1869; retained by Dangar family till 1894, sold to Young family | 150000 (with Delungra and Keriengobeldi |
Trigamon | Benjamin Singleton 1839 or earlier | With Eena | 2 free males, 2 convicts | 4 horses, 52 cattle, 16000 sheep | R. Percy Simpson 1842; held by Simpson family till bought by W.R. Campbell c.1880 | 95000 |
Tucka Tucka | G. & S. Dight c.1837 | Capt Russell 1844 | | 6 horses, 2100 cattle | George Burgess 1849; J.F. McDougall 1853; J.R. Smith; purchased White Bros. 1905 | 60000 |
Wallangra | Allen Hickey c.1838 | 1842 P.W. Flower (mortgager) | 1845 – 16 free males, 3 free females, 8 convicts | 1846 – 20 horses, 50 cattle, 10000 sheep | Capt. William Russell bought station 1850; J.R. Black became partner, took over 1876 | 90000 |
Yetman | Goerge & Samuel Dight 1837 | Hannah Dight (mother) 1840 | 5 free males | 20 horses, 1900 cattle | Still held by Dight family (descendants of George) | 76000 |
Place Names of the Inverell District
ARRAWATTA: Aboriginal ‘tired leg’
ASHFORD: First used for Frazer’s Creek township 1851, although first maps of Ashford are entitled Egerton. Named after the village in Kent, England, very close to Egerton, the native place of William Wilks, first settler in the district. The English Ashford was famous for its sales of high quality sheep.
AUBURN VALE: Named by a squatter W. Borthwick, journalist and man of letters, presumably after Auburn, the village immortalised in Oliver Goldsmith’s poem ‘The Deserted Village’.
BALFOUR’S PEAK: Named after John Balfour, first settler at Graman, 1839.
BANNOCKBURN: Named by John Cameron in memory of his Scottish home in the country of Stirling.
BEAULIEU: French word meaning ‘beautiful place’, named by Dr Louis Segol, who established a vineyard there, after his father’s home in France.
BRODIE’S PLAINS: Named after Peter Brodie, partner of Thomas Haydon, who occupied the area briefly as a squatting run in 1839.
BONSHAW (originally Boneshaw): Named after the Irving family estate near Annandale, Scotland. Irving was the Rev Irving Hetherington’s mother’s maiden name. He was the first to take up Bonshaw Station.
BUKKULLA: Aboriginal, many divergent interpretations – most likely ‘high black stump’.
CHERRY TREE HILL: Name given to this selection by Owen McCosker because of the dense wild cherry tree scrub there, so dense said one old resident “ that a dog couldn’t bark in it, and a wallaby had to get out to scratch himself”.
COPE’S CREEK: In 1839 this was known as ‘Johnny Cope’s Creek’. In one account Johnny Cope was the manager of Cope’s Creek Station for Terence Hughes of Barraba. Another interpretation is that it was named after the popular song known as ‘Johnny Cope’.
COPETON: The miners called the area Boggy Camp. By 1899 it was becoming a famous diamond field and a new name was needed so the editor of the local newspaper (the Bora Creek, Boggy Camp and Tingha Miner) decided to hold a competition for a new name. Dr Thompson of Boggy Camp won, with his name Copeton.
CUNNINGHAM’S HILL (just south of Inverell): Not named by or after the explorer, but after Eugene Cunningham, early police constable in Inverell, who had a farm on this hill.
DELUNGRA: Aboriginal – a water weed or water reed. Name given to the Hall family’s squatting run, Delungra, which later became part of Myall Creek Station. The name was resurrected for the town established to serve Myall Creek Closer Settlement Subdivision. The railway station, previously called Reedy Creek (after another nearby pastoral station, also called Gunnee) was renamed Delungra in 1906.
DINTON VALE: Dinton, England was the birthplace of George Wyndham, whose sons settled Bukkulla Station, of which Dinton Vale was a portion.
DUMARESQ RIVER: Named by Allan Cunningham after Colonel Dumaresq, Governor Darling’s assistant and son-in –law.
ELSMORE originally ‘Glenmore’: From 1846 this was modified, variant forms being Elmsmore, Elmore, Ellmore, Elsmore. From the time of the discovery of tin there the village was always known as Elsmore, and the station was after 1900 always called “Ellmore”.
FLETCHER’S SEAT (hill): After Angus Fletcher, early manager of “Byron”.
FRAZER’S CREEK: Often written ‘Frazier’s’ in the early years, probably after the Vivers’ overseer in the 1840’s. At that time the western portion of Kings Plains Station was known as Frazer’s Creek Station, as was Blaxland’s Station seven miles north of modern Ashford.
GILGAI: The aboriginal word ‘gilgai’ referred to small hollows in the ground, usually in the black soil, also known as ‘melon holes’. The word also meant a water hole, the most likely meaning in this case.
GOONOOWGALL (pronounced ‘gunny-wiggle’): Aboriginal, “the wallaby rocks” or “plenty rock wallabies”.
GRAGIN: Aboriginal, “big hill”, referring to Gragin Peak.
GRAMAN: Aboriginal, “big plain”. The aboriginal word “gra” or “goorah” usually means “big”.
GUNYAN: A native hut made of bark, now called a “gunyah”. This has also been rendered “where a black gin child died”.
HOWELL: Originally Bora Creek (because an aboriginal Bora ground was there) it was renamed in 1901 after John Howell, mine manager and metallurgist.
KEERA: Aboriginal “shrimps”, named by Allan Macpherson, squatter.
KING’S PLAINS: (and King’s Gap, Bundarra Road): Both named after Joseph King, Superintendent at Clerk and Rankin’s station on King’s Creek, who explored much of the district.
KOLOONA: The railway siding and post office were called Gragin in 1901, but this was confusing as the pastoral station also had a post office. The railway commissioners asked the local Farmers and Settlers’ Association to suggest another name, but they could not, so the commissioners selected Koloona (aboriginal meaning unknown) in 1914.
LEVIATHAN: Originally the name of a tin mine near Auburn Vale. Means something of huge size, often a monster or a whale.
MACINTYRE RIVER: Known in the early days as McIntyre’s River, named by both Alexander Campbell and Allan Cunningham after Peter Macintyre of Scone (although they named different rivers, the intention was there).
MANDOIE: Aboriginal, “big toe” or “big foot”. There were two stations with this name in the Inverell District in 1848, which probably resulted in one being re-named Coolatai.
MOUNT RUSSELL: Probably named after John Russell, fencer on Gragin Station in 1851, who had helped to mark out Myall Creek Station in 1837. Mount Russell is on the boundary of Myall Creek, Gunnee and Bannockburn Stations.
NEWSTEAD: Named by Dr Colin Anderson after the family seat of Lord Byron. It means “new place, new home” (as in homestead).
NULLAMANNA: Aboriginal – “large water hole”.
OAKWOOD: Named after Jacob Hunt’s 1869 selection – so called because of the she-oaks growing on the banks of the gully.
PARADISE: 1. “It is surrounded by basalt hills, and the tracks going into it were very bad before roads were made, so it was called Paradise because one had to go through Hell’s Gates to get there.” 2. (More likely) “The first white people came when the season was very bad, and the country looked so wretched that they called it Hell’s Hole. Next time they came there had been such a transformation that they re-named it Paradise.”
PINDARI: Aboriginal “high ground” or “rough ground”. Various spellings, but it was pronounced “pin-dry” by the aboriginals. The pastoral station was always known as Pindari in the 19th Century, although this is now spelt “Pindaroi”. The original spelling was chosen for the dam.
ROB ROY: Referred first to Rob Roy Gully. This is the name of a book by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott. Name has been used since the earliest days.
SAPPHIRE: Originally Swamp Oak. When a school was established there in 1885 considerable confusion arose, as there was another Swamp Oak near Tamworth. The inspector asked the teacher for another name. She suggested “Sapphire” and the school’s name was changed in 1886, although the name was not used for the area until later. The teacher said “after a shower of rain the ground would glisten with small blue stones and the children used to bring them to me in match boxes”.
SEVERN RIVER: Named after the one in England.
STANNIFER, STANBOROUGH: Both based on the Latin (scientific name) for tin – stannum. Stannifer means, “tin bearing”. Stanborough means, “tin town”.
STRATHBOGIE: Named after Hugh Gordon’s home in Aberdeen Shire, Scotland.
TEXAS: The first holders of the pastoral station, the McDougall brothers from Singleton took up other land too, neglecting their Dumaresq River Station (called then by the aboriginal name Collebelaa). This resulted in a dispute in 1843, which was finally settled in favour of the McDougalls, because they had arrived first. The station was then re-named Texas, presumably because in the year that the ownership dispute was settled – 1845 – Texas became part of the United States, after prolonged negotiations.
TOPPER’S MOUNTAIN: (near Tingha): Probably named after brothers E. and W. Topper, employees of the Wyndham family in the 1850s. At this time the Wyndham family owned New Valley Station, which included Topper’s Mountain.
TUCKA TUCKA: Originally Tucoi Tucoi, aboriginal name for “big fishing hole”.
WALLANGRA: Aboriginal, “long water hole, big water hole” – same origin as Wallangra.
YETMAN: Probably borrowed from the English manor Yeatman (pronounced Yetman), but no connection between this place in England and the Dight family has yet been established. They originally called this station “Grundy”, but it was Yetman by 1848.
Existing Buildings in Inverell’s Central Business District
Name of building or original owner/Present occupier | date | No. | St | Use in 1940 |
Coles Supermarket | 1976 | 12 | Byron | Capitol theatre, McBeans Garage, Barber, Milne’s Bakery |
Inverell Motors/F&G/FDB | 1915 | 32-34 | Byron | Inverell Motors (previously Glenister and McKenzie) |
Inverell Motors drive-thru/Lehman Ward | 1915 | 36 | Byron | Kimmorley stock and station agent |
Pastoral Chambers, Borthwick and Butler | ?1895
1915 | 44 | Byron | Professional chambers – solicitors and accountants; E. Wilkinson optometrist |
Rural Bank/ Colonial State Bank | 1970 | 46 | Byron | Small shops in wooden two storey building |
National Bank | 1955 | 50 | Byron | Girle’s butchery – tiny shop, very old |
Bank of NSW/” The White House” | 1890 | 56 | Byron | Bank of NSW |
Bank of NSW/ Westpac | 1963 | 68 | Byron | Bank Manager’s Garden |
Ernie Roos’ Store/Premier with yard, bulk store | 1901 | 72 | Byron | Fuller and Meyer; later Fuller and Gunson, Joe Ferris, Ferris Family |
Wooden Shop/ Premier’s Farmhouse | c.1880 | 76 | Byron | Owned Fuller and Meyer – rented Mark Daley |
Commercial Bank of Australia/ Florist | 1940 | 86 | Byron | Commercial Bank of Australia |
Lawrences Furniture Store/Arcade | 1963 | 88-92 | Byron | Wooden Shops – Counsell, Cramer, W. Haupt |
AMP Building | 1968 | 100 | Byron | Central Hotel built 1900 |
EA Clarke’s General Store/Patches | 1933 | 102 | Byron | Ted Clake’s offices |
H Foley’s shop/Gem Centre & Just Music | 1934 | 108 | Byron | Miss Brighty’s café/Model frock shop |
Cloonan Bros./ Camping World & Pete’s Place | 1922? | 112 | Byron | Cloonan’s butchery |
ES and A Bank/ANZ Bank | 1958 | 114 | Byron | Old wooden shop – Os Daley (prev. Kramer’s) |
WF Jack and Co./ Boulus’ and Kodak | 1935 | 120 | Byron | Jack’s furniture |
Finlens Menswear | 1973 | 124 | Byron | “Bub” Thomas, painters etc. |
Paddy Davies/ Julie Frock & MBF | 1937 | 126 | Byron | Saddlery, residence |
Brissetts/ Retravision | 1958 | 132 | Byron | William Irvine, blacksmith & farrier |
S. Fong Lee (Brissetts)/ Country & Workin Gear | 1923 | 138 | Byron | Fong Lee’s store (part of Hong Yuen) |
Dry cleaner (now Payne’s) | | 140 | Byron | Blacksmith, later Coorey’s dry cleaner |
Lennon’s/ Burtenshaw’s butchery | 1931 | 142 | Byron | Lennon’s butchery, owned P. Davis |
Credit Union building | 1997 | 144 | Byron | Deans’ bakery 1931-68 |
Jack’s Arcade | 1960 | 146 | Byron | D.W. Fergusson plumber |
WF Jack & Co/ Taylors Furniture | 1956 | 152 | Byron | Spare block; Blondie Brown’s residence |
Campbell Bros./Cinema Complex | 1939 | 168 | Byron | Campbell Bros. + Harry White |
Bakery/Bob Jamieson & Wongs | c.1919 | 174 | Byron | William Leach bakery (prev. Ted Sharp 1924+) |
N.A. Gardner | 1936 | 182 | Byron | Gardner – machinery agent, builders supplies |
Jack O’Briens/Kefts/Anaiwan | 1938 | 196 | Byron | Car showroom (later Hytten’s) |
Empire Hotel, built Dr Lane | 1903 | 1 | Byron | Hotel run by Ocean Beach Hotels |
Mah’s Bamboo Bar/Golden Chicken | 1952 | 9-11 | Byron | Roger Nasser’s fruit shop |
CES | 1982 | 13 | Byron | Trim’s garage |
Wayne Daley’s Arcade | 1976 | 15-19 | Byron | Delbridge’s skin buyer |
TAB | 1966 | 21 | Byron | Hotel garages, stables, baggage room |
Sapphire Chinese Restaurant | 1952 | 23 | Byron | Spare ground, hotel drive-through |
Surgery, belonged to Hotel Inverell | c.1915 | 25 | Byron | Dr Cookson’s surgery |
Imperial Hotel and Shops | 1889 | Cnr | Byron | Barney Jones barbers in By. St Former sample rm. |
Shop owned by hotel/HJ Finlen | 1941 | 41 | Byron | Commercial Bank of Aust. Pre1870 building |
Murray and Eather/chemist & Inv News. | 1935 | 43-45 | Byron | Les Miller chemist, Murray and Eather agents |
Burge Bros. Emporium, including shops, auction mart, bakery/payless supermkt. | 1912
1935 | 53+ | Byron | Burge Bros. department store; Pennyworths and later Coles were in the present liquor dept. |
Fardouly’s café/ Ditton’s chemist | c.1901 | 77 | Byron | Regent Café/ Fowler and Burgess auction mart |
Shop built by hotel/Rockmans | 1901 | 79 | Byron | K.V. Willis frock salon |
Australian Hotel | 1910 | 81-91 | Byron | Hotel - licensee E.L. Flood; S.J. Parmenter |
Hong Yuen Furniture/ Crazy Prices | 1976 | 103+ | Byron | Fay’s Cash and Carry; Yee’s fruit mart, milk bar |
Hong Yuen | 1904 | 103+ | Byron | Hong Yuen Store (residence upstairs) |
Hong Yuen Hardware/Supermarket | 1960 | 103+ | Byron | Hong Yuen yard and Furniture Department |
Mart”n”Place arcade | 1960 | 121 | Byron | Harry Kent agent; Sullivan’s printing |
Tatts Hotel | 1910 | 123 | Byron | Hotel – licensee F.C. Thomas |
Glendowie Centre/Hunt’s & saddlery | 1984 | 139 | Byron | Harry Hall’s garage (with b’smith in side street) |
Wooden shops/Bill Chivers & Pet World | c.1885 | 143 | Byron | W.G. Gilhome undertaker; Buxton boot rep./ Strahley’s cycle shop |
Rural Co-Op/Tiles & Repco | 1949 | 149 | Byron | Kewpie Dance Palais (outdoor) |
Imperial Hotel | 1889 | 6-10 | Otho | Hotel – licensee C.W. McFarland |
Hotel shops/Toy World & St. George | 1907? | 12-16 | Otho | Hotel, Len Mulroy tailor, Miles Mercer |
W.F. Jack’s/Mather’s, Daseys, Jeweller | 1935 | 18-22 | Otho | 2NZ up. Moran and Cato, baby shop, Cloonans |
Asher’s Jewellery/Inv.Real Estate,Carols | 1936 | 26-28 | Otho | Australian café |
Knaptons building/Syrett’s newsagency | 1934 | 30-34 | Otho | Syrett’s Newsagency/ La Hood? |
EA Thomas’ Chemist/ Scardoni Chemist | 1907 | 36 | Otho | E.N. Ditchfield chemist/Ina Ferris |
Fossey’s/ Young World | 1960 | 40 | Otho | Bennett and Wood garage; 1941 E.J. Rumble |
McLean’s Shop/ Payless Shoes | 1903 | 44 | Otho | John Hunter and son (moved in 1926) |
McLean and Lydiard/ Nesbitt’s | 1903 | 46-50 | Otho | P.J. Nesbitt and son (moved in 1926) |
Jindabyne House (Mrs Body owner) | 1903 | 52-66 | Otho | Various shops |
Knaptons/Sam Kee, Art supplies | 1902 | 68-74 | Otho | Inverell hardware, Finlens |
Knapton Estate/ Little Dane | 1937 | 78-80 | Otho | Inverell Argus Newspaper office to 1918 |
Phoenix Chambers (McLean & Davis) | 1903 | 82-86 | Otho | H. Fardouly: Cadwell’s wines |
Groves shop/Blinds, Ian Miles | 1899? | 88-90 | Otho | Horace Hills shoes |
Kautz’ bakery/Office Supplies, Mair | c.1909 | 92-94 | Otho | Kautz’s bakery, tea room |
Byron Arcade ( G. Cruickshank) | 1903 | 96+ | Otho | Alby Sargent Electrics, HJ Brissett radio, elect and cycles store |
Royal Hotel/ Transit Bar | 1885 | 104+ | Otho | Guesthouse – owned Gabriel Williams |
Insurance Building/NZI, Oslo’s | 1951 | 118 | Otho | Ayland’s fruit and produce |
Aust. Bank of Commerce/Wilks | 1911 | 120 | Otho | Garage and tyres – J.E. Giblin |
Court House Chambers/A. Johnston | c.1901 | 132 | Otho | Avern McIntyre, Warner solicitors |
AMP Building/Colonial Mutual, Kumon | 1921 | 136 | Otho | AMP |
Inverell Shire Council | 1983 | 144 | Otho | Roman Catholic Church, presbytery |
Hotel Inverell/ The Bridge | 1914 | 1-5 | Otho | Hotel, Dunlop’s, Ted Lumbewe etc. |
Inverell Hotel Extension/shops | 1937 | 11-15 | Otho | Hotel upstairs, shops downstairs |
Inverell Pharmacy | ?WWI | 17-19 | Otho | Crossley chemist (Cloonan’s mercery 1926-35) |
Grove House/Page’s, solicitors etc | 1914 | 23 | Otho | Wiltshire, Manning, Anderson solicitors; bank |
Argus House/Kloshe Merle, Health Food | 1916 | 27-31 | Otho | Brooks shoe store/Britz Jeweller/La Hood |
Commonwealth Bank/Nova, Wesfarmers | 1932 | 33 | Otho | Commonwealth Bank |
Commonwealth Bank | 1983 | 35 | Otho | Dr Snows room (1933) |
Marcus Clark’s store/ Sports Store | 1915 | 39 | Otho | Marcus Clark (furniture and clothing store) |
Rumble & Kilminister’s g’ge/Devine | 1915 | 41-43 | Otho | Varley and Parker/chemist – W.R.Squires |
Rialto Theatre/ Red Shield Centre | 1919 | 45 | Otho | Vacant 1940, then Inverell Furniture Co. |
Inverell Motel | 1961 | 51-59 | Otho | Cansdell’s dept store took up whole lot |
Oxford Hotel | 1886 | 61-67 | Otho | Hotel – leased by Mrs RE Wilson |
St Elmo’s Chambers – doctors | 1937 | 69 | Otho | Dr Punch up, chemist down |
Queensland Insurance/QBE | 1937 | 73-77 | Otho | Queensland Ins. |
Union Bank/Tavern | 1911 | 79 | Otho | Union Bank |
Comm. Bank of Sydney/Colour Copy | 1891 | 83 | Otho | Bank |
Town Hall | 1905 | 91 | Otho | Town Hall, council chambers, Dr Vernon |
Post Office | 1904 | 97 | Otho | Post Office, Residence |
Government Savings Bank/ Offices | 1912 | 107 | Otho | Rural Bank |
Police Station | 1960 | 109 | Otho | Police Station (old building) |
Inverell Court House | 1886 | 121 | Otho | Court House |
Government Offices | 1967 | 127 | Otho | Police sergeant’s residence |
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