Adelong

History

The area now known as Adelong lies on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people. In 1852 during the Australian Gold Rush, gold was discovered at Upper Adelong. Records around the time indicated a yield of 198 kg of precious metals. In 1855 Adelong was declared a gold field. The Adelong township, which was first established in 1836, came alive when in 1857 William Willams discovered a gold bearing reef ore on Charcoal Hill. Alluvial mining and panning along the Adelong Creek was followed by mines being staked in the surrounding hills and water and steam powered stamper batteries were located along the creek to crush and process the hard pyritic quartz ore. These included the heritage-listed Adelong Falls Gold Workings. There were a number of deep quartz reef mines at Adelong, including the Great Victoria Mine. The gold ran out in the first part of the 20th century and the pastoral industry became the principal activity. This was mainly Merino sheep and beef cattle, and continues now. Over the last 20 years a tourist industry has developed because of the pleasant scenery and gold mining history. During the gold rush many Chinese people worked in the mines, a lot of whom died and were buried in a special portion of the Adelong cemetery. One or two elderly Chinese and Indians still lived in Adelong in the 1950s. A community named Cornishtown existed about a mile to the west of Adelong until the 1940s.

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  596
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  541
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  436
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  369
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

  Cacatua galerita (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  366
• Gray Fantail

  Rhipidura albiscapa Gould, 1840 · Aves
  351
• Maned Duck

  Chenonetta jubata (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  318
• Laughing Kookaburra

  Dacelo novaeguineae (Hermann, 1783) · Aves
  312

Most recent

• M 3.7 — 2012-04-19
  36 km ENE of Tumut, Australia
• M 2.6 — 2007-04-29
  35 km W of Yass, Australia
• M 2.9 — 2005-01-02
  35 km W of Duffy, Australia
• M 2.8 — 2004-09-21
  30 km SSW of Boorowa, Australia
• M 3.9 — 2004-02-28
  16 km SSE of Junee, Australia
• M 3.3 — 2003-07-11
  15 km WNW of Cootamundra, Australia