Cobar

Cobar statistics:

Population: 5,500

Postcode: 2835

Annual rainfall: 400mm

Temperatures (average): 20-34C summer, 5-16C winter

Cobar is an interesting town for many reasons. It is rich in mining history. Mining relics are found around town, restored to be more visually appealing. The mining history can be found in, what has been said to be, one of the finest outback museums in Australia.

Outback this town certainly is. It is located at the junction of the Kidman Way (Jerilderie to Bourke via Griffith) and the Barrier Highway (Nyngan to Broken Hill).

The local indeginious people have left their mark. The Ngiyampaa tribe whose ancestral lands are where the town exists today, have ensured the preservation of their rock art at Mt. Grenfell, to the west. The town's name apparently has its origins in the Aboriginal name for the colour of copper.

The residents have made their town interesting, particularly when it comes to preserving the past. The population has steadily increased, largely thanks to a new mine. So when we speak about towns progressing, Cobar seems to be going in the right direction. Is it going in a direction that appeals to you? Could you call Cobar your new home?

CLIMATE

Cobar has a semi-arid climate with hot summers and cool to mild winters. Winter nights can be quite cold, but relief comes in the day with a pleasant average maximum.

In this dry climate, water will always be a high priority. Cobar Shire is a semi-arid region bordered by the Darling River to the north and the Lachlan River to the south-east. Water is supplied to the town via a 135km pipeline from the Bogan River at Nyngan.

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Annual events include:

• Festival of the Miner's Ghost
  
  
• Annual Show
  
  
• Lilliane Brady Village Fete
  
  
• Nymagee Outback Music Festival
  
  
• NSW Mines Rescue Challenge

The Festival of the Miner's Ghost has an interesting title, doesn't it? Want to know what it is about? Better contact the Cobar Visitor Information Centre for more information. The Centre is located on the Barrier Highway. Opening hours are 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm weekends/public holidays. They can be contacted on (02) 6836 2448.

The Visitor Information Centre is located in the Great Cobar Heritage Centre. This building used to be the administration centre for the original mining company. Nearby is the remants of the first mine. Today it is filled with water, thanks to the rising water table.

Heritage Centre	Old mine near Heritage Centre

Fort Bourke Hill Lookout, on the outskirts of town, allows a view over the town and the open cut mine. The hill marks the site of Cobar's first gold mine. Locals say at sunset spectacular views are to be had from the peak.

TOWN SERVICES

Schools. There are two primary schools, one being private. The public primary school and high school are of similar size, having 300-400 students each. Located at the public primary school is a school of distance education. A campus of the TAFE College is also located in town.

Health. The township has three medical centres. The district hospital has 31 beds for acute care. Road and aerial ambulances are available for patient transfer.

Shops. This mining town has many modern shops to care for the needs of most residents. There are atleast half a dozen restaurants, just as many cafes, licensed clubs and a cinema.

Transport. A CountryLink rail coach runs from Broken Hill to Dubbo on a daily bases and links with the XPT in Dubbo. In addition, AirLink operates daily flights to and from Cobar to Sydney via Dubbo.

Parks. The town is certainly blessed with a lot of parks. Our count was eleven. Added to this are a number of reserves, two of which have water for recreational purposes.

Poppet Head	Bronze miner

Want to see a map of Cobar?

COBAR AREA

The Cobar Shire is huge. Covering over 44,000 square kilometres, it is similar in size to Tasmania. Apart from the main township, other villages within the shire include Euabalong, Mt. Hope, Byrock, Nymagee, Louth, Canbelego and Tilpa.

In the south of the Shire lie extensive areas of mallee vegetation of great biological diversity. Before European settlement this country had a park-like appearance with stretches of native perennial grasses scattered with trees and shrubs. In the spring vast expanses of wildflowers burst into bloom, creating a spectacular display. In spite of its harsh environment the district is rich in wildlife, including four species of kangaroo, the eastern and western grey, the euro and the red kangaroo. Fork-tailed kite are common as is the wedge-tailed eagle, both of which are frequently seen soaring across the vast blueness of the western sky. A walk in the bush will reveal a surprising variety of wildlife. Reservoirs around the town of Cobar support many water-birds including heron, ibis, ducks and waders and even gulls and terns. Bush birds include honey-eaters, wrens, robins, apostle birds, chats and the irrepressible cockatoos and galahs.

Like Mt Grenfell, in the introduction, Mt Drysdale is a significant Aboriginal site. Once upon a time this location supported a population of 5,000 with the discovery of gold. The site is on private property so permission is required.

Evidence of mining activity is found in many parts of the area, although the greatest concentration is around the central township.

ECONOMICS

Open cut gold mine

Employment. The unemployment rate is less than 4.0%. This is low compared to the rest of the country. This is a good sign for any potential resident. With mining being big business, obviously a large number of employment opportunities exist in this field. The following mines currently operate:

• CSA Mine
  
  
• CBH Resources - Endeavour Mine
  
  
• Peak Gold Mines
  
  
• Mt Boppy

Cobar is also an agricultural society. Therefore, opportunities exist in the supporting industries for agriculture and mining.

Investing. More information soon. Begin your search for real estate or rental properties in the area.

Do you have your own experiences, information or photos you would like to contribute? Please let us know.