Lake Cargelligo NSW Australia

Gold in Lake Cargelligo

In 1873 gold was discovered in Lake Cargelligo

The historic sign located on the corner of Foster and Reef street says that it was "a call of nature" that led to the discovery of gold in Lake Cargelligo.

On the thirteenth of April, 1873 Mrs Charlotte Foster discovered gold. Mrs Foster was employed at burr-cutter's camp as a cook.

The Foster's Reef Gold Mining Company was formed and this sparked the arrival of many gold mad prospectors and increased the population of Lake Cargelligo. As a result Lake Cargelligo became an important town for supplies.

The mine was built on the corner of Foster and Reef Sts on the site which is now Lake Hardware. The deepest shaft was 200ft with drives of 150ft. According to the heritage sign, some of the original mine shafts still remain beneath the Lake Hardware building. Although the mining was discontinued due to poor conditions and poor returns - gold exploration in the Lake Cargelligo region has continued.



Engraver Lee, created April 15, 1878
Foster's Reef Gold Mining Co., Cudgellico, N.S.W.
wood engraving.
Used by permission "La Trobe Picture Collection State Library of Victoria".

Wooyeo Woolshed - Lake Cargelligo

Famous for the Wooyeo Ball of the 1880's - early 1890's

A popular tourist site, the Wooyeo Woolshed is located 7.6km from the Lake Cargelligo Post Office along Euabalong Road.

In ruins after the sub-division of the original Wooyeo pastoral runs and many decades of neglect, the Wooyeo Woolshed retains a commanding presence and keeps the secrets and memories of many local residents of Lake Cargelligo.

When first built the woolshed was 300 feet long by 30 feet wide in dimension.

The Wooyeo Ball was an annual event that followed a day of racing during the 1880's and early 1890's. The Wooyeo Ball attracted people from districts many miles around as well as being attended by the local people of the village. "It is said that this annual function faded out a year or two after the Bank smash of 1893." B.T.Dowd (Lake Cargelligo - Beginnings of District and Village)

The Wooyeo ball moved on to Euabalong, where the original ballad "The Wooyeo Ball" was shortened and made more roudy for the new "Euabalong Ball" which is an Australian Ballad still sung today.


Warren Fahey recorded the Euabalong Ball on his CD A Panorama Of Bush Songs available to purchase through the
ABC Shop.

There is some further historic information on the Wooyeo Woolshed at the Australian Folk Songs website, just scroll down below the lyrics to the Euabalong Ball.

This piece of history, held in the timbers of the Wooyeo Woolshed, is now privately held as part of the Glenroy North property.

Bushranger settled in Lake Cargelligo upon release from gaol.

John Bow, member of the Frank Gardiner Gang

The youngest member of the Frank Gardiner gang which was famous for Australia's biggest gold roberey, John Bow, was arrested and given the death penalty for his part in the Escort Rock robbery at Eugowra 15 June, 1862.

Having not commited murder, and as a result of great public support and petition due to his youth, just 20 years, the death sentence was commuted to life.

Upon release from gaol 8 July, 1874, John Bow settled in Lake Cargelligo where he worked as a farmer, became a model citizen and loaned money to the local Catholic Church so that they could buy land. John Bow died aged, 54 on the 5th March,1895. John Bow was buried in the Catholic area of the Lake Cargelligo Cemetary.

Heroes Of Cargelligo

"The end crowns the work"

Lake Cargelligo Historical Museum

Farm Equipment used in the early pastoral days of Lake Cargelligo

Photograph and quotation by Trevor Hampel.

"This display included old tractors, ploughs, harvesters and a variety of other old pieces of machinery used in the early settlement days on this farming district."

More Photographs and the full blog post "Old But Not Forgotten", can be viewed at Trevor's travel blog.

Lake Cargelligo on Film - Saturday 1979

Academy Award Winner, Dean Semler Wrote and Directed Saturday 1979

Watch Saturday 1979 - set in Lake Cargelligo, this film is about a shearer John Whelan and his family Coral, Violet, Raymond, Aellan, Ian, Leon and Keith spending a Saturday in town. It is a great view of Lake Cargelligo, the locals, the lake and Australian outback culture in 1979.


Suzanne Baker - Producer
Dean Semler - Writer/ Director/ DOP
Film Australia

Dean Semler is an Academy Award winner for Dances With Wolves. In 1979 he made a documentary in Lake Cargelligo. This town, Lake Cargelligo must have some magic, some red dust magic.

Dean Semler has created a phenomenal career with a great long list of movies to his credit.

My Highlight: In Saturday 1979, you see the original "Rocky" posters hanging in the foyer of the Civic Theatre in Lake Cargelligo.

Lake Cargelligo In The Media

ABC

Australian Story - Ten Thousand Acres - Maree Stockman

The ABC recorded Maree Stockman's inspiring story of resilience in the face of personal tragedy and physical loss for their program Australian Story. The episode, which was produced in 2005 is called Ten Thousand Acres and the DVD is available for sale on the ABC website

Click Here to read the transcript for Ten Thousand Acres on the ABC's Australian Story.

"I just don't tend to dwell on the
hardships ... I value the past,
but if a disaster happens, I believe in
picking yourself up and getting on with
it. I always look to the future and try to
think what I can do to improve things.
You have to continue moving forward."

Census Community Profile - Lake Cargelligo - 2001

Australian Bureau Of Statistics

A basic community profile of Lake Cargelligo is available for free download. The profile contains demographic information about the population of Lake Cargelligo as collected in the 2001 census including age, ancestry, income, education, family type and more. Click here to go to the Australian Bureau of Statistics to download the free report. The most recent census was conducted in 2006 with an update to this report expected last August, 2007. As yet, it is not readily found on the ABS website.

The sign reads:

Lake Cargelligo

1928 Photographs of Lake Cargelligo

Local Council - Lake Cargelligo

Lake Cargelligo Library

Transport - How to get to Lake Cargelligo

Sydney to Lake Cargelligo

train and bus
Australian Rail Journey
Check your options Click here

plane and hire car
Regional Express flys from Sydney to Griffith. From Griffith it is approximately a 1.5 hour drive to Lake Cargelligo. You can hire a car to be available at the Griffith airport.

take a road trip
From Sydney some people like to travel up over the Blue Mountains through Lithgow, Bathurst, Parkes and Condobalin to Lake Cargelligo.

Others prefer to go south first through Yass, Temora and West Wyalong to Lake Cargelligo.

Personally I like to drive from Sydney down the M5 and head past Suttons Forrest, Yass, Young, Temora, West Wyalong and finally home to Lake Cargelligo.

Travel this way is not about the fastest route. It does provide for many refreshment stops along the way in towns that are large enough to provide some choices.

If leaving in the morning, the Service Centre at Suttons Forest has a McDonalds you can stop for breakfast and fill up with fuel.

Yass Service Centre is a good place to stop for a coffee or a snack, and has a KFC or a McDonalds.

Young is a great place to stop and grab something to eat. You will find McDonalds, Subway, various cafes, Woolworths (large supermarket), Big W (variety store), a car wash to clean away the red dust of the road and more than just a few shops to wander through and pick up a country bargain or two.

There are also a number of cafes at Temora and West Wyalong and fuel is also available at these towns.

From West Wyalong it is about a 1.5 hour drive to Lake Cargelligo. Travel safe and watch out for Kangaroos!

To find the best route for you, visit Where Is for complete directions.

Note: If anyone thinks I mentioned McDonalds too many times in this module - try taking a road trip where there aren't any McDonalds - mmmmm truck stop coffee, yum, yum.

Events In Lake Cargelligo

August/September

Lake Cargelligo Show

Held at the Lake Cargelligo Showgrounds. This annual agricultural show has a lot of history and nostalgia attached to it.

A book was written by the Lake Cargelligo Show Society that contains a breif history of the Lake Cargelligo Show and the Society:

Our Show - Yours and Mine 1925 - 2000

The image of the Lake Cargelligo annual show shown here is from 1928 and is available to view at Picture Australia Click here

October

Fisherama in Lake Cargelligo

Fisherama is an annual event in Lake Cargelligo held over three days. The event attracts fishing enthusiasts from all over.

It is a fun way to keep the numbers down of the European introduced carp that live in the lake and in the Lachlan River and with prizes up for grabs it may pay to know a local ...

"If you get the line in the right spot, you'll win" - John Robberds

Spring Ball

Australian Hovercraft Federation National Rally

The Fly By

"Saturday morning we awoke to another glorious day in Lake Cargelligo. Clear blue skies stretched from horizon to horizon, and yesterdays wind had abated leaving a stunning mirror finish on the lake.

Suddenly the peaceful tranquility of this idealic paradise was shattered by the ear piercing scream of two stroke engines as a dozen or so hovercraft thundered to life and took to the water.
The invasion had begun." Arthur Stead

Please visit the Queensland Sporting Hovercraft Club for the full article and many more photographs of the Fly By, The Cruise, Team Slalom Relay, Sprint Racing, Cork Scramble and Hovercraft Ski Challenge. Select National Rally 2006 from the menu.


copyright www.qhover.com - used by permission.

Deadman's Point - Lake Cargelligo

Lake Cargelligo Central School

Recipes from Lake Cargelligo

Beef Lake Cargelligo - Chef: Steve from The Lake

Update On My Book Searches:

The Journal of William Budd

Resources Used In Creating This Lens on Lake Cargelligo

Books, Articles, Websites and Journals