Bombala
{{about|the town in New South Wales, Australia|the crater on Mars|Bombala (crater)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = town
| name = Bombala
| state = nsw
| image = Bombala.jpg
| caption = Bombala, looking towards the town centre. The footbridge passes over the Bombala railway line. The right most building is the station building, the centre building the goods shed and above that is the bridge over the Bombala River.
| coordinates = {{coord|36|55|0|S|149|14|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| pop = 1,892
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = {{Census 2021 AUS|id=POA2632|name=Bombala (State Suburb)|access-date=2 Aug 2023|quick=on}}
| postcode = 2632
| elevation= 705
| elevation_footnotes = {{cite web|title=Climate statistics for Australian locations - Bombala (Therry Street)|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_070005_All.shtml|publisher=Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=5 April 2013}}
| dist1 = 485
| dir1 = SSW
| location1= Sydney
| dist2 = 202
| dir2 = S
| location2= Canberra
| dist3 = 87
| dir3 = S
| location3= Cooma
| dist4 = 77
| dir4 = WSW
| location4= Bega
| lga = Snowy Monaro Regional Council
| county = Wellesley
| stategov = Monaro
| fedgov = Eden-Monaro
| maxtemp = 18.5
| mintemp = 4.9
| rainfall = 650.9
| est =1840s
}}
Bombala is a town in the Monaro region of far southern New South Wales, Australia, in Snowy Monaro Regional Council. It is approximately {{convert|485|km|mi|0}} south-southwest of the state capital, Sydney, and {{convert|80|km|mi|0}} south of the town of Cooma. The name derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "Meeting of the waters".{{NSW GNR|id=KWqwXtqb|title=Bombala|access-date=20 June 2009}} The town lies on the banks of the Bombala River. At the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Bombala had a population of 1,892.
History
The Bombala area was inhabited by the Ngarigu Aboriginal people prior to the first European settlers arriving in the 1830s. Captain Ronald Campbell established a large property in 1833 that he named 'Bombalo'. More European settlers arrived in the Bombala area in the 1840s during which time the small township developed. Bombala had a post office by 1849 and had a number of large commercial and public buildings by the mid 1850s.{{Cite web|url=http://www.heritageaustralia.com.au/new-south-wales/3356-bombala-|title=Bombala|website=heritageaustralia.com.au|access-date=2016-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306090228/http://www.heritageaustralia.com.au/new-south-wales/3356-bombala-|archive-date=6 March 2017|url-status=dead}}
Bombala was proposed in 1903 by King O'Malley as the site of the parliamentary seat of Australia. It was considered as a location because it was halfway between the two cities of Sydney and Melbourne. The proposal was ultimately rejected in favour of Canberra. The site proposed for the capital city was a little to the west of the town of Bombala, on the right bank of the Bombala River. The town of Bombala would have been a part of a new federal territory.{{Cite web|title=FEDERAL CAPITAL: PROPOSED SITES, 1904. - SOUTHERN MONARO DISTRICT. SECOND REPORT (WITH PLANS), BY C. R. SCRIVENER, SURVEYOR.|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2772888215|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Trove|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Sketch map showing proposed Federal Territory and capital site at Bombala [cartographic material] : Parishes of Bombala, Gecar, Ashton, Maharatta, Mila, Hayden, Gulgin, Delegete, Pickering, Burnima and Burrimbucco, County of Wellesley, New South Wales 1900|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-233896936|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Trove|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=General plan of country surrounding suggested Federal Capital site in the locality of Bombala, N.S.W. No. 12 [cartographic material] : shewing approximately city site, proposed water supply, railways, &c|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-233891053|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Trove|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Southern Monaro or Bombala-Eden Territory|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-233893411|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Trove|language=en}}
The town lies on the banks of the Bombala River and principal industries of the area include grazing and timber. Tourism is also growing in importance to the local economy. There is also a small amount of specialty producers with meat rabbits, lavender and many herbs being grown in the district. Delegate is situated 36 km west of Bombala and The Snowy River March which commenced from Delegate in 1916 went via Bombala to Goulburn.
The timber industry has slowly begun to overtake many of the historic properties surrounding Bombala, such as the more-than-150-year-old property of Aston, {{convert|10|km|mi}} south-west of the township.
On 13 December 1962, Bombala post office received the last telegram to be transmitted using Morse code telegraphy in New South Wales.{{Cite web |last=Condie |first=Katrina |title=A new chapter to be written as historic Bombala post office hits the market |url=https://aboutregional.com.au/a-new-chapter-to-be-written-as-historic-bombala-post-office-hits-the-market/ |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=About Regional |language=en}}
The area is known for possibly the largest population of Platypus in New South Wales and is promoted as Platypus Country.
The Holy Transfiguration Monastery is a male monastic community of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Founded in 1982, the monastic community presided over by Abbott Hieromonk Sergius, abides in the pristine and rugged valley of the MacLaughlin River situated between Cooma and Bombala.{{Cite web |url=http://www.holytransfigurationmonastery.org.au/display/HTM/Home |title=Home - Holy Transfiguration Monastery |access-date=2 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428205450/http://www.holytransfigurationmonastery.org.au/display/HTM/Home |archive-date=28 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}
The Facebook page "Bombala History in Photos" contains a wealth of information about the town's history.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/Bombala-History-in-Photos-1465567133467894/|title=Facebook: Bombala History in Photos|website=Facebook}}
On January 15, 2022, a tornado touched down in the vicinity of the town.{{cite tweet|number=1482428969467412480|user=SevereWeatherAU|title=MUST WATCH! See the time-lapse video of the Bombala NSW tornado that was captured yesterday afternoon. Via our Part…|date=15 January 2022}}
Bombala has seen recent economic growth with the development of renewable energy projects in the region, contributing to local employment and sustainability initiatives. The annual 'Bombala Show,' celebrating local agriculture, crafts, and community spirit, remains a key event in fostering regional pride and tourism. Recent census data highlights a diverse community, with increasing efforts towards cultural inclusivity and support for local Indigenous heritage projects.
Heritage listings
Bombala has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Geography and climate
File:Bombala - backward parking cars.jpg
Situated at 705 metres above sea level on the southeastern edge of the Monaro Tablelands, Bombala is known for its cold winters with frequent frost and regular dustings of snow. Snowfalls have even occurred in late spring and frosts can occur at the height of summer. A few kilometres to the east, the land slopes downwards to the South Coast, a flat coastal plain where summers are warmer and winter temperatures much milder. Examples are towns such as Bega and Merimbula, both about 80 kilometres east of Bombala. According to Köppen climate classification scheme, Bombala has an oceanic climate (Cfb).
Most rain in the area tends to fall as cold fronts, which at times allow for the development of severe thunderstorms in the spring and summer. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 41.5 °C (105.6 °F) to −10.0 °C (14.0 °F).
{{Weather box
|location = Bombala (Therry Street, 1912–2022, rainfall to 1885); 705 m AMSL; 36.91° S, 149.24° E
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 41.5
|Feb record high C = 40.7
|Mar record high C = 36.4
|Apr record high C = 31.1
|May record high C = 26.7
|Jun record high C = 22.1
|Jul record high C = 21.3
|Aug record high C = 24.5
|Sep record high C = 30.1
|Oct record high C = 32.0
|Nov record high C = 37.5
|Dec record high C = 38.5
|year record high C =
|Jan high C = 25.6
|Feb high C = 25.0
|Mar high C = 22.6
|Apr high C = 18.6
|May high C = 14.8
|Jun high C = 11.6
|Jul high C = 11.1
|Aug high C = 12.8
|Sep high C = 15.9
|Oct high C = 18.9
|Nov high C = 21.3
|Dec high C = 23.9
|year high C =
|Jan low C = 10.5
|Feb low C = 10.6
|Mar low C = 8.6
|Apr low C = 5.3
|May low C = 2.0
|Jun low C = -0.1
|Jul low C = -1.1
|Aug low C = -0.1
|Sep low C = 2.3
|Oct low C = 4.7
|Nov low C = 7.0
|Dec low C = 9.0
|year low C =
|Jan record low C = 0.4
|Feb record low C = 1.3
|Mar record low C = -0.2
|Apr record low C = -5.0
|May record low C = -7.1
|Jun record low C = -10.0
|Jul record low C = -9.6
|Aug record low C = -8.0
|Sep record low C = -6.4
|Oct record low C = -4.7
|Nov record low C = -2.0
|Dec record low C = -0.5
|year record low C = -10.0
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm = 64.2
|Feb precipitation mm = 58.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 61.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 45.2
|May precipitation mm = 43.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 59.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 46.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 40.2
|Sep precipitation mm = 44.5
|Oct precipitation mm = 56.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 65.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 64.1
|year precipitation mm = 650.9
|Jan rain days = 8.2
|Feb rain days = 7.7
|Mar rain days = 8.4
|Apr rain days = 8.1
|May rain days = 9.2
|Jun rain days = 10.4
|Jul rain days = 9.4
|Aug rain days = 10.1
|Sep rain days = 10.3
|Oct rain days = 10.4
|Nov rain days = 9.9
|Dec rain days = 9.1
|unit rain days = 0.2mm
|Jan afthumidity = 51
|Feb afthumidity = 55
|Mar afthumidity = 54
|Apr afthumidity = 58
|May afthumidity = 63
|Jun afthumidity = 64
|Jul afthumidity = 59
|Aug afthumidity = 56
|Sep afthumidity = 54
|Oct afthumidity = 53
|Nov afthumidity = 52
|Dec afthumidity = 54
|year afthumidity = 56
|humidity colour = green
|source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology{{BoM Aust stats|site_ref=cw_070005_All|site_name=BOMBALA (THERRY STREET)|access-date=23 April 2013|date=April 2013}}
|date=April 2013}}
Sport
The most popular sport in Bombala is rugby league. The Bombala Blue Heelers play in the Group 16 Rugby League competition. Officially, the team merged with rivals the Delegate Tigers in the 1980s, with the club officially known as Bombala-Delegate.
Transport
File:Bombala Railway Station from bridge.jpg
The railway reached Bombala in 1921 and closed in 1986.{{cite web
| title =NSWrail.net
| publisher =Rolfe Bozier, NSWrail.net
| url =http://www.nswrail.net/lines/show.php?name=NSW:bombala
| access-date =7 October 2009}} being an extension of the line from Queanbeyan to Cooma. The line was and still is known as the Goulburn to Bombala line. During the 1970s, service was provided by a small rail bus, taking 4 hours to cover the {{convert|100|km|mi}} between Cooma and Bombala (compare road distance {{convert|88|km|mi}}).
The Monaro Highway (now route B23) which runs from Canberra to Cann River (Victoria) passes through Bombala.
Other major roads include Mt Darragh Rd which connects to Pambula and Merimbula on the NSW South Coast.
The nearest airport with regular air services is at Merimbula, {{convert|85|km|mi}} to the east.
Population
{{Historical populations
|type= Australia
|1921|978
|1933|931
|1947|1111
|1954|1258
|1961|1389
|1966|1495
|1971|1489
|1976|1474
|1981|1504
|1986|1458
|1991|1404
|1996|1380
|2001|1222
|2006|1206
|2011|1211
|2016|1197
|2021|1136
|source=Australian Bureau of Statistics data.{{cite web |title=Statistics by Catalogue Number |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/ViewContent?readform&view=ProductsbyCatalogue&Action=Expand&Num=2.2 |access-date=24 January 2024}}{{cite web |title=Search Census data |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/search-by-area |access-date=24 January 2024}}
}}
In the 2021 Census, there were 1,892 people in the broader Bombala region, and 1,136 in the Bombala urban centre. 83.2% of people were born in Australia and 89.2% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were Anglican 26.8%, Catholic 21.7% and No Religion 29.2%
Notable residents
- Minard Crommelin MBE (1881–1972), postmistress and environmental conservationist, born at Aston Station, near Bombala.
- Michael Farrell (born 1965), contemporary poet and magazine editor, born in Bombala.
- Sir Alexander George William "Bill" Keys AC, OBE, MC (1923–2000), long-serving president of the Returned and Services League (RSL), grew up in Bombala.
- Dick Tooth (born 1929), former Australian rugby union representative, born in Bombala.
- [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/whyte-william-farmer-9090 William Farmer Whyte] (1877–1958), journalist and author{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=whyte-william-farmer-9090|title = Whyte, William Farmer (1877-1958)|last = Souter|first = Gavin}}
- [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kerry-charles-henry-6940 Charles Henry Kerry] (1857–1928), photographer{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=kerry-charles-henry-6940|title = Kerry, Charles Henry (1857-1928)|last = Burke|first = Keast}}
- [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/de-beuzeville-wilfred-alexander-5936 Wilfred Alexander de Beuzeville] (1884–1954), forester{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=de-beuzeville-wilfred-alexander-5936|title = de Beuzeville, Wilfred Alexander (1884-1954)|last = Carron|first = L. T.}}
- Ky Rodwell, rugby league footballer
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Wikivoyage-inline|Bombala}}
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Bombala&line=NSW:bombala:0 Bombala Railway Station]
{{Snowy Monaro Regional Council}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Towns in New South Wales