Town Hall, Glen Innes, NSW.

Standing Stones, Glen Innes, NSW.

Glen Innes Court House, which was built in 1873.

Crofters cottage, Glen Innes, NSW

Climate

Glen Innes is 1,062 metres AHD with an average annual rainfall of 857 mm. The area has a similar climate to Blackheath, New South Wales in the Blue Mountains, with mild to warm summer and with cold and windy winters with regular frosts and snowfalls, though many snowfalls don't settle.

History

In about 1838 Archibald Boyd registered the first run in the Glen Innes district. Two stockmen known as ?the Beardies? because of their long beards took Boyd to this area to establish his run. ?The Beardies? later introduced other squatters to the best runs in the area to become known as the Land of the Beardies or Beardie Plains. ^[2]

Furracabad Station was suggested by John James Galloway as an alternative to Wellingrove for a new town. However Furracabad Station was sold in the 1804s depression and passed to Major Archibald Clunes Innes, then to the Bank of Australasia, then to John Major, who sold it to Archibald Mosman. The name Glen Innes is believed to be bestowed by Mosman in honour of AC Innes. Glen Innes was gazetted as a town in 1852 and the first lots were sold in 1854.^[2] The post office was established in 1854 and the court in 1858 when they replaced the Wellingrove offices. In 1866 the population was about 350, with a telegraph station, lands office, police barracks, courthouse, post office and two hotels.^[3] There was still no coach service at this time, but in the 1870s a road was constructed to Grafton.

Tin was first discovered at Emmaville in 1872 and Glen Innes became the centre of a mining bonanza during the late 1800s. In 1875 the population had swelled to about 1,500 and the town had a two teacher school, three churches, five hotels, two weekly newspapers, five hotels, seven stores and a variety of societies and associations.^[3] On 19 August, 1884 the new Main North railway from Sydney opened.^[4] The arrival of the rail service and the expansion of mining contributed a new prosperity in the town, which is reflected in some of the beautiful buildings there.

The centre of the town retains some of its federation buildings and the owners have painted these buildings in the traditional colours. Many of these buildings have been placed on the Register of the National Estate.

Other nearby villages are: Deepwater, Torrington, Ben Lomond, Wellingrove, Glencoe and Red Range.

Industries

The Glen Innes district has been a producer of wool, sheep and beef cattle since it was first settled. The town holds regular livestock sales in the local saleyards. There is a concrete pipe works, a timber mill, an engineering firm, a veterinary hospital and brickworks along with other services needed for day to day living.

Culture and tourism

Among the many attractions of this area are the extensive Land of the Beardies History Museum with its splendid collection of biographical and historical records, the town parks, fishing, fossicking areas, Gibraltar Range National Park, several waterfalls, the Australian Standing Stones, which are large monoliths and the World Heritage listed Washpool National Park.

There are at least three churches, including the Cameron Memorial Uniting Church and St Andrews Presbyterian Church which hail from the town's Scottish roots.

Annual events include: Minerama, a gem and fossicking festival; the Australian Celtic Festival, Land of the Beardies Festival, Pastoral and Agricultural Show and also horse racing, the prestigious Glen Innes Cup.

Notable residents

Glen Innes was the birthplace of writer D'Arcy Niland and High Court judge Edward McTiernan. Notable Former Residents: Bishop Thomas McCabe, the 1st bishop of Wollongong. grave site located in St Francis Xavier Cathedral grounds, Wollongong. Other important families in this region have been the Bloxsome, Rodgers and Newsome families.

Glen Innes and Scotland

Archibald Clunes Innes, from Thrumster, Caithness was a captain in the Third Regiment (Buffs), when he arrived in Australia in 1822 on the Eliza in charge of 170 convicts. He held a number of New England properties including Glen Innes Station and Dundee station.

Glen Innes has a number of street signs in Scottish Gaelic (though few residents speak much of the language). There is also a "Crofter"'s cottage.

The Australian Standing Stones are based on the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney (a non-Gaelic speaking area) or Calanais in Lewis.

Pitlochry is Glen Innes' twin town in Scotland.

Other towns nearby with Scottish names include Armidale, Ben Lomond and Glencoe.

Twin towns

Glen Innes has twin town status with Pitlochry in Scotland, and Mosman in Sydney, Australia.

Wind Farm

Glen Innes is known to many as Turbine Territory, referring to the new 27 turbine wind farm planned for the outskirts of the town. The turbines are 135 metres high and will be installed if approved late 2009.

References

See also

• Glen Innes Correctional Centre

External links

• Glen Innes events and information
• Emmaville Mining Museum
• Australian Standing Stones
• Land of the Beardies museum

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