The first journey by European explorers to this part of the country was in 1798. In the 1820's Governor Brisbane gave "Tickets of Occupation" for people wishing to purchase land. One such ticket was given to Richard Farrington for 700 acres at "a spot known as Tourong." An old homestead called "Wandi" was formerly "Plumbs Inn" and was built around 1832. In 1836, the botanist James Backhouse's diary stated: "We passed a few small huts, forming the village of Towrang." Towrang's first school was opened in 1859, its first postmaster was appointed in 1869 at the same time as the rail line went through, and Towrang began to thrive. Trade in goods such as wool, gravel, slate, wood and fruit was now possible.

Perhaps the greatest historical legacy in the area is The Towrang Stockade, a penal camp set up in the newly founded colony of NSW. From 1833-1843, approximately 250 convicts were chained together in cruel and atrocious conditions and daily engaged in the construction of the main Southern road from Marulan to Goulburn. The remnants of this dismal encampment include the Powder Magazine, graves, and building foundations. The lasting testament to the hard labour of these convicts can be found on the other side of the busy Hume hwy. Deep in the "Derrick VC Rest Area" over Towrang Creek is the old Towrang bridge designed by Scotsman David Lennox and a series of astounding culverts accessed by a short walk along the old road. Definitely worth a visit!

The Wollondilly River meanders through the Towrang Valley. It is one of the main water catchments for Sydney. The river swells and recedes regularly with the rain. Towrang residents are understandably very interested in keeping tabs on river levels as the bridge connecting them to the highway often goes under. Our best guess is that when Murrays Flats river level gauge reaches 3.25m Towrang Bridge goes under. You can check Murrays Flats level by copying and pasting this link into your browser www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDN60233/IDN60233.570027.plt.shtml#notes Please keep in mind that this prediction is our 'best guess' and is not guaranteed due to inconsistencies in the weather.

Native flora provides a safe haven and food for a variety of bird-life such as this "superb wren". Honey-eaters, parrots and black cockatoos make their homes in the Towrang area. 

The Towrang community is a vibrant mixture of established residents and tree-change new-comers who all agree that it's the best place to live. The "Towrang Tavern" nights are legendary.

Towrang Valley Progress Group (TVPG) - Wednesday, October 16 - 6.30pm. 

No meeting in September.

The Progress Group conceives and implements visions for the Towrang valley. Come along and share your vision. Everyone welcome.

Towrang Tavern - Last Friday of every month - August 30, September 27 & October 25 - from 6.30pm

Whether you are new to the valley or are an established resident, come along and enjoy one another's company. It's a great night. BYO everything. Barbeque available. We only ask $2 per person to cover electricity costs.

Success for our local Artists

Congratulations to Joan Evans for her success at the recent Canberra Show. She received 1st for 'Reflections', a large saw with 26 horses painted on it; 2nd for 'Oceans & Rivers', a painting of the Wollondilly River at Towrang; 3rd for the same section, a painting of Mills Crossing at Towrang; 3rd for 'Depicting Wonderful Water' (a special class), the painting of Mills Crossing; and her work 'Animals, Birds, Insects', a painting of magpies was Highly Commended. Some of her items were sold during the show.

Cherry Hood entered two boer goat doelings in the Goulburn Show and came away with a 1st and 4th placing in their respective classes. She also sold them both at the show, and their sire.

Annual Yuletide Mail Trail Competition

Images of the winning entries can be seen below in the Towrang Events Gallery.

New Towrang Community Space.

The landscaping of the community outdoor space behind the Towrang Hall is complete. The area includes an extension to the undercover barbeque area, a fire-pit, paving and some planting. Already participants at Hall events (including a wedding reception) have enjoyed the newly invigorated area and expressed their delight and gratitude.

LED Sign

The Towrang LED sign is now installed near the hall and will display important information to residents of the village and the surrounding valley pertaining to fire risk, river levels, social events and more. Many thanks to those involved in making this important piece of infrastructure a reality, especially Dennis & Gail Isbister for doing the leg-work to secure funding for the sign, and to Trudi Klem at GMC for coordinating the installation.

Hall Hire

Big Hill is a bounded rural locality to the north of Marulan township in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia.

The area is characterised with agricultural activities, predominantly grazing, as well as National Parks. Grazing was first introduced by Hannibal Hawkins Macarthur nephew of John Macarthur, who established a 1000 acre farm, Arthursleigh, at Big Hill in 1819.

By the start of the 20th century, Big Hill boasted a Methodist chapel, school and a post office. Today, only the church remains, and Arthursleigh operates as an agriculture research and teaching centre of the University of Sydney.

Big Hill Post Office opened on 1 November 1869 and closed in 1945.

The main geographical features of Big Hill include Mount Modickmurribar from which the area is named, the Wollondilly River to the east and the Tarlo River National Park to the west.

Big Hill is roughly equivalent to the cadastral parishes of Cookbundoon and Eden Forest in the county of Argyle.

Wikipedia 2 June 2014

Greenwich Park is a rural community 32 km from Goulburn and surrounded by villages, such as Towrang, Brayton and Big Hill. Like many other areas in New South Wales, where a village grew around a large property and took the name of that property, Greenwich Park community was named for Greenwich Park, a land grant to John Jamieson in 1822. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the name Greenwich Meadows was used by the farmers living in the area along Long Swamp Road. That name was discontinued after the Greenwich Park Post Office moved to Greenwich Meadows at the Chalker’s home in 1910.

Greenwich Park estate was the hub of the community. It provided employment, sport, entertainment and even church services for a period. But most of all that affluent property provided stability and was, perhaps, more than anything else, the reason why the neighbourhood grew and prospered for over 180 years.

The history of the Greenwich Park property from the Jamieson family to the present owners is a fascinating one. However, it was the pioneers, the small landowners, the farmers and their families who gave the district a unique character.

Greenwich Park is no longer the thriving and busy village that it was one hundred years ago. There is no school now, the children go to Marulan or Goulburn by bus. The Post Office has closed and the mail is delivered by car instead of a horse and sulky. The little church was burnt down in the bushfires. Modern transport, telephone, television, computers and the internet have changed the lifestyle but the people who live there are still proud to belong to a rural part of Australia that is like no other.

An extract of the Introduction of the book “Greenwich Park” by Lorna Parr, published February 2005 by Goulpress Printers, Goulburn NSW