Burraga

Burraga
New South Wales
Burraga
Coordinates 33°57′0″S 149°32′45″E / 33.95000°S 149.54583°E / -33.95000; 149.54583Coordinates: 33°57′0″S 149°32′45″E / 33.95000°S 149.54583°E / -33.95000; 149.54583
Postcode(s) 2795
LGA(s) Oberon
State electorate(s) Bathurst
Federal Division(s) Calare

Burraga is located in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, 47 kilometres south west from Oberon and about 67 kilometres (42 mi) south from Bathurst. It is within Oberon Shire.[1] At the 2011 census, Burraga had a population of 251.[2]

The Burraga village developed as the Thompsons Creek copper mine developed. Copper was discovered around 1877 and was reported on by the Inspector of Mines in 1878.[3] Mining developed but was hampered by poor management and under capitalisation until the mine was purchased by Lewis Lloyd "the copper king" in 1879[4] being then known as Lloyds Copper Mine.

As the mine expanded, workers settled on the nearby land resulting in the reservation of a site for a village in October 1883. A village was surveyed in December 1884 and a formal plan was reserved on the 29th October 1887.[5]

As there were no other industries to provide employment the fortunes of the village rose and fell in line with those of the associated Burraga copper mine. In 1883 it was stated that the mine employed about 200 men and that the population of Burruaga was about 500 persons including 60 children. The town had "the usual businesses" and a Post-Office and a Public School.[6]

Mining continued from 1880. A fire in 1913 destroyed one of the locomotives.[7] Mining was closed down in 1919[8] and a lot of material, including the other locomotive, was sold off in 1920.[4][9] Mining continued on and off up until 1961. Studies around 2012 were being conducted looking for worthwhile lodes of copper and gold at the nearby Lucky Draw Gold Mine.[10][11]

References

  1. "Burraga". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Burraga". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
  3. "GEOLOGICAL SURVEYOR'S REPORT.". The Sydney Morning Herald. LXXVII, (12,466). New South Wales, Australia. 2 May 1878. p. 5. Retrieved 24 July 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  4. 1 2 Iain, Stuart. "History of Lloyds Copper Mine and the Township of Burraga". Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  5. Plan of the Village of Burruaga (first edition)
  6. Osborne, I., 1975. Annual Report Compilation; Berraga Division Bathurst Sheet 1881-1972, 1883
  7. "BIG FIRE.". The Bathurst Times. New South Wales, Australia. 24 November 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 2 August 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "CLOSE DOWN AT BURRAGA.". Lithgow Mercury. New South Wales, Australia. 29 January 1919. p. 3. Retrieved 2 August 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald (25,655). New South Wales, Australia. 27 March 1920. p. 3. Retrieved 2 August 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Burraga Project". Elysium Resources. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  11. Sandra Parker (4 April 2012). "Huge plans for mining at Burraga". Retrieved 26 July 2016.
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