Fast facts
- A historic gold rush town also known for its huge open-cut mine
- Set in gently undulating hills covered by wheat
- 420 km south-west of Sydney, population 4,600
Why go there
The charming, close-knit community of Temora calls itself The Friendliest Town in New South Wales.
Temora is home to the Rural Museum where you can find the original family home of cricket legend, Sir Donald Bradman (moved from nearby Yeo Yeo siding), a replica of the 7.3 kg Mother Shipton gold nugget and vintage agricultural machinery and steam engines.
History
The first white settlers arrived in Temora about 1850 and when gold fever hit after 1879, the population swelled to about 20,000 people. Once the gold boom subsided, many miners moved out, while German settlers and a new wheat industry moved in. Nearby Ariah Park was the site, in 1916, where grain was loaded in bulk at a railway siding for the first time in rural Australia.
Things to do
- Take the Two Foot Tour around some 20 historical sites.
- Stroll through Paleface Park and find the Statue of Paleface Adios, the famous horse, which won 108 trotting races.
- Visit the historical village of Ariah Park – the town of "bowsers, wowsers and peppercorn trees".
- Fossick for Temora greenstone.
- Spot the wildlife at nearby Ingalba Nature Reserve.
Events
Don’t miss
- Spending time among the great exhibits at the Rural Museum, including the Jimmy Sharman Boxing Troupe, the Rock and Mineral Museum and the Telecom Exchange Building. Vintage agricultural machines are put through their paces once a month for visitors.
- A visit to the Aviation Museum, to see old military aircraft. Try to coincide with the weekend once a month when some of the planes are taken out for flights.
- Taking the plunge with Skydive Temora at the aerodrome.
