Lands Office at Forbes built 1898; an all timber building in the Federation styleForbes Public Schoolde Havilland Vampire monument next to Lake ForbesMcFeeter's Car Museum
Located on the banks of the Lachlan River, Forbes is 245 metres (804 ft) above sea-level and about 380 kilometres (240 mi) west of Sydney. The district is a cropping area where wheat and similar crops are grown. Nearby towns and villages include Calarie, Parkes, Bedgerebong, Bundabarrah, Corradgery, Daroobalgie, Eugowra, Ooma North and Paytens Bridge. Forbes is subject to a pattern of flooding, generally occurring to a significant level once every seven years, including 2016[3] and 2022.
History
The area was home to the Wiradjuri people before non-indigenous settlement. John Oxley passed through in 1817 during one of the first inland expeditions. Oxley named the site Camp Hill. He was unimpressed with the clay soil, poor timber and swamps and he concluded, it is impossible to imagine a worse country.[4] The first settlers moved into the district in 1834.[5]
Gold was discovered by Harry Stephan, also known as "German Harry", in June 1861.[5] Initially about 30,000 people moved to the goldfields, but by 1863 this had declined to about 3,500 because of the difficult mining conditions. The Post Office was opened on 1 December 1861 and given the name Black Ridge in response to the demand for postal services by those involved with the gold rush along the Lachlan River. That name was changed before opening. The Forbes Telegraph Office opened on 27 October 1862 after a telegraph line had been constructed from Orange. The two offices merged on 1 January 1870. On opening day of the Telegraph Office in 1862, the results of three days of races at the Lachlan Gold Fields were telegraphed to Bathurst. [6]
The goldfields were originally named "Black Ridge", and the name "Forbes" celebrating Sir Francis Forbes was declared from Sydney as the result of a possible government administrative error. It is said that the name was meant for the town now known as "Hill End" between Orange and Mudgee, where gold was discovered around a similar time. Gold was initially found in the area known as Halpin's Flat. The Albion Hotel, once a Cobb and Co. stage coach stop, had tunnels situated underneath which were used during the gold rush to convey gold and money to and from the banks to minimise the chance of theft.[5] The Albion Hotel burnt down on 10 February 2009, losing years worth of history and memorabilia.[7]
One of Australia's most renowned bushrangers, Ben Hall, was shot dead in an early morning police ambush about 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the north-west of Forbes on 5 May 1865. Hall and his gang were famous for stealing 77 kilograms (170 lb) of gold and £3,700 from the nearby town of Eugowra in 1862. He is buried in Forbes Cemetery.[8]
Kate Kelly, the sister of bushranger Ned Kelly, lived in the town. She drowned in Lake Forbes while saving an Aboriginal child during a flood in 1898 and was found in a lagoon of the Lachlan River, just outside Forbes.[4][9] She is buried in Forbes Cemetery.[8]
Heritage listings
Forbes has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Forbes Shire has four public primary schools: Forbes Primary School, Forbes North Primary School, Corinella Public School and Bedgerebong Public School. There is one Catholic primary school, St Laurence's Primary School.[15]
Forbes High School, a public school, is located to the north of town.
Red Bend Catholic College at Forbes is a co-educational secondary school, with the school located at the site of the former Marist Brothers' College, on the banks of the Lachlan River.
The Forbes Camel Races have been held annually since 2001 on Good Friday at the Forbes Racecourse.
Climate
Forbes lies in the transitional zones of the semi-arid climate (BSh) and humid subtropical climates (Cfa), with relatively large temperature variation between seasons, and moderate rainfall spread evenly throughout the year. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 47.8 °C (118.0 °F) on 11 Jan 1882, to −5.6 °C (21.9 °F) on both 11 Jul 1958 and 15 Jun 1959; the warmest minimum was 32.2 °C (90.0 °F) on 24 Jan 1896; and the coolest maximum, 3.3 °C (37.9 °F) on 27 Jun 1904.
Notwithstanding its northerly latitude and low elevation of just 240 metres (790 ft), snow has been known to fall on a few occasions[17]—one of which saw a daily snowfall total of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) on 05 Jul 1900.[18] It features 133.2 clear days annually.
Climate data for Forbes (Camp Street, 1873–1998); 240 m AMSL; 33.39° S, 148.01° E
Since 1887 Forbes has experienced a major flood on average every seven years,[20] with major flooding occurring in June 1952 with a peak of 10.8 metres (35 ft); September 2016 with a peak of 10.67 metres (35.0 ft);[21] August 1990 with a peak of 10.65 metres (34.9 ft); October 1955 with a peak height of 10.62 metres (34.8 ft); March 2012 with a peak height of 10.55 metres (34.6 ft); and in August 1998 with a peak height of 10.35 metres (34.0 ft).[3]
Forbes' most recent major flood was in late September 2016 after heavy rain fell on much of inland NSW; as the Bureau of Meteorology declared 2016 as the third-wettest winter on record.[22] Unseasonal heavy rainfall in most of the state, centred on the catchment area of the upper Lachlan during autumn and winter 2016, resulted in Wyangala Dam water storage levels increasing from 38 per cent to 90 per cent.[23] By early August, the Bureau of Meteorology had issued flood warnings for the Orara, Macquarie, Bogan and Lachlan rivers.[24] In late August, Water NSW began releasing up to 10,000 megalitres (350×10^6 cu ft) per day from Wyangala Dam ahead of expected daily rainfall in the range of 20 to 40 millimetres (0.79 to 1.57 in) in the dam's catchment area.[25] Moderate to major flooding first hit Forbes and Condobolin in early September,[26] and by mid-September predictions were for widespread flooding across most of inland New South Wales.[27] By late September, flooding had peaked in Forbes at 10.67 metres (35.0 ft), with 1,000 people evacuated, as the Newell Highway was cut north and south of Forbes' central business district. Forbes was declared a natural disaster zone after flash flooding occurred, resulting in some residents being without homes.[21][28] Back up support was provided by the State Emergency Service and the Australian Defence Force.[29][30][31] As the Lachlan flowed into the Murrumbidgee River, major flooding occurred downriver during late October and early November at Hay, Darlington Point, Carrathool and Hillston.[32]
^Langley, Eve (1904–1974). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015.
^Pearce, Suzannah, ed. (17 November 2006). "SIMPSON Carolyn Chalmers, Hon. Justice". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
