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Bowral

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100-547: Bowral ( / ˈ b aʊ r əl / ) is the largest town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales , Australia, about ninety minutes southwest of Sydney . It is the main business and entertainment precinct of the Wingecarribee Shire and Highlands. Bowral once served as a rural summer retreat for the gentry of Sydney , resulting in the establishment of a number of estates and manor houses in

200-718: A southerly buster , a powerful southerly that brings gale winds and a rapid fall in temperature. Since Sydney is downwind of the Great Dividing Range , it occasionally experiences dry, westerly foehn winds typically in winter and early spring (which are the reason for its warm maximum temperatures). Westerly winds are intense when the Roaring Forties (or the Southern Annular Mode ) shift towards southeastern Australia, where they may damage homes and affect flights , in addition to making

300-519: A feature of Sydney's topography. After Phillip's departure in December 1792, the colony's military officers began acquiring land and importing consumer goods from visiting ships. Former convicts engaged in trade and opened small businesses. Soldiers and former convicts built houses on Crown land, with or without official permission, in what was now commonly called Sydney town. Governor William Bligh (1806–08) imposed restrictions on commerce and ordered

400-696: A few areas of wet sclerophyll forests in the wetter, elevated areas in the north and northeast . These forests are defined by straight, tall tree canopies with a moist understory of soft-leaved shrubs, tree ferns and herbs. The predominant vegetation community in Sydney is the Cumberland Plain Woodland in Western Sydney ( Cumberland Plain ), followed by the Sydney Turpentine-Ironbark Forest in

500-511: A fresh water supply and a safe harbour, which Philip described as "the finest Harbour in the World ... Here a Thousand Sail of the Line may ride in the most perfect Security". The settlement was planned to be a self-sufficient penal colony based on subsistence agriculture. Trade and shipbuilding were banned in order to keep the convicts isolated. However, the soil around the settlement proved poor and

600-649: A nine-hole golf course, two tennis courts, croquet, lawn bowls, billiards, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and an onsite mechanic who looked after guest's cars during their stay. The hotel won the "Most luxurious hotel in the Commonwealth" award in 1925, and was the first hotel in Australia to have phone lines to every room. The Highlands in the last decade has become a small yet significantly growing wine and cellar door region in New South Wales. It

700-787: A number of heritage-listed sites, including: Bowral, and the former spelling Bowrall, may have been derived from an Dharawal word bowrel meaning "high". The 2021 census recorded Bowral's population as 10,764. At the 2016 census , Bowral area, including Burradoo , had a population of 12,949. A more local area had a population of 10,335. In 2021, 73.5% of people in Bowral were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 7.1% and New Zealand 1.8%. 88.0% of people spoke only English at home. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 1.0% of Bowral's population. The most common responses for religion in Bowral were No Religion 33.0%, Anglican 22.0%, and Catholic 21.2%. In

800-607: A pattern of resistance that was to be repeated as the colonial frontier expanded . A military garrison was established on the Hawkesbury in 1795. The death toll from 1794 to 1800 was 26 settlers and up to 200 Darug. Conflict again erupted from 1814 to 1816 with the expansion of the colony into Dharawal country in the Nepean region south-west of Sydney. Following the deaths of several settlers, Governor Macquarie dispatched three military detachments into Dharawal lands, culminating in

900-486: A planner to design the street layout of Sydney and commissioned the construction of roads, wharves, churches, and public buildings. Parramatta Road , linking Sydney and Parramatta, was opened in 1811, and a road across the Blue Mountains was completed in 1815, opening the way for large-scale farming and grazing west of the Great Dividing Range . Following the departure of Macquarie, official policy encouraged

1000-474: A popular cycling event: "The Bowral Classic", which draws hundreds of participants to compete. There are multiple races ranging from 35 km to 160 km. The Bong Bong Picnic Races, commenced in 1886, attracted crowds of up to 35,000 but were suspended in 1985 and resumed in 1992 as a members-only event. The event attracts around 5,000 people and is held annually in November, as well as other events during

1100-538: A reputation of being an upscale area due to its upscale-style accommodation which include reputable resorts such as Craigieburn, Briars, Berida Manor House and Peppers Manor House . Each of these places are historical and have a historic significance to the local area. Home of the Big Potato and Fountaindale Grand Manor "AKA" Ranelagh House. Fountaindale Grand Manor, originally built in 1924 and opened as Hotel Robertson, has had an interesting history. The Hotel boasted

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1200-423: A rich ceremonial life, part of a belief system centring on ancestral, totemic and supernatural beings. People from different clans and language groups came together to participate in initiation and other ceremonies. These occasions fostered trade, marriages and clan alliances. The earliest British settlers recorded the word ' Eora ' as an Aboriginal term meaning either 'people' or 'from this place'. The clans of

1300-644: A service six days a week from Bowral to Greater Sydney (Campbelltown, Liverpool and Parramatta) and to the Shoalhaven and south coast of New South Wales. Bowral has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ), enjoying warm to mild, rainy summers and quite cool to cold winters with modest sunshine. Frost is common during winter and can even occur in summer. Snowfalls are rare, although falls in excess of 15 cm have been recorded. Historically maximum and minimum have ranged from 40.0 °C (104.0 °F) on 30 January 2003 to −11.2 °C (11.8 °F) on 11 July 1971. Bowral

1400-561: A severe dust storm towards the city . The Greater Sydney Commission divides Sydney into three "cities" and five "districts" based on the 33 LGAs in the metropolitan area. The "metropolis of three cities" comprises Eastern Harbour City , Central River City and Western Parkland City . The Australian Bureau of Statistics also includes City of Central Coast (the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire) as part of Greater Sydney for population counts, adding 330,000 people. The CBD extends about 3 km (1.9 mi) south from Sydney Cove . It

1500-739: A year have temperatures at or above 30 °C (86 °F) in the central business district (CBD). In contrast, the metropolitan area averages between 35 and 65 days, depending on the suburb. The hottest day in the metropolitan area occurred in Penrith on 4 January 2020, where a high of 48.9 °C (120.0 °F) was recorded. The average annual temperature of the sea ranges from 18.5 °C (65.3 °F) in September to 23.7 °C (74.7 °F) in February. Sydney has an average of 7.2 hours of sunshine per day and 109.5 clear days annually. Due to

1600-604: Is a canopy walkway located south-east of Robertson in the area known as Knights Hill . The facility is a 500m long and 25m high walk facility that opened in mid-2008. The project is similar to the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk in Victoria, Australia . The project consists of a 1500m walk. Moreover, 500m of the 1500m walk is 25m high among the Blackwoods and many other trees of the temperate rainforest of

1700-528: Is also home to the Sir Donald Bradman or Bradman Museum. The Bradman Museum is a tribute museum to Australian cricketer Sir Donald Bradman who grew up in and spent his early life in Bowral until his fame. The museum contains artifacts of Bradman's life and also serves as a museum of cricket and contains historical cricket memorabilia. The museum is located adjacent to Bradman Oval where

1800-477: Is believed that temperate climate, high annual rainfall as well as quality basalt soil makes it a perfect place for viticulture . There are many reputable wineries and vineyards that are located in the Highlands such as Joadja Estate, Bendooley Estate, Centennial Winery, St Maur Wines, Southern Highland Wines, and Eling Forest Winery. Some of these wineries have won awards nationally as well as internationally for

1900-540: Is bordered by Farm Cove within the Royal Botanic Garden to the east and Darling Harbour to the west. Suburbs surrounding the CBD include Woolloomooloo and Potts Point to the east, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst to the south, Pyrmont and Ultimo to the west, and Millers Point and The Rocks to the north. Most of these suburbs measure less than 1 km (0.4 sq mi) in area. The Sydney CBD

2000-451: Is characterised by narrow streets and thoroughfares, created in its convict beginnings. Several localities, distinct from suburbs, exist throughout Sydney's inner reaches. Central and Circular Quay are transport hubs with ferry, rail, and bus interchanges. Chinatown , Darling Harbour, and Kings Cross are important locations for culture, tourism, and recreation. The Strand Arcade , located between Pitt Street Mall and George Street ,

2100-406: Is noted for its boutiques , antique stores, gourmet restaurants and cafés. The Bradman Oval , Bradman Museum and International Cricket Hall of Fame are dedicated to the achievements of cricketer Sir Donald Bradman and to the game of cricket . Cecil Hoskins Nature Reserve , in the suburb's south, is a large picnic area known for its birdwatching . Bowral is the setting for Tulip Time at

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2200-614: Is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia . Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 km (50 mi) from the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in

2300-458: The Appin massacre (April 1816) in which at least 14 Aboriginal people were killed. The New South Wales Legislative Council became a semi-elected body in 1842. Sydney was declared a city the same year, and a governing council established, elected on a restrictive property franchise. The discovery of gold in New South Wales and Victoria in 1851 initially caused economic disruption as men moved to

2400-786: The Australian Cricket Team play a friendly game annually. Fitzroy Falls is a waterfall found in the Morton National Park near the Highlands' village of the same name, Fitzroy Falls , and located near Kangaroo Valley . The Fitroy Falls reserve offers lookouts of the waterfall and of panoramic views of the Morton National Park. The waterfall and village is located near the lake Fitzroy Reservoir . The waterfall's and lake's reserve includes lookouts, bushwalking trails and picnic areas. The Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk , also known as Illawarra Fly

2500-461: The Australian raven , Australian magpie , crested pigeon , noisy miner and the pied currawong . Introduced bird species ubiquitously found in Sydney are the common myna , common starling , house sparrow and the spotted dove . Reptile species are also numerous and predominantly include skinks . Sydney has a few mammal and spider species, such as the grey-headed flying fox and

2600-629: The Budderoo National Park and Illawarra Escarpment . In addition, the project has a 45m high lookout along with the walk that offers panoramic views far south to Bass Point and as far as north to Bundeena which is part of south of the Sutherland Shire . Other views include Wollongong , Lake Illawarra , Tasman Sea , Shellharbour , Kiama and other localities of the South Coast , as well as various localities of

2700-465: The Cooks River into Botany Bay. There is no single definition of the boundaries of Sydney. The Australian Statistical Geography Standard definition of Greater Sydney covers 12,369 km (4,776 sq mi) and includes the local government areas of Central Coast in the north, Hawkesbury in the north-west, Blue Mountains in the west, Sutherland Shire in the south, and Wollondilly in

2800-609: The First Fleet of convicts , led by Arthur Phillip , founded Sydney as a British penal colony , the first European settlement in Australia. After World War II, Sydney experienced mass migration and by 2021 over 40 per cent of the population was born overseas. Foreign countries of birth with the greatest representation are mainland China, India, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and the Philippines. Despite being one of

2900-496: The Garden Island Tunnel System , the only tunnel warfare complex in Sydney, and the heritage-listed military fortification systems Bradleys Head Fortification Complex and Middle Head Fortifications , which were part of a total defence system for Sydney Harbour . A post-war immigration and baby boom saw a rapid increase in Sydney's population and the spread of low-density housing in suburbs throughout

3000-615: The Harbour City . Aboriginal Australians have inhabited the Greater Sydney region for at least 30,000 years, and their engravings and cultural sites are common. The traditional custodians of the land on which modern Sydney stands are the clans of the Darug , Dharawal and Eora peoples. During his first Pacific voyage in 1770, James Cook charted the eastern coast of Australia, making landfall at Botany Bay . In 1788,

3100-659: The Middle East and Africa becoming major sources. By 2021, the population of Sydney was over 5.2 million, with 40% of the population born overseas. China and India overtook England as the largest source countries for overseas-born residents. Sydney is a coastal basin with the Tasman Sea to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north, and the Woronora Plateau to

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3200-506: The New South Wales colony had appointed 2,400 acres (9.7 km) to John Oxley in a land grant, which was later incorporated as Bowral. The town grew rapidly between the 1860s and the 1890s, mainly due to the building of the railway line from Sydney to Melbourne . In 1863, a permanent stone building was built for the church. However, the building would be replaced by the first Anglican church of St Simon and St Jude. The church

3300-607: The Northern Villages used to be known as the Berrima District . Berrima contains many historic buildings including the historical Berrima Gaol and Courthouse which is no longer in use today as well as many other historical buildings. Bowral is considered the commercial centre of the Highlands and may be the most well-known towns of the Highlands. Bowral is well known for its boutiques , gourmet restaurants, Corbett Gardens and Springetts Arcade . The town

3400-482: The SBS and three commercial networks: ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine (WIN) and Southern Cross 10 all offer digital high-definition simulcasts of their main channels. All five networks broadcast additional channels including: 7two , 7mate , 7flix , 9Go! , 9Gem , 9Life , ABC TV Plus , ABC ME , ABC News , SBS Viceland , SBS World Movies , SBS Food , 10 Bold , 10 Peach and 10 Shake . Radio stations that broadcast to

3500-662: The Sydney funnel-web , respectively, and has a huge diversity of marine species inhabiting its harbour and beaches. Under the Köppen–Geiger classification , Sydney has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) with "warm, sometimes hot" summers and "generally mild", to "cool" winters. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation , the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern Annular Mode play an important role in determining Sydney's weather patterns: drought and bushfire on

3600-645: The University of New South Wales are ranked 18th and 19th in the world respectively. Sydney has hosted major international sporting events such as the 2000 Summer Olympics , the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final , and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Final . The city is among the top fifteen most-visited, with millions of tourists coming each year to see the city's landmarks. The city has over 1,000,000 ha (2,500,000 acres) of nature reserves and parks , and its notable natural features include Sydney Harbour and Royal National Park . The Sydney Harbour Bridge and

3700-624: The University of Sydney (1854–61), the Australian Museum (1858–66), the Town Hall (1868–88), and the General Post Office (1866–92). Elaborate coffee palaces and hotels were erected. Daylight bathing at Sydney's beaches was banned, but segregated bathing at designated ocean baths was popular. Drought, the winding down of public works and a financial crisis led to economic depression in Sydney throughout most of

3800-487: The Wingecarribee Shire and also towns of the Mulwaree Shire . The region is also considered a wine region . The region specifically is the area centred on the commercial towns of Mittagong , Bowral , Moss Vale , Bundanoon and Robertson as well as the historic town of Berrima . Smaller villages like Burradoo , Sutton Forest , Colo Vale , Avoca , Yerrinbool , Exeter , Welby and many more that make up

3900-705: The Wingecarribee Shire are spread in between and around these main centres and serve mostly as residential areas. The Highlands geographically sits between 500 m and 900 m above sea level on the Great Dividing Range . Like other regions along this plateau such as the Blue Mountains to the north and the Australian Alps to the south, the Southern Highlands is known for its cool temperate climate. The Southern Highlands Shale Forest and Woodland and Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands Basalt Forests vegetation communities lie primarily within

4000-593: The "Aborigines of Australia" declared 26 January "A Day of Mourning " for "the whiteman's seizure of our country." With the outbreak of Second World War in 1939, Sydney experienced a surge in industrial development. Unemployment virtually disappeared and women moved into jobs previously typically reserved for males. Sydney was attacked by Japanese submarines in May and June 1942 with 21 killed. Households built air raid shelters and performed drills. Military establishments in response to World War II in Australia included

4100-627: The 1890s. Meanwhile, the Sydney-based premier of New South Wales, George Reid , became a key figure in the process of federation. When the six colonies federated on 1 January 1901, Sydney became the capital of the State of New South Wales. The spread of bubonic plague in 1900 prompted the state government to modernise the wharves and demolish inner-city slums. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 saw more Sydney males volunteer for

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4200-833: The 2021 census, 36.3% of the town's population are under the age of 45, whereas for the nation the figure is 58.1%. Bowral is about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the Hume Highway , which goes north to Sydney and south to Canberra , the Snowy Mountains and Melbourne . In the past, Bowral served as an overnight stop-over for travellers. Bowral railway station is served by the Southern Highlands Line with services between Sydney and Moss Vale or Goulburn . Long distance services operate to Canberra and Griffith. It has public bus routes to Nowra , Albion Park and Wollongong . A private operator provides

4300-444: The 21st century, Bowral has become a haven for retirees and empty nesters , commonly from Sydney : 13.3% of Bowral's population is aged 55–64 years (compared with the national average of 11.8%) and 35.5% is aged over 64 years (compared with the national average of 15.8%). Consequently, the town has a number of retirement villages, some located only minutes' walk from the central business district and hospitals. Also, as measured during

4400-569: The CBD. In the warm season black nor'easters are usually the cause of heavy rain events, though other forms of low-pressure areas , including remnants of ex-cyclones , may also bring heavy deluge and afternoon thunderstorms. 'Snow' was last alleged in 1836, more than likely a fall of graupel , or soft hail; and in July 2008 the Upper North Shore saw a fall of graupel that was mistaken by many for 'snow'. In 2009, dry conditions brought

4500-569: The Corbett Gardens, a springtime celebration with a profusion of tulips and other flowers planted in the town centre. A comprehensive private not-for-profit botanic garden includes a mix of exotic, native, and endemic species including a shale woodland , the endangered ecological community endemic to the site. The town has a Vietnam War Memorial and Cherry Tree Walk, constructed along the Mittagong Rivulet that flows through

4600-481: The Cumberland Plain. Immigrants—mostly from Britain and continental Europe—and their children accounted for over three-quarters of Sydney's population growth between 1947 and 1971. The newly created Cumberland County Council oversaw low-density residential developments, the largest at Green Valley and Mount Druitt . Older residential centres such as Parramatta, Bankstown and Liverpool became suburbs of

4700-846: The Inner West and Northern Sydney , the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub in the coastline and the Blue Gum High Forest scantily present in the North Shore – all of which are critically endangered. The city also includes the Sydney Sandstone Ridgetop Woodland found in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park on the Hornsby Plateau to the north. Sydney is home to dozens of bird species, which commonly include

4800-565: The Southern Highlands, the Illawarra Escarpment and Budderoo National Park . Joadja is a historic abandoned ghost town about 32 km west of Mittagong . The town was established in the 1870s by the Australian Kerosene Oil and Mineral Company as Joadja valley's walls contained a vast reserve of shale . Notably, the town back in its time was one of the most populous towns in the Highlands. However, at

4900-593: The Sydney area occupied land with traditional boundaries. There is debate, however, about which group or nation these clans belonged to, and the extent of differences in language and rites. The major groups were the coastal Eora people, the Dharug (Darug) occupying the inland area from Parramatta to the Blue Mountains, and the Dharawal people south of Botany Bay. Darginung and Gundungurra languages were spoken on

5000-442: The Sydney region are grassy woodlands (i.e. savannas ) and some pockets of dry sclerophyll forests, which consist of eucalyptus trees, casuarinas , melaleucas , corymbias and angophoras , with shrubs (typically wattles , callistemons , grevilleas and banksias ), and a semi-continuous grass in the understory . The plants in this community tend to have rough, spiky leaves due to low soil fertility . Sydney also features

5100-627: The Union Jack 165 years earlier, commencing her Australian Royal Tour . It was the first time a reigning monarch stepped onto Australian soil. Increasing high-rise development in Sydney and the expansion of suburbs beyond the "green belt" envisaged by the planners of the 1950s resulted in community protests. In the early 1970s, trade unions and resident action groups imposed green bans on development projects in historic areas such as The Rocks. Federal, State and local governments introduced heritage and environmental legislation. The Sydney Opera House

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5200-571: The World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House are major tourist attractions. Central Station is the hub of Sydney's suburban train, metro and light rail networks and longer-distance services. The main passenger airport serving the city is Kingsford Smith Airport , one of the world's oldest continually operating airports. In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip , the first governor of New South Wales, named

5300-479: The area look more reminiscent of Europe and the British . This legacy still lives on throughout Bowral. Notably, the oaks at the start of Bong Bong St are a characteristic that makes Bowral distinct from other rural towns, giving it strong autumn colour. The town became somewhat affluent, as many wealthy Sydney-siders purchased property or land in the town and built grand Victorian weatherboard homes. Bowral has

5400-420: The armed forces than the Commonwealth authorities could process, and helped reduce unemployment. Those returning from the war in 1918 were promised "homes fit for heroes" in new suburbs such as Daceyville and Matraville. "Garden suburbs" and mixed industrial and residential developments also grew along the rail and tram corridors. The population reached one million in 1926, after Sydney had regained its position as

5500-568: The arrival of the British, there were 4,000 to 8,000 Aboriginal people in the greater Sydney region. The inhabitants subsisted on fishing, hunting, and gathering plants and shellfish. The diet of the coastal clans was more reliant on seafood whereas hinterland clans ate more forest animals and plants. The clans had distinctive equipment and weapons mostly made of stone, wood, plant materials, bone and shell. They also differed in their body decorations, hairstyles, songs and dances. Aboriginal clans had

5600-422: The coastal region. The rising sea level between 18,000 and 6,000 years ago flooded the rias to form estuaries and deep harbours. Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is one such ria . Sydney features two major soil types: sandy soils (which originate from the Hawkesbury sandstone) and clay (which are from shales and volcanic rocks ), though some soils may be a mixture of the two. Directly overlying

5700-466: The community. Walk Through Bethlehem is an interactive Christmas experience for all ages. Visitors are invited to step back in time, into a reenactment of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth . There they meet shepherds minding their flocks, potters , carpenters , stonemasons and copper-smiths at work, the wise men searching for the saviour, villagers selling their wares in the marketplace, before finally seeing Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in

5800-532: The cove where the first British settlement was established Sydney Cove after Home Secretary Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney . The cove was called Warrane by the Aboriginal inhabitants. Phillip considered naming the settlement Albion , but this name was never officially used. By 1790 Phillip and other officials were regularly calling the township Sydney. Sydney was declared a city in 1842. The Gadigal (Cadigal) clan, whose territory stretches along

5900-541: The day include; massive band parades playing various Scottish instruments such as bagpipes ; Scottish dancing such as Highland dancing and Scottish country dance ; and Highland games such as caber toss and stone put . In addition, Scottish cuisine is available during the festival such as Scotch pie and haggis . Tulip Time is a historical flower festival in Bowral where nearly 100,000 tulips that are planted in Bowral's Corbett Gardens bloom into flowers in late September and early October. The first festival

6000-546: The demolition of buildings erected on Crown land, including some owned by past and serving military officers. The resulting conflict culminated in the Rum Rebellion of 1808, in which Bligh was deposed by the New South Wales Corps . Governor Lachlan Macquarie (1810–1821) played a leading role in the development of Sydney and New South Wales, establishing a bank, a currency and a hospital. He employed

6100-415: The district. Bowral is often associated with the cricketer Sir Donald Bradman . Bowral is close to several other historic towns, being 5 kilometres (3 mi) from Mittagong , 9 kilometres (6 mi) from both Moss Vale and Berrima . The suburb of East Bowral and the village of Burradoo are nearby. Bowral's colonial history extends back for approximately 200 years. During the pre-colonial era,

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6200-463: The emigration of free British settlers to New South Wales. Immigration to the colony increased from 900 free settlers in 1826–30 to 29,000 in 1836–40, many of whom settled in Sydney. By the 1840s Sydney exhibited a geographic divide between poor and working-class residents living west of the Tank Stream in areas such as The Rocks , and the more affluent residents living to its east. Free settlers, free-born residents and former convicts now represented

6300-480: The first crops failed, leading to several years of hunger and strict rationing. The food crisis was relieved with the arrival of the Second Fleet in mid-1790 and the Third Fleet in 1791. Former convicts received small grants of land, and government and private farms spread to the more fertile lands around Parramatta , Windsor and Camden on the Cumberland Plain . By 1804, the colony was self-sufficient in food. A smallpox epidemic in April 1789 killed about half

6400-412: The fringes of the Sydney area. The first meeting between Aboriginals and British explorers occurred on 29 April 1770 when Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay (Kamay ) and encountered the Gweagal clan. Two Gweagal men opposed the landing party and one was shot and wounded. Cook and his crew stayed at Botany Bay for a week, collecting water, timber, fodder and botanical specimens and exploring

6500-700: The goldfields. Melbourne soon overtook Sydney as Australia's largest city, leading to an enduring rivalry between the two. However, increased immigration from overseas and wealth from gold exports increased demand for housing, consumer goods, services and urban amenities. The New South Wales government also stimulated growth by investing heavily in railways, trams, roads, ports, telegraph, schools and urban services. The population of Sydney and its suburbs grew from 95,600 in 1861 to 386,900 in 1891. The city developed many of its characteristic features. The growing population packed into rows of terrace houses in narrow streets. New public buildings of sandstone abounded, including at

6600-406: The historical buildings remaining in ruin such as some of the miners' cottages, a school house, church, cemetery and refinery devices such as shale ovens. These ovens are protected and is World Heritage listed. Today, the Joadja Distillery produces Single Malt Whisky in honour of the Scottish mining families who worked the rich coal and shale seams in the late 1800s. The Southern Highlands has

6700-505: The inland location, frost is recorded early in the morning in Western Sydney a few times in winter. Autumn and spring are the transitional seasons, with spring showing a larger temperature variation than autumn. Sydney experiences an urban heat island effect. This makes certain parts of the city more vulnerable to extreme heat, including coastal suburbs. In late spring and summer, temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F) are not uncommon, though hot, dry conditions are usually ended by

6800-460: The land was home to an Aboriginal tribe known as Tharawal (or Dharawal ). The first European arrival was ex-convict John Wilson, who was commissioned by Governor Hunter to explore south of the new colony of Sydney . Other people to traverse the area include John Warby and botanist George Caley (an associate of Joseph Banks ), the Hume brothers and later famous pioneer explorers John Oxley and Charles Throsby . Governor Lachlan Macquarie of

6900-505: The main body of insurgents were routed by about 100 troops and volunteers at Rouse Hill . At least 39 convicts were killed in the uprising and subsequent executions. As the colony spread to the more fertile lands around the Hawkesbury River , north-west of Sydney, conflict between the settlers and the Darug people intensified, reaching a peak from 1794 to 1810. Bands of Darug people, led by Pemulwuy and later by his son Tedbury , burned crops, killed livestock and raided settler stores in

7000-407: The metropolis. Manufacturing, protected by high tariffs, employed over a third of the workforce from 1945 to the 1960s. However, as the long post-war economic boom progressed, retail and other service industries became the main source of new jobs. An estimated one million onlookers, most of the city's population, watched Queen Elizabeth II land in 1954 at Farm Cove where Captain Phillip had raised

7100-408: The minority of the population being (15%) born overseas, primarily Europe. The population density of the Highlands is 16.5 persons/km . Berrima is a village located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of Bowral and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south west of Mittagong that once served as the main town of the Highlands. Notably, the region of Bowral, Mittagong and Berrima and various villages including

7200-525: The most expensive cities in the world, Sydney frequently ranks in the top ten most liveable cities . It is classified as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world. Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity, Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in education, finance, manufacturing and tourism . The University of Sydney and

7300-531: The most famous. The Nepean River wraps around the western edge of the city and becomes the Hawkesbury River before reaching Broken Bay . Most of Sydney's water storages can be found on tributaries of the Nepean River. The Parramatta River is mostly industrial and drains a large area of Sydney's western suburbs into Port Jackson. The southern parts of the city are drained by the Georges River and

7400-544: The most populous city in Australia. The government created jobs with massive public projects such as the electrification of the Sydney rail network and building the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sydney was more severely affected by the Great Depression of the 1930s than regional New South Wales or Melbourne. New building almost came to a standstill, and by 1933 the unemployment rate for male workers

7500-554: The navy. The First Fleet of 11 ships under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay in January 1788. It comprised more than a thousand settlers, including 736 convicts. The fleet soon moved to the more suitable Port Jackson where a settlement was established at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. The colony of New South Wales was formally proclaimed by Governor Phillip on 7 February 1788. Sydney Cove offered

7600-580: The north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west. Greater Sydney consists of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are colloquially known as "Sydneysiders". The estimated population in June 2023 was 5,450,496, which is about 66% of the state's population. The city's nicknames include the Emerald City and

7700-641: The older Hawkesbury sandstone is the Wianamatta shale , a geological feature found in western Sydney that was deposited in connection with a large river delta during the Middle Triassic . The Wianamatta shale generally comprises fine grained sedimentary rocks such as shales, mudstones , ironstones , siltstones and laminites , with less common sandstone units. The Wianamatta Group is made up of Bringelly Shale , Minchinbury Sandstone and Ashfield Shale . The most prevalent plant communities in

7800-569: The one hand, and storms and flooding on the other, associated with the opposite phases of the oscillation in Australia . The weather is moderated by proximity to the ocean, and more extreme temperatures are recorded in the inland western suburbs because Sydney CBD is more affected by the oceanic climate drivers than the western suburbs. At Sydney's primary weather station at Observatory Hill , extreme temperatures have ranged from 45.8 °C (114.4 °F) on 18 January 2013 to 2.1 °C (35.8 °F) on 22 June 1932. An average of 14.9 days

7900-459: The optimum quality of their wines. Varieties primarily cultivated in the region are; chardonnay , riesling , sauvignon blanc , pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon . Brigadoon is a cultural Scottish Festival that occurs one day in April at Bundanoon every year. The festival celebrates Highland Scottish culture where Bundanoon becomes the fictional Scottish town of Brigadoon . Festivities of

8000-914: The ranges near Bundanoon . The town is served by the Bowral and District Hospital , which also serves the Southern Highlands region. Founded in 1889, it is the only hospital operated outside the Sydney metropolitan area by the South Western Sydney Local Health District. Bowral also has access to a private hospital operated by Ramsay Health Care , which includes short and long stay facilities although it lacks an emergency department. Schools in Bowral: Churches in Bowral: Bowral receive five free-to-air television stations (television in Australia) including two government funded networks: The ABC ,

8100-604: The region's Indigenous population. In November 1790 Bennelong led a group of survivors of the Sydney clans into the settlement, establishing a continuous presence of Aboriginal Australians in settled Sydney. Phillip had been given no instructions for urban development, but in July 1788 submitted a plan for the new town at Sydney Cove . It included a wide central avenue, a permanent Government House, law courts, hospital and other public buildings, but no provision for warehouses, shops, or other commercial buildings. Phillip promptly ignored his own plan, and unplanned development became

8200-503: The region. The Southern Highlands as a region is part of the larger Capital Country Region with the Highlands forming the northern part of the region and the Southern Tablelands forming the southern part of the region. The Southern Highland's council , Wingecarribee Shire , is home to about 44,379 (2006) residents and is growing at a rate of 2.1% per annum. The majority of the residents (84.5%) are Australian-born with

8300-519: The south-west. The local government area of the City of Sydney covers about 26 square kilometres from Garden island in the east to Bicentennial Park in the west, and south to the suburbs of Alexandria and Rosebery . Sydney is made up of mostly Triassic rock with some recent igneous dykes and volcanic necks (typically found in the Prospect dolerite intrusion , west of Sydney). The Sydney Basin

8400-534: The south. Sydney spans two geographic regions. The Cumberland Plain lies to the south and west of the Harbour and is relatively flat. The Hornsby Plateau is located to the north and is dissected by steep valleys. The flat areas of the south were the first to be developed; it was not until the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge that the northern reaches became more heavily populated. Seventy surf beaches can be found along its coastline, with Bondi Beach being

8500-442: The southern shore of Port Jackson from South Head to Darling Harbour , are the traditional owners of the land on which the British settlement was initially established, and call their territory Gadi ( Cadi ). Aboriginal clan names within the Sydney region were often formed by adding the suffix "-gal" to a word denoting the name for their territory, a specific place in their territory, a food source, or totem. Greater Sydney covers

8600-680: The stable. Run by Mittagong Anglican Church (St. Stephen's), the event is held every second year in December, usually the week before Christmas. Held in the grounds of Mittagong Anglican Church on Main Street, the event has been run in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. Bundanoon hosts Community Garden's Grow Cook Eat Festival in March, Winterfest each June and Garden Ramble each October. Wingello hosts Sled Dog Trials in June. 34°28′S 150°25′E  /  34.467°S 150.417°E  / -34.467; 150.417 Sydney Sydney

8700-533: The surrounding area. Cook sought to establish relations with the Aboriginal population without success. Britain had been sending convicts to its American colonies for most of the eighteenth century, and the loss of these colonies in 1783 was the impetus to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay. Proponents of colonisation also pointed to the strategic importance of a new base in the Asia-Pacific region and its potential to provide much-needed timber and flax for

8800-439: The temperature seem colder than it actually is . Rainfall has a moderate to low variability and has historically been fairly uniform throughout the year, although in recent years it has been more summer-dominant and erratic. Precipitation is usually higher in summer through to autumn, and lower in late winter to early spring. In late autumn and winter, east coast lows may bring large amounts of rainfall, especially in

8900-482: The town are: The Southern Highland News is the town's local weekly newspaper. Southern Highlands (New South Wales)  • Kiama  • Gilmore The Southern Highlands , also locally referred to as the Highlands , is a geographical region and district in New South Wales , Australia and is 110 km south-west of Sydney . The region comprises the local government area of

9000-505: The town. Along a walking/cycle track beside the stream are planted 526 cherry trees, each dedicated to a soldier who died in the service of his country. Bowral and surrounding region was proclaimed a book town in 2000, having numerous bookshops and associations with many literary figures including P. L. Travers , the author of the Mary Poppins novels, Arthur Upfield , and many others. First held in 2016, each spring, Bowral hosts

9100-509: The traditional lands of 28 known Aboriginal clans. The first people to inhabit the area now known as Sydney were Aboriginal Australians who had migrated from southeast Asia via northern Australia. Flaked pebbles found in Western Sydney's gravel sediments might indicate human occupation from 45,000 to 50,000 years ago, while radiocarbon dating has shown evidence of human activity in the region from around 30,000 years ago. Prior to

9200-452: The turn of the century when the shale ran out, the town's population began to dwindle and the town would be eventually abandoned by the early 1900s. Joadja at its height had a post office, theatre, general store, bakery, school of arts, refinery, railway line, miner's cottages and many other buildings. Notably, it was one of the first rural towns in New South Wales to be connected to the telephone . Joadja's legacy still remains with many of

9300-480: The vast majority of the population of Sydney, leading to increasing public agitation for responsible government and an end to transportation. Transportation to New South Wales ceased in 1840. In 1804, Irish convicts led around 300 rebels in the Castle Hill Rebellion , an attempt to march on Sydney, commandeer a ship, and sail to freedom. Poorly armed, and with their leader Philip Cunningham captured,

9400-576: The year. Bowral is also home to a few vineyards and cellar doors and is close to Mittagong , the winery centre of the Southern Highlands . There are 60 vineyards in the Southern Highlands, which is a recognised cool-climate wine district. Wineries around Bowral are listed in the Southern Highlands Wineries Index. Bowral is overshadowed by Mount Gibraltar , which rises to 863 metres (2,831 ft) above sea level and has lookouts over Bowral, Mittagong , Moss Vale and

9500-401: Was 28 per cent, but over 40 per cent in working class areas such as Alexandria and Redfern. Many families were evicted from their homes and shanty towns grew along coastal Sydney and Botany Bay, the largest being "Happy Valley" at La Perouse . The Depression also exacerbated political divisions. In March 1932, when populist Labor premier Jack Lang attempted to open the Sydney Harbour Bridge he

9600-411: Was also controversial for its cost and disputes between architect Jørn Utzon and government officials. However, soon after it opened in 1973 it became a major tourist attraction and symbol of the city. The progressive reduction in tariff protection from 1974 began the transformation of Sydney from a manufacturing centre to a "world city". From the 1980s, overseas immigration grew rapidly, with Asia ,

9700-411: Was designed by Edmund Blacket and was built on the glebe in 1874. The church was expanded in 1887 to cater for a growing number of worshippers. Today, only Blackett's belltower remains. One of the earliest houses built as a mountain retreat was Craigieburn which was constructed in 1885. Gardens and European plants flourished from 1887, when citizens of Bowral started planting deciduous trees to make

9800-514: Was formed in the early Triassic period. The sand that was to become the sandstone of today was laid down between 360 and 200 million years ago. The sandstone has shale lenses and fossil riverbeds. The Sydney Basin bioregion includes coastal features of cliffs, beaches, and estuaries. Deep river valleys known as rias were carved during the Triassic period in the Hawkesbury sandstone of

9900-525: Was started in 1961 by the Rotary Club of Bowral-Mittagong. The festival usually lasts 14 days and includes various activities such as band parades, house and garden fairs, food and wine fairs and many other activities. The festival donates proceeds to various charities and this year will be sponsoring Westmead Children's Hospital . In the past, the festival has supported local churches, hospitals, youth centres, elderly centres and disadvantaged people of

10000-550: Was upstaged by Francis de Groot of the far-right New Guard , who slashed the ribbon with a sabre. In January 1938, Sydney celebrated the Empire Games and the sesquicentenary of European settlement in Australia. One journalist wrote, "Golden beaches. Sun tanned men and maidens...Red-roofed villas terraced above the blue waters of the harbour...Even Melbourne seems like some grey and stately city of Northern Europe compared with Sydney's sub-tropical splendours." A congress of

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