Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Blayney area were the Wiradjuri Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the 1820s when government stock stations were set up and private pastoralists took up land. The villages of Blayney and Carcoar were established in the 1830s. Towns continued to develop in the gold rush of the 1850s and 1860s. Growth continued in the 1870s and 1880s, aided by the construction of the railway line and the discovery of gold. Mining of gold, copper and iron continues to be an important industry in the Shire. The most significant development occurred in the post-war years. The population increased slightly from the mid 1990s, rising from about 6,000 in 1996 to nearly 7,000 in 2011.

Land use

Blayney Shire is predominantly rural, with several townships which include residential, industrial and commercial areas. The Shire encompasses a total land area of about 1,600 square kilometres. Much of the rural area is used for mining and farming, including sheep and cattle grazing, crops, orchards and viticulture. Settlement is based in the townships of Blayney and Carcoar, the village of Millthorpe, and the smaller villages of Lyndhurst, Mandurama, Neville and Newbridge.

Transport

Blayney Shire is served by the Mid Western Highway and the western railway line.

Major features

• Major features of the Shire include the Belubula River,
• Carcoar Dam,
• Blayney Wind Farm,
• Cadia Gold & Copper Mine,
• Blayney Hospital,
• Viv Kable Museum,
• Blayney Golf Club,
• Blayney Showground,
• Heritage Park and CentrePoint Sport & Leisure Centre.

Included areas