Dalton, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids DaltonNew South Wales |
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Royal Hotel, Dalton
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Dalton
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 230 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2581 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 540 m (1,772 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Upper Lachlan Shire | ||||||||||||||
| County | King | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Dalton | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Goulburn | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hume | ||||||||||||||
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Dalton is a small country town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Upper Lachlan Shire. In the 2021 Australian census, 230 people lived here.
A small river called Oolong Creek flows through the town. Dalton is in an area where small earthquakes often happen.
Contents
Where is Dalton?
Dalton is located north of the Hume Highway. This highway connects Sydney and Melbourne. The town is between Goulburn and Yass. It is about 255 kilometres (158 mi) southwest of Sydney. Dalton is also about 79 kilometres (49 mi) north of Canberra, Australia's capital city.
Nearby towns include:
Dalton's Past
The land around Dalton was traditionally home to Indigenous peoples. The Gundungurra people lived in the north. The Ngunnawal people lived in the south. They spoke similar languages.
Town's Beginning
Dalton officially became a town in 1862. Its name comes from the family of the wife of the Governor of New South Wales at the time. Her name was Adelaide Annabella Tuite Dalton.
In the 1860s, people found gold in the area. However, mining for it was not profitable.
Early Schools
Dalton Public School started in 1878. Mr. J. V. Moore was the teacher. The school was in a rented building that was too small. A new building was planned. In 1878, 60 children were enrolled. About 45 students attended school each day.
Oolong Bridge
The Oolong Bridge crosses Oolong Creek. It officially opened on August 2, 1896. About 300 people came to the opening. This included children from Dalton Public School.
Historic Buildings
Dalton has several old buildings. They show the town's history.
- Anchor Lodge of Good Templar's Hall: Built in 1890, used until about 1925.
- Police Station: Built in 1889.
- Public School: Built in 1878. It replaced an even older school from around 1860.
- Royal Hotel: Built in 1860.
- Dalton Uniting Church: This church was once called the Wesleyan Chapel of Wesley Vale.
- St Matthew's Anglican Church: Built in 1878.
Earthquakes in Dalton
The ground under Dalton is very active. This area, stretching to Lake George, has a fault system. A fault is a crack in the Earth's crust.
Dalton experiences more earthquakes than other parts of eastern Australia. These earthquakes are usually shallow. This means they happen close to the surface. Because of this, even small earthquakes can cause damage. For example, a magnitude 3.0 earthquake can damage buildings.
Notable Earthquakes
- July 5, 1888: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake was felt in Sydney. This was the first recorded earthquake in the area.
- November 18, 1934: The largest recorded earthquake, magnitude 5.6, was also felt in Sydney. It even made the water in a pool in Canberra move.
- March 10-11, 1949: A magnitude 5.5 earthquake caused small cracks in buildings in Canberra. It also damaged the Anglican Church in Dalton.
- August 9, 1984: The magnitude 4.3 Oolong event damaged Oolong Homestead and the Anglican Church.
Some people in Dalton have special devices. These devices record seismic activity. They send data to Geoscience Australia.
People of Dalton
In the 2021 Australian census, Dalton had 230 residents. About 4.3% of the people were Indigenous Australians. Most people (73.4%) had both parents born in Australia. The next most common place for parents to be born was England. The main job in Dalton is sheep farming. About 12.5% of the people work in this industry.
Dalton's Economy
Dalton was once a busy sheep-shearing center. This changed in 1875. The train line was built through nearby Gunning instead of Dalton.
Today, Dalton is becoming a place where people live in the countryside. The town has wide streets and churches. It also has a school, a hotel (pub), a post office, and a petrol station.
The Monaro region is famous for its sheep wool industry. Many Merino sheep are raised here. Farmers also grow crops like wheat. Some people raise cattle for meat.
Nature and Environment
The Oolong Creek flows through Dalton. Volunteers from the Dalton Community Association are working to restore the creek's habitat. They work with NSW Landcare.
Special Fish
In 2021, two teenagers found a rare fish in the creek. It was the southern pygmy perch. This fish is a vulnerable species in the area. As of 2023, it was only the fourth known group of these fish in New South Wales. In August 2023, volunteers moved 200 of these fish to Oolong Creek. This helps to make the fish population stronger.
The endangered yellow-spotted bell frog also lives in the creek.