Arrawatta County is a cadastral county in New South Wales, in the state’s north, near the Queensland border. The name is thought to come from a local Aboriginal word for the area. Ashford is the county’s main town.
Key Facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | Northern Tablelands, near the Queensland border |
| Named after | a local Aboriginal word (exact meaning not recorded) |
| Principal town | Ashford |
| Local government areas today | Inverell Shire (most parishes), Glen Innes Severn Council (Vivier parish) |
Parishes in Arrawatta County
- Adowa
- Alpine
- Anderson
- Arthurs Seat
- Ashby
- Ashford
- Astley
- Athol
- Bannockburn
- Barden
- Bebo
- Bengalla
- Blloonbah
- Bonshaw
- Bora
- Bowman
- Buckley
- Bukkulla
- Bunal
- Burgundy
- Byron
- Campbell
- Champagne
- Chapman
- Cox
- Cucumber
- Dight
- Dumaresq
- East Yetman
- Egerton
- Ellis
- Ena
- Frazer
- Goonian
- Gordon
- Graman
- Hallam
- Hawthorne
- Hetherington
- Hogarth
- Holdfast
- Holmes
- Kings Plains
- Leslie
- Limestone
- Lockerby
- Lorne
- Macintyre
- Mandoe
- McDonald
- Meriti
- Myall
- North Nullamanna
- Nullamanna
- Pindari
- Redbank
- Rose
- Russell
- Samuel
- Severn
- St Andrews
- Swamp Oak
- Texas
- Trigamon
- Vivier
- Wallangra
- Wandera
- Weean
- Wyndham
- Yetman
Towns and Localities Today
Ashford is the largest settlement inside the old county boundary, on the Macintyre River near the Queensland border. Bonshaw and Yetman are smaller river settlements to the northwest, both within Inverell Shire.
Geography
Arrawatta County lies on the Northern Tablelands, drained by the Macintyre and Severn Rivers. It borders Stapylton, Burnett, Clive, Murchison, Hardinge and Gough counties.
History
The Geographical Names Board of New South Wales records the county name as likely derived from a local Aboriginal word for the district. Pastoralists took up runs along the Macintyre and Severn Rivers from the 1840s, and the area later became a border-crossing point on the road and rail route to Queensland via Texas. Nearly all its parishes now sit within Inverell Shire, with Vivier parish administered by Glen Innes Severn Council.
FAQ
Is Arrawatta County still used?
Cadastral divisions like Arrawatta County remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today.
What is the main town in Arrawatta County?
Ashford, on the Macintyre River, is the county’s principal town.
Which local government areas cover Arrawatta County?
Most of the county sits in Inverell Shire, with the Vivier parish administered by Glen Innes Severn Council.