Evelyn County is a cadastral county in far-western New South Wales, one of the state’s 141 land divisions used for property titles. It sits in the remote outback country near the South Australian border, and is named after Police Magistrate Evelyn Pitfield Shirley Sturt (1816–1885), brother of the explorer Charles Sturt.
Key Facts
| State | New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Region | Far West NSW (unincorporated area) |
| Named after | Evelyn Pitfield Shirley Sturt (1816–1885) |
| Local government area today | Unincorporated Far West Region |
Parishes in Evelyn County
- Arnheim
- Boulka
- Broughton
- Bullia
- Coally
- Coopayandra
- Essie
- Gayer
- Gidgee
- Gununah
- Haynes
- King
- Marracoota
- Milparinka
- Milring
- Moolook
- Mount Blackwood
- Nardoo
- Orr
- Packsaddle
- Paradise
- Pidgerie
- Pingally
- Pingbilly
- Punnyakunya
- Quinyambi
- Rocky Glen
- Sanpah
- Scott
- Utah
- Wheeland
- Whitty
- Wirratcha
- Wobaduck
- Wonominta
- Wydjah
- Wygah
- Yancarraman
- Yandama
- Yandaminta
- Yarramurtie
Towns and Localities Today
Milparinka is the only settlement of note inside Evelyn County. Once a busy gold-rush town of the 1880s, it now has only a handful of permanent residents, a heritage courthouse and hotel, and serves travellers on the Silver City Highway between Broken Hill and Tibooburra. The rest of the county is pastoral leasehold land with no towns.
Geography
Evelyn County lies in far-western New South Wales, in flat to gently undulating semi-arid country typical of the region. It falls within the state’s Unincorporated Far West area, which has no local government council. Neighbouring counties include Poole, Tongowoko, Yantara, Farnell and Mootwingee.
History
Surveyors proclaimed Evelyn County as part of the colonial land-division system extended across New South Wales for the sale and lease of Crown land. It was named for Evelyn Pitfield Shirley Sturt, a police magistrate and brother of explorer Charles Sturt. Milparinka’s brief gold rush in 1881 gave the county its only real settlement history, drawing several thousand prospectors before the field emptied out within a decade. Explorer Charles Sturt himself passed near the area on his 1844–46 expedition in search of an inland sea, well before the county was proclaimed.
FAQ
Is Evelyn County still used?
Cadastral counties like Evelyn remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today.
What local government area covers Evelyn County?
The county lies in the Unincorporated Far West area, which has no council; the state government administers services directly.
What is the main settlement in Evelyn County?
Milparinka, a former goldfield town on the Silver City Highway, is the only town in the county.