Finch County is a cadastral county in far-northern New South Wales, one of the state’s 141 land divisions used for property titles. It is bounded by the Narran River on the west, the Barwon River on the south and east, and the Queensland border on the north. It is named after surveyor Heneage Finch, grandson of the 3rd Earl of Aylesford.
Key Facts
| State | New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Region | North West NSW / Orana |
| Named after | Surveyor Heneage Finch |
| Principal town | Lightning Ridge |
| Local government areas today | Walgett Shire Council, Moree Plains Shire Council |
Parishes in Finch County
- Bagot
- Baloon
- Barnbah
- Barrangeel
- Bibble
- Bimber
- Birben
- Birrah
- Blackwood
- Bloxsome
- Bogra
- Bon Bon
- Boorara
- Boorooma
- Borah
- Buddah
- Buggee
- Bukkulla
- Bumble
- Bundabarrina
- Bundah
- Bunghill
- Burbah
- Burrabebe
- Burran Burran
- Burrandown
- Burrawandool
- Calmuldi
- Cambo Cambo
- Campbell
- Collarindabri
- Combadery
- Coocoran
- Coogarah
- Corona
- Cowelba
- Cumborah
- Cunnianna
- Currall
- Daraaba
- Deripas
- Dungalear
- Dungell
- Dunumbral
- Durabeba
- Eales
- Eckford
- Elphinstone
- Eulan
- Euminbah
- Eurawin
- Finch
- Gamalally
- Gingie
- Glatherindi
- Gooningeri
- Gooraway
- Gordon
- Gorie Gorie
- Grawin
- Greaves
- Green
- Gummanaldi
- Gundabloui
- Gurilly
- Gurley
- Hungerford
- Imbergee
- Kee Kee
- Keilmoi
- Kennedy
- Kigwigil
- Kurragong
- Langloh
- Llanillo
- Lolleep
- Maggarie
- Manning
- Mebea
- Mein
- Milrea
- Mogil Mogul
- Moongulla
- Mooni
- Mooroo
- Moramina
- Morendah
- Mullingowba
- Mundoo
- Mureabun
- Narran
- Peelborough
- Pine
- Pinegobla
- Plumbolah
- Queega
- Rose
- Scott
- Somerville
- Talawa
- Telinebone
- Tomorrago
- Townday
- Tutawa
- Ulah
- Urandool
- Wallah
- Wallangulla
- Wammell
- Waugh
- Wee Warra
- Werribilla
- Wilby Wilby
- Wilga
- Wilkie
- Wooburrabebe
- Yarraman
- Yeranbah
- Yerangle
- Yourblah
Towns and Localities Today
Lightning Ridge, the world-famous black-opal mining town, is the only significant settlement in Finch County. It sits within Walgett Shire and draws visitors and fossickers year-round, alongside a small permanent population. Grawin and Glengarry, opal-field camps west of Lightning Ridge, are informal mining settlements rather than gazetted towns. The rest of the county is grazing land on the Castlereagh–Barwon river plains.
Geography
Finch County is bounded by the Narran River to the west, the Barwon River to the south and east, and the Queensland border to the north. Almost all of it lies within Walgett Shire, with the parish of Bibble in Moree Plains Shire. Neighbouring counties include Benarba, Clyde, Leichhardt, Denham and Narran.
History
Surveyors proclaimed Finch County as part of the colonial land-division system that divided New South Wales into counties, parishes and portions for the sale and lease of Crown land. It was named for surveyor Heneage Finch, grandson of the 3rd Earl of Aylesford. Opal mining put Lightning Ridge on the map from the 1900s and remains the county’s defining industry.
FAQ
Is Finch County still used?
Cadastral counties like Finch remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today.
What local government areas cover Finch County?
Most of the county sits within Walgett Shire, with the parish of Bibble in Moree Plains Shire.
What is the main town in Finch County?
Lightning Ridge, known for black-opal mining, is the county’s only significant town.