Monteagle County is one of New South Wales’ 141 cadastral divisions, used for land titles rather than local government. It covers the south-west slopes country around Young, on the state’s central-west tablelands. Young is the principal town.
Key Facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| State | New South Wales |
| Region | South-west slopes, around Young |
| Named after | Thomas Spring Rice, 1st Baron Monteagle of Brandon (1790-1866), former Chancellor of the Exchequer |
| Principal town | Young |
| Local government today | Hilltops Council |
Parishes in Monteagle County
- Baxter
- Bendick Murrell
- Bribbaree
- Brundah
- Bumbaldry
- Bungalong
- Burramunda
- Burrangong
- Coba
- Cocomingla
- Congera
- Coolegong
- Cudgymaguntry
- Dananbilla
- Geegullalong
- Gungewalla
- Iandra
- Illunie
- Kikiamah
- Marina
- Murringo
- Murringo North
- Murrungal
- Narrallen
- Rossi
- Thuddungara
- Tyagong
- Wambanumba
- Weddin
- Willawong
- Wilton
- Woodonga
- Yambira
- Young
- Yundoo
Towns and Localities Today
Young is the county’s main town, known locally as the “Cherry Capital of Australia” for its orchard industry. Smaller localities inside the county include Bribbaree, Murringo, Wombat and Bendick Murrell, most of them farm hamlets serving the surrounding wheat and sheep country.
| Town | LGA |
|---|---|
| Young | Hilltops Council |
| Murringo | Hilltops Council |
| Bribbaree | Hilltops Council |
Geography
Monteagle County sits on the south-west slopes, drained by Burrangong Creek and its tributaries through undulating farmland. Weddin parish, in the county’s south, takes its name from the Weddin Mountains further west. The country is mixed grazing and cropping land, with cherry, prune and stone-fruit orchards concentrated around Young. Elevation ranges from around 400 to 600 metres, giving the district cooler winters than the plains further west.
Economy & Local Life
Orchards dominate the local economy: Young hosts the National Cherry Festival each December, and the surrounding parishes grow cherries, prunes and canola alongside traditional sheep and cattle grazing. Grain silos along the Young-to-Cowra rail line still handle wheat and canola from the county’s cropping paddocks.
History
The county was named for Thomas Spring Rice, 1st Baron Monteagle of Brandon, who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1830s. Like most NSW counties, it was surveyed and proclaimed in the 19th century as a framework for issuing land grants and titles, well before local government boundaries existed.
FAQ
Where is Monteagle County?
It lies on the south-west slopes of New South Wales, centred on the town of Young, roughly 380 km south-west of Sydney.
What is Monteagle County named after?
Thomas Spring Rice, 1st Baron Monteagle of Brandon, a British Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1830s.
Is Monteagle County still used?
Cadastral counties like Monteagle remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function. Local services are provided by Hilltops Council.