Roxburgh County is one of the original Nineteen Counties of New South Wales, proclaimed in 1829, and now one of the state’s 141 cadastral divisions. It lies north and east of Bathurst, between the Fish River and the Turon River junction, and includes Sofala. It was named after the Scottish county of the same name.
Key Facts
| State | New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Region | North and east of Bathurst, Fish River to Turon River junction |
| Proclaimed | 1829 |
| Named after | Roxburghshire, Scotland |
| Principal towns | Sofala, Rylstone |
| Local government areas today | City of Lithgow; Bathurst Regional Council; Mid-Western Regional Council |
Parishes in Roxburgh County
- Airly
- Bandamora
- Ben Bullen
- Bocoble
- Bruinbun
- Burrowoury
- Capertee
- Castleton
- Clandulla
- Coco
- Coolamigal
- Crudine
- Cullen Bullen
- Dulabree
- Duramana
- Eskdale
- Eusdale
- Falnash
- Ganguddy
- Goongal
- Hearne
- Jedburgh
- Jesse
- Kelso
- Macquarie
- Mead
- Melrose
- Millah Murrah
- Morundurey
- Peel
- Piper
- Rylstone
- Sofala
- Stewart
- Tabrabucca
- Tayar
- Thornshope
- Turon
- Umbiella
- Walberton
- Waltham
- Warrangunia
- Waterbeach
- Watton
- Wells
- Wiagdon
- Winburn
- Yetholme
Towns and Localities Today
Sofala, on the Turon River, is a small former goldrush town within the county, one of the best-preserved 1850s streetscapes in the state. Rylstone, on the Cudgegong River, is the largest town in the county’s east. Kelso, now a suburb of Bathurst, and Ben Bullen and Cullen Bullen, near the Lithgow coalfields, are the other established localities.
Geography
Roxburgh County lies between the Fish River and the Turon River junction, north and east of Bathurst. Neighbouring counties are Wellington, Phillip, Hunter, Cook, Bathurst and Westmoreland. The terrain ranges from open tableland pasture near Bathurst to deep sandstone gorges around Capertee, one of the widest canyons in the world, and the Wollemi wilderness on its eastern edge.
History
Roxburgh County was proclaimed in 1829 as one of the original Nineteen Counties marking the limits of settlement in the colony. It was named after Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders. Sofala grew rapidly after gold was found on the Turon River in 1851, one of the first payable gold strikes in Australia, and the town’s timber-and-verandah main street survives largely unchanged. Coal mining later developed around Ben Bullen and Cullen Bullen, feeding power stations on the Lithgow side of the range.
FAQ
Is Roxburgh County still used?
Cadastral divisions like Roxburgh County remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function. Lithgow, Bathurst Regional and Mid-Western Regional councils run local services today.
What is Roxburgh County named after?
It is named after Roxburghshire, a historic county in the Scottish Borders.
What is the main historic town in Roxburgh County?
Sofala, on the Turon River, is a well-preserved former goldrush town within the county.
When was Roxburgh County proclaimed?
It was proclaimed in 1829 as one of the original Nineteen Counties of New South Wales.