Towns and Villages

Welcome to “Your Ultimate Bush Experience” in the traditional land of the Wiradjuri people, where the lifestyle is laid back, the people are friendly and polite and there is an opportunity to escape the grind of everyday life to enjoy a spot of fishing, camping, water skiing or bird watching.
The Local Government Area of Lachlan is graced by the towns of Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo and Tottenham and supported by the villages of Tullibigeal, Burcher, Derriwong, Fifield and Albert. All of these communities have their own unique features and attractions to enjoy so please take the time to stop, stay a while and enjoy.

Drop into the Albert Rabbit Trap Hotel for a cold drink and a wholesome meal, or stay overnight in the rooms available at the hotel. Or you can book one of the cabins just across the road from the hotel. The town also features a new park with recently built amenities and plenty of camping spots to make your stay in Albert a memorable one.

Since the hotel featured on Channel Seven's Sunrise weather segment in Winter 2011, Australian travellers have been visiting Albert to marvel at the Big Rabbit Trap which is 9.5 metres wide by three metres high and sits on top of the hotel. Albert is also known for its famous son Jason Owen who was runner-up in TV talent show X-Factor where he was mentored by former Spice Girl Mel B.

 A major copper discovery was made north at Melrose in 1885 and the town benefited from the subsequent traffic. A municipality was declared in 1890.

Gold was found north-west at Overflow station, immortalised in Banjo Paterson's poem 'Clancy of the Overflow' in 1896 and a major copper and gold mine was in operation at Condobolin from 1898 until around 1910.

The railway arrived in 1898 and Condobolin was the railhead for the Central West until the line to Broken Hill was completed in 1927.

Agricultural production was further expanded when the Wyangala Dam was established on the Lachlan in 1935.

The pioneers suffered droughts and floods in the same way as the present day residents, but it did not diminish their desire to build a strong community.

Condobolin continues to be a busy country town, with small industrial services and business, excellent medical services, a modern hospital and retirement village, banking services along with a variety of sporting and recreation facilities and the life blood of the town, the Lachlan River with all its natural beauty, fishing and wildlife.

Across the road from the Fifield Hotel is the town park where you can stretch your legs on the path to the war memorial display. Learn about local property and family names built into this path as a record of all the people who have lived in Fifield or who have connections with Fifield. The biannual "Back to Fifield" event is held over the October Long Weekend and draws a crowd from far and wide. 

Lake Cargelligo has also been called Lake Cedgellico and Lake Cargellico. The area's beauty and tranquillity has remained unspoilt and is a perfect place to stop, stay and indulge in the relaxing atmosphere.

Ochre Pits at Lake Cargelligo

The name Lake Cargelligo is a variation of "Cudjallagong" which in the Wiradjuri language means 'Lake'. The area is rich in aboriginal history as the Wiradjuri tribe gathered on the banks of the lake for generation prior to it being discovered by Oxley in 1817.

An aboriginal quarry containing rich yellow and red ochres can still be found at an area on the lake's edge known as Frog's Hollow.

Due to the presence of relatively permanent water, the lake and some parts of the Lachlan River were used by the aboriginal people for centuries as meeting places and sources of food and water.
Many aboriginal artefacts have been found on the lake foreshores. The ochre from the pit was used by the local indigenous population to decorate themselves during corroborees, for aboriginal painting, and for decorating didgeridoos which were a valuable trading commodity.

Although Lake Cargelligo is in the centre of Wiradjuri country, there are many aboriginal people living here now who have been resettled from Carowra Tank in the heart of Ngiyampaa country, as well as from Menindee which is Paakantyi country.

Aboriginal Freshwater Midden at Lake Cargelligo

Deadman's Point at Lake Cargelligo is the location of several Aboriginal freshwater shell middens. Shell middens were formed by an accumulation of shells left by Aboriginals who collected, cooked and ate the fresh water mussels contained in them over a long period of time. They are usually found along river banks, swamps and lakes. These particular middens are made from the shells of freshwater mussels (Velesunio ambiguous). The middens are fairly large and would be the result of many meals eaten over thousands of years. Some large middens can also contain human burial grounds.

The story of how Deadman's Point got its name

The Wool Wash and Wooyeo Woolshed

The wool wash was used in the late 1800's to wash the sheep before they were shorn by blade shearers in the Wooyeo woolshed.

The wool was then transferred 200km by horse and wagon to Whitton, which was the nearest railhead. The wool wash was located on the lake foreshores near the existing slaughter yards. The property owned by the Stenhouse family is still known as the "Wool Wash".

Sheep were herded into a pen situated high above the water. When pushed into the water from this height, the sheep were guaranteed to become completely submerged to ensure they were washed thoroughly. The sheep then swam approx 30 meters to the shore into a cobble-stoned draining pen to dry, before being walked to the Wooyeo woolshed.

The t-shaped 52 stand shearing shed was 300ft long and 30ft wide with a central board and a spacious wool room. The woolshed was built of Cyprus pine weatherboards and corrugated iron. It was well lit with skylights and elevated to allow easy cleaning and movement by sheep in the under-floor races. Every year there would be a day racing followed by the ball in the woolshed.

During the 1880's and early 1890's the largest annual function of the district was the Wooyeo Ball.
As a result of farming operations moving from wool to wheat and the breakdown of Wooyeo Station into smaller holdings, the woolshed has become a ruin.

The History of Gold in Lake Cargelligo

On Sunday 13th April 1873, Mrs Charlotte Foster, who cooked at a burr cutters' camp, found a piece of quartz which showed specks of gold. Her husband and the population of Cudgellico went gold mad as word got out and the town was inundated with prospectors. This led to the establishment of Foster's Reef Gold Mining Company.

The mine was located in the current main street at the intersection of Foster and Reef streets. The main street was later named Foster Street.
Crushing commenced 15 January 1877. About 4000 pounds was spent on machinery which consisted of a 20 horsepower horizontal engine, driving a battery of 12 head of 6 cwt revolving stampers.

The crushing plant, located close to the shores of the lake, assisted in the processing of ore. Water in the underground shafts and poor veins of gold eventually brought mining to a halt. Shafts remain under some shops and houses in town.