Merriwa

Postcode: 2329

Merriwa is a town in the far west of the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia, in Upper Hunter Shire. It is located on the Golden Highway, 273 kilometres northwest of Sydney and about half way between Newcastle and Dubbo.

Merriwa had its own local council until 2004, when it was merged with nearby Scone and Murrurundi to form the Upper Hunter Council.

Merriwa derives from an Aboriginal term thought to mean 'grass seeds'. Possibly the first European in the vicinity was Allan Cunningham who made a camp here by the river in the 1820s. The area was initially known as the Gummum Plains district, after the river, which was then known as Gummum Creek.

The first runs were taken up in the late 1820s. An early pastoralist was Charles Blaxland (son of explorer Gregory Blaxland) who established Cullingral station to the immediate south and south-west of town. The homestead is still standing. His uncle, John Blaxland, held land along the riverside to the north of the present townsite. After being detained by the British authorities in 1808 as a mutineer against the deposed Governor Bligh, John managed to convince the authorities of his innocence in 1811 and returned to the colony where he became a merchant, landowner and MLA of some note.

Today Merriwa is at the centre of a vast mixed farming area focusing principally on cattle, sheep, wheat and horse studs, although olive trees are becoming increasingly common in the area. The Festival of the Fleeces is held on the long weekend in June. This celebration of rural heritage includes shearing and shed hand competitions, games, a street parade, yard dog trials, a billy cart derby, spinning display and a woolshed dance. The rodeo is held in February, the Polocrosse carnival in July and the Agricultural Show in September.

For more information about this town, click here