Alectown
New South Wales
Alectown is located in New South Wales
Alectown
Alectown
Coordinates32°56′0″S 148°14′30″E / 32.93333°S 148.24167°E / -32.93333; 148.24167
Population168 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)2870
Location
  • 382 km (237 mi) WNW of Sydney
  • 97 km (60 mi) SW of Dubbo
  • 24 km (15 mi) N of Parkes
LGA(s)Parkes Shire
State electorate(s)Orange
Federal division(s)Calare

Alectown is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is on the Newell Highway and in the Parkes Shire local government area, 382 kilometres (237 mi), west north west of the state capital, Sydney. At the 2016 census, Alectown and the surrounding area had a population of 168.[1]

History

Originally known as Alecs Flat, the district was named after the three men who first prospected here - Alexander Cameron, Alexander Patton, and Alexander Whitelaw.[2]

It was originally a gold mining town which once had a population above 1,000. Bachelors Rush Post Office opened on 1 May 1888 and was renamed Alicktown in 1889 and Alectown in 1891. It closed in 1983.[3][4][5] Today, only two churches and some residences remain in the town.

Telescope

Alectown is the actual address of the Parkes Radio Telescope operated by the CSIRO, the largest radio telescope in Australia, which is used for both theoretical research and on NASA projects including the Moon landings.

Notable residents

Christmas at Alectown, 1910s, by A B Unger.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Alectown (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  2. ↑ "Alectown, New South Wales". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  3. ↑ Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "Government Gazette Notices". New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900). 3 December 1889. p. 8685. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Government Gazette Notices". New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney, NSW : 1832 - 1900). 24 July 1891. p. 5767. Retrieved 25 November 2020.


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