Finley
New South Wales
Murray Street (Newell Highway), the main street of Finley
Finley is located in New South Wales
Finley
Finley
Coordinates35°38′0″S 145°34′0″E / 35.63333°S 145.56667°E / -35.63333; 145.56667
Population2,519 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)2713
Elevation107 m (351 ft)
Location
LGA(s)Berrigan Shire
CountyDenison
State electorate(s)Murray
Federal division(s)Farrer
Finley station, built in an American "pioneer" style as a cost-saving measure during the depression at the turn of the 19th century.

Finley /ˈfɪnli/[2] is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest town in the Berrigan Shire local government area. At the 2016 census, Finley had a population of 2,519 people.[3] The town is located approximately 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Albury on the intersection of the Newell Highway and Riverina Highways.

Settlement

Europeans first settled the area around Finley in the early 1840s, with wheat becoming the main crop.

The first permanent residence in the town was built in 1878. The post office opened on 1 January 1881 but was known as Murray Hut until 1893.[4]

Periods of severe drought, combined with the Great Depression of the early 1930s, forced many farmers to abandon their holdings.

In 1935, construction on the Mulwala Canal began in order to provide employment and bring water to the area’s rich farmland, with irrigation reaching the area in 1939, celebrated with a 'Back-To-Finley' event. This enabled the region to prosper with beef and dairy cattle, sheep, wheat, rice, barley, maize and canola.

The Finley Agricultural & Pastoral Association was formed in 1912 and held its first show on 17 September 1913.[5] The same agricultural show is still held annually on the first Sunday in September (Father's Day).[6]

Heritage

The Finley Railway Precinct[7] is listed as a heritage site due to its pioneer station group with the building and platform located at ground level (Yass Town being the only such other building).  The yard contains much of the original layout and buildings with intact goods shed, gantry crane, lamp room as well a small second station building.  

The site represents the then outer limits of railway expansion, the intense competition between states for trade and the change in attitude to railway construction in the outer areas of New South Wales. It was a terminus from 1898 until the line was extended to Tocumwal in 1914.

Education

Finley has two primary schools, St Joseph's School, (Roman Catholic) and Finley Public School. Finley High School attracts students from a wide catchment including the towns of Berrigan, Tocumwal, Jerilderie and Blighty.

Finley is also home to a campus of Riverina TAFE.

Sport

Australian rules football, cricket and netball are all very popular in the town. Sporting teams include the Finley Football Club, which competes in the Murray Football League. The town also offers soccer, touch football, basketball, tennis and a Pony Club.

The Finley Rodeo Committee holds an annual rodeo every January and Finley Apex Club hosts a tractor pull every February.

Finley has an 18-hole green grass golf course and two bowling green locations.

Finley formerly had a rugby league team, the Finley Tigers, which competed in the Group 17 and Goulburn Murray competitions. The Tigers won the Group 17 Reserve Grade premiership in 1975 and the Goulburn Murray First Grade title in 2002.

Notable residents

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Finley (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  2. ↑ Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3
  3. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Finley (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Phoenix History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  5. ↑ Kennedy, Victoria (2017). 100 Shows, 104 Years. Deniliquin Newspapers Pty Ltd.
  6. ↑ Finley Show Society Inc. "History". Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "Finley Railway Precinct". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01144. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
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