'Town of Murals' and the oldest town on the Castlereagh River.
Mendooran is a small rural village on the edge of the Goonoo National Park. Many of the buildings are now empty as the town competes with the nearby larger centres of Gilgandra and Dubbo. The main appeal of the town, apart from the fact that it is the oldest town on the Castlereagh River, are the murals around town (an opportunity to walk around) which depict the history of the area.
Location
Mendooran is located 379 kilometres north-west of Sydney via the Great Western Highway and the road through Mudgee and Dunedoo. It is 271 metres above sea level.
^ TOPOrigin of Name
No one is sure about the origin of the name It is probably derived by Mendooran which was the name of the first property owned by Europeans. There is an argument that the name comes from Mundoo or Mundo, a Wiradjuri leader who lived in the district. The idea that the town's name "Mundoo" and "ran" is because, on seeing Europeans, Mundoo ran away, seem fanciful. There is another interpretation which says it is a corruption of "mundowie" meaning "footprint". See the comments for a further, and darker, suggestion.
^ TOPThings to See and Do
Mendooran Murals
In the late 1990s local artist Karin Duce started painting historical, woolshed and bushland murals relating to Mendooran on the walls of buildings around the town. It was part of a determined effort to get people to stop in Mendooran which, at the time, was dying. The result is a reminder of the life led by early settlers with images of bullocks, sheep, horses and rural life.
Other Attractions in the Area
Banjo Paterson's The Travelling Post Office
The town is mentioned in Banjo Paterson's poem 'The Travelling Post Office':
The roving breezes come and go, the reed beds sweep and sway,
The sleepy river murmurs low, and loiters on its way,
It is the land of lots o' time along the Castlereagh.
The old man's son had left the farm, he found it dull and slow,
He drifted to the great north-west where all the rovers go.
"He's gone so long," the old man said, "he's dropped right out of mind,
But if you'd write a line to him I'd take it very kind
He's shearing here and fencing there, a kind of waif and stray,
He's droving now with Conroy's sheep along the Castlereagh.
The sheep are travelling for the grass, and travelling very slow:
They may be at Mundooran now, or past the Overflow.
Today Mendooran (the spelling has changed since Paterson wrote the poem) is small and sleepy. It is a convenient stopover for people heading towards the Warrumbungles.
^ TOPHistory
* Prior to the arrival of Europeans the town was home to the Wiradjuri Aboriginal people.
* The first European to explore the area was John Evans in 1815.
* Evans was followed in 1817 by the explorer, John Oxley, who passed through the district.
* The town is reputedly the oldest settlement on the Castlereagh River being an important crossing point as early as the 1830s.
* By the 1840s it was a popular stopping point.
* In 1850 Surveyor General Thomas Mitchell officially laid out the town.
* Land was being bought and sold by 1856.
* By the late 1850s John Cameron had settled in the area.
* The John Bull Inn was operating by the 1860s.
* By 1866 there were 24 people living in the district.
* A bridge across the Castlereagh River was completed in 1869.
* The town was all but destroyed by a flood in 1874.
* A school, court house and police station were all built in the early 1880s.
* The Mechanics Institute was completed in 1935.
* The town experienced a serious flood in 1955.
* The actor, John Hargreaves, worked as a school teacher at Mendooran Central School in the early 1960s.
* In the late 1990s Karin Duce started painting the distinctive murals which are now part of the town's attraction.
^ TOPVisitor Information
There is no Visitor Information in Mendooran. Check out the Gulgong Visitor Information Centre, 66 Herbert Street, Gulgong, tel: (02) 6374 2691 or 1800 816 304.
^ TOPUseful Websites
There is a brief entry on the Warrumbungle Region website. Check out http://www.warrumbungle.nsw.gov.au/2016-tourism/our-country-towns.
^ TOP
You didn’t mention the free camping area on the banks of the Castlereagh. I have enjoyed my stopover here. May I suggest better access to the river. I would have loved to cool off with a swim but not easy to get to river. Also attended your Christmas Park party. Thank you for your hospitality. I haven’t bought tickets in the ham wheel for ages, thought they were no more. Awesome! Will be telling fellow travellers about this little known destination.
I am the owner of the Mendooran Cafe. I would like to correct your statement that the shops are closed due to having to compete with nearby towns. Perhaps you should have asked the shop owners the reasons why. The little cafe is a thriving and popular place for many a weary traveller, families holidaying and the lovely locals. The only reason we have been unable to be open on a regular basis is due to serious medical reasons. It’s a shame that you didn’t ask the right people about the shops in town and your statement could be detrimental to our little town. The cafe building is one of the original buildings and has a lovely historical feel. I suggest more research in the future. Thankyou
Ah my home town! A peaceful little place. Shops are closing because the curse of the small town has caught us too. People leave for an easier life. Services we do have are much appreciated and friendly. Post office including multiple services including internet, newsagent with “corner store” goods (food and grocery, feed and fuel), mechanic, two fuel stops, the quaint craft shop, the RSL and Bowling club and of course the pub and a pre school and central school. The free camping area is beautifully situated on the junction of the castlereagh river and merrygoen creek and is a popular stop due to it’s beautiful location. The town is scenic and mostly friendly, it’s such a shame to see it slowly dying. Its location offers so much potential being an alternative to highway driving between dubbo and coonabarabran… these little towns appreciate each and every person who stops in and keeps us going. Yearly events include the local show, usually in the last weekend of March, the races always the first weekend in September, the rodeo third weekend in October- all have that delightful.country charm and are great fun. Well worth an afternoon and start over and a beer at all three locations you can buy one.
The explanation of the origins of the name ‘Mundooran’ seems to have been watered down a little since I was younger. My father’s family were among the early settlers of the Castlereagh- Hobbs, Keens, Hedgers- and the story I had received was that MUNDO was the local tribal leader, who, after the organised massacre of the local Wiradjuri people, was given the option to run or be slain with his people. He ran- and the town became known as MUNDOORAN, retaining the name up until the First World War. I doubt if this can be verified however, given that although a blind eye was often turned to aboriginal massacres, they were not to be flaunted thereby forcing the hand of constabulary answerable to the newspapers and politicians in Sydney. This was the story that was commonly accepted among people of my generation within the town however.
Thank you for sharing the oral tradition of the name of the town. Like you say, it’s important to keep the oral tradition alive, because it tells us a great deal and prevents politicians of the day from covering up historical murders.
Don’t forget the Breelong massacre of the Mawby family by the Governors…
This event is covered in great detail in the Gilgandra entry. See https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/gilgandra-nsw.
As a kid I grew up in Gulgong. After High School I had to move to the city for uni and my nurses training. So, yes, I miss the little quiet towns, have not been able to get back there as much as I would liked to have, but soon will be retiring and looking for a nice quiet place to sit back relax no stress no dramas. Not wanting to go back to Gulgong have been looking up real estate for Mendooran. Would someone be completely honest and tell me what is in Mendooran to make someone want to live there.
I have a newspaper article from the Castlereagh that refers to Mendooran as “Mundooran”… perhaps this adds to the mystery of where the name originated? Would anyone know more about this?
Do you have contact for The Marran Bush Fire Brigade Bramble Mendooran NSW? The ASIC Australian Securities & Investments Commission is holding $3,003.63 of that organizations money they should contact the ASIC. If you are able to send this to them that would be good as well. Thank you
Ahh Mendooran. A great little town with a great charm. I lived there for a while in my late teens. Today, it has a thriving Crackerz Bakery/Cafe (old Landmark Building) and the Pub has picked up since the new hosts, Roy and Kylie, took over. Keith at the General Store (Just down from the Pub) is handy for supplies and petrol/diesel. Central Motors, still run by the same family, is handy if you need spares locally or aren’t a DIY mechanic. There is a craft store in town (next door to Central Motors) along with an Op Shop (on the Pub side of the Tennis Courts)… I believe the two latter shops are only open Friday, but can’t be sure.
There is also a free camp at the convergence of Merrygoen Creek and Castlereagh River (Behind the Police Station) with Toilets and Cold showers for the hot in summer and the brave souls in winter. I understand the Mendooran Showground (opposite end of town to the free camp) also takes campers for a fee. You need to give them 24 hours notice though.
Also, the forest out the road is the Goonoo Conservation Area (Not national park!). The Goonoo National Park is some 45 km away, 35 km along Dubbo road and then 10 km down Morgriguy Forest Road. I must say the forest is worth a visit, its part of the IBA, Important Bird Area of the region. I only wished it was still State Forest, as it was far better managed back in those days by forestry.
I do wish to thank the Author for taking the time to research and write this article on Mendooran. A town I still know and love.
Public toilets at Mendooran now closed. This is a nail in the coffin for the town, since the surrounding rest area had been so popular with grey nomads.
Hi Ann, You were born in Mendooran in 1951. Some of my brothers and sisters where born there from 1937 to 1947. Just wondering the hospital must have been at full capacity in 1949 and 1951 because both 1 brother and 1 sister had to be born at Dunedoo hospital. If you could enlighten me on any other history of the town it would be great. You would know our family
I was born in Mendooran June 1951 just before the CWA Hospital closed. My grandma was a Marchant one of the old settlers..we all related, Hobbs, McKecknies? Have a read of the Mendooran book…Dad was a builder, mum worked in old manual exchange…lot of history..Dexter still owns pub..went to school with him…I always go thru twice a year calling into pub catching up sometime staying in camping area…still a very friendly little town..love it…family owned bakery shop uncle Bob used to make the bread… won’t mention names as will leave people out…out the road to Gilgandra is a place called Breelong…this is where the Governors killed the Mawby family…check out book called “The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith…tracked them all the way to Port Macquarie where they appear in the local museum…history!!!! I’m sure people can add to this…I do have old books that cover the massacre. Thanks for the coverage of my old old home town…
Great to hear from a marchant hope to get down that way soon from son of Rex huxley
Hi Neal, I worked in the Bank of New South Wales in Mendooran around 1973/74. I lived next to the Mckecknie family and I recall knowing Don and Mary Marchant who lived next to the old abandoned pub. I bought a 1973 Valiant Regal from Pieter Weiringa the local Chrysler dealer. I have fond memories of this great little town.
The Black Gate Distillery https://www.facebook.com/blackgatedistillery is worth a mention as a tourist attraction. Excellent Whisky and Rum
Also worth mentioning Mendooran is on the Central West Cycle Trail
https://www.facebook.com/groups/603036733709746
Hello. I’m a grandson of a local family (Hobbs) and I’m trying to locate the family property if it still exists.The name of the small farm is “Fernhill” I used to visit the old slab house normally only at Christmas with my family. My mother Ailsa Williams (Hobbs) grew up on this property with her Aunt Eva Hobbs and her father Henry. Both are now resting in the Mendooran Cemetery. If anyone can help me find this farm again I would really appreciate your help. It’s really only a family hunt to settle my hunting curiosity to reminisce
Thanks
Phil Williams
Home of award winning BLUE SKY CHEESE, located in the old butcher shop in the main street. The cutest, newest shop, offering handmade artisan cheeses and local produce. Open 10am to 4pm Wednesday to Saturday.
Hello I was wanting to know when was the last time Mendooran flooded & how bad was it
Blue sky cheese , we stopped on the way through last year, beautiful cheese . Coming back in September this year , this time to stay with our van .
I believe the oral tradition has said “run”. But knowing how whitewashed things are I was hazard a guess the that Mundo stood! For example: the phrase “Indian giver”, meaning to take back a gift is completely the opposite, it should be “white giver”, BC the whites broke their treaty with the Indigenous in USA. Now that phrase is everywhere. History has been recorded by white people, so it doesn’t always mean it’s the truth.