Ariah Park () is a small town in the

Riverina The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation ...

region of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

, west of Temora and south of

West Wyalong West Wyalong is the main town of the Bland Shire in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Located west of Sydney and above sea level, it is situated on the crossroads of the Newell Highway between Melbourne and Brisbane, and th ...

. The town is within the

Temora Shire Temora Shire is a local government area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is on Burley Griffin Way. The Shire was created on 1 January 1981 via the amalgamation of Narraburra Shire and the Municipality of Temora. It inc ...

near

Burley Griffin Way Burley Griffin Way is a New South Wales state route, is located in south eastern Australia. Named after the American architect Walter Burley Griffin, designer of the cities of Canberra and Griffith, the road links these two cities via Yass a ...

. On Census night 2011, Ariah Park had a population of 268 people. The town is listed by the National Trust as a Conservation Area. The town's name came from resident Sam Harrison who purchased a portion of the Wellman Estate and then named that portion ''Ariah Park'' (pronounced 'area'). The name is derived from the anglicisation of the Wiradjuri (local Aboriginal language) word "narriyar", meaning "hot". Tourist information make reference to the town being known for its 'wowsers, bowsers and peppercorn trees'. A

wowser "Wowser" is an Australian and New Zealand term that refers to a person who seeks to deprive others of behaviour deemed to be immoral or sinful. History The term originated in Australia, at first carrying a similar meaning to "lout" (an annoying ...

is an Australian word describing a "mealy-mouthed hypocrite, a pious prude, one who condemns or seeks to curtail the pleasures of others or who works to have his or her own rigid morality enforced on all who prefers not to consume alcohol". A

bowser , or King Koopa, is a fictional character, the primary antagonist in Nintendo's ''Mario'' franchise, and the arch-nemesis of Mario. In Japan, the character bears the title of . Bowser is the leader of the turtle-like Koopa race. Despite the ...

refers to the everyday machine used to pump petrol or diesel into a vehicle, of which many antique examples can be seen on the main street. The peppercorn tree is a common variety of which many specimens populate the main street. The settlement was first established in

1850 Events January–June * April ** Pope Pius IX returns from exile to Rome. ** Stephen Foster's parlor ballad " Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway" is published in the United States. * April 4 – Los Angeles is incorporated as a city ...

. Ariah Park was connected to the

Main Southern railway line The Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs from Sydney to Albury, near the Victorian border. The line passes through the Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and Riverina regions. ...

via Temora in 1906. The village was gazetted the year after this connection and flourished at the expense of the nearby settlement of Broken Dam. Ariah Park Post Office had opened earlier on 26 August 1903. The peppercorn trees were planted in 1916 and railway silos built in 1919. The district produces

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticate ...

and

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

New South Wales Government Railways The New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) was the agency of the Government of New South Wales that administered rail transport in New South Wales, Australia, between 1855 and 1932. Management The agency was managed by a range of differen ...

launched its first bulk-wheat loading operation in the town in

1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored and cooled. * J ...

. File:EnteringAriahPark.jpg, Entering Ariah Park Image:AriahParkMainStreet(1).jpg, One side of the main street of Ariah Park - note the

peppercorn Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diamet ...

trees Image:AriahParkMainStreet(2).jpg, The other side of the main street - note the bowsers File:AriahParkWheatTruck.JPG, First bulk wheat handling truck from 1916 File:DJI00001.png, Ariah Park looking South File:AriahParkWarMemorial.JPG, War memorial File:AriahParkHotel2010.JPG, Ariah Park Hotel, built in 1916

Notable residents

William Maitland Woods William Maitland Woods (4 January 1864 – 6 February 1927) was an Anglican clergyman and a military chaplain in Queensland, Australia. Early life William Maitland Woods was born on 4 January 1864 in Mayfair, London, England, the son of Alfre ...

, Anglican minister at Ariah Park from 1913 to 1915 and Australian Army chaplain in World War I * Samuel Harrison, Publican and Hotelier (Ariah Park Hotel latterly Railway Hotel, opened Saturday 31 October 1903) 1857 - 1920

References

External links

Visitor informationAriah Park Central SchoolAriah Park Railway Station
{{authority control Towns in New South Wales Towns in the Riverina Temora Shire

Notable residents

See also

References

External links