Cumborah is a town in north-western

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. The town is in the

Walgett Shire Walgett Shire is a local government area in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. The northern boundary of the Shire is located adjacent to the border between New South Wales and Queensland. The town of Walgett is located on the Namoi ...

local government area, near the opal fields of

Lightning Ridge Lightning Ridge is a small outback town in north-western New South Wales, Australia. Part of Walgett Shire, Lightning Ridge is situated near the southern border of Queensland, about east of the Castlereagh Highway. The Lightning Ridge area is ...

. Cumborah is about off the

Castlereagh Highway Castlereagh Highway is a state highway located in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. The highway's northern terminus is at a junction with Carnarvon Highway, south of , Queensland. Its southern terminus is at a junction with Great West ...

and is served by the commercial centres of Lightning Ridge and

Walgett Walgett is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of Walgett Shire. It is near the junctions of the Barwon and Namoi Rivers and the Kamilaroi and Castlereagh Highways. In 2016, Walgett had a population of 2,145. In the 2 ...

, to the south-east. The road through Cumborah is the main route to the nearby Glengarry, Grawin and Sheepyard

opal Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...

fields. Other prospectors also search nearby for agate, fossils, petrified wood, topaz and other semi-precious stones. The village is almost surrounded by mulga and cypress scrubland.

Population

In the Cumborah and the surrounding region had a population of 492 persons, 63.6% were males and 36.4% were females, including 33 indigenous persons and 386 persons born in Australia (78.5%). Their main form of employment was in sheep, beef cattle and grain farming (42.9%) followed by non-metallic mineral mining.

History

In 1896 Cumborah was proclaimed a town and the local police station operated from 1898 until 1934. A small mail receiving office opened in 1892; this was upgraded to a post office in 1898 which was closed in 1963. The village had a provisional school from 1899 to 1903 and a public school from 1904 until 1943. A telephone office opened in 1901 and a manual exchange in 1912. By 1915 Cumborah had five telephone subscribers that could only contact Walgett or Dangar Bridge. From 1917 it was possible to telephone other local towns. Early entertainment in Cumborah was provided by participating in or watching cricket, horseracing, sports days and tennis. In the there were 315 occupied private dwellings in Cumborah and the surrounding area: 80.0% were separate houses and 20.0% were other dwellings.

References

External links

{{authority control Towns in New South Wales Walgett Shire