Merricumbene is a locality in the

Eurobodalla Shire Eurobodalla Shire is a Local government in Australia, local government area located in the South Coast (New South Wales), South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located in a largely mountainous coastal region and situated ...

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. It is located about 43 km south of Braidwood and 40 km northwest of

Moruya Moruya is a town located on the far south coast of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Moruya River. The Princes Highway runs through the town that is about south of Sydney and from Canberra. At the , Moruya had a population of 4 ...

in the valley of the

Deua River The Deua River, being the main perennial river of the Moruya River catchment, is located in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features The Deua River rises about southeast of Bendethera Mountain, on the eastern s ...

. At the , it had a population of 19. The area now known as Merricumbene lies on the traditional lands of Yuin people. The National Museum of Australia has a breastplate made by settlers, around 1845, for "Timothy, Chief of Merricumbene". The locality was site of gold mining and there was a mining village of the same name. Alluvial gold mining appears to have begun around March 1859. The Moruya or Deua River Goldfield was proclaimed on 31 August 1865. A number of small portions of land exist on both sides of the river, indicating that the mining settlement occupied both banks of the river, over a significant length, below the confluence of the river with

Araluen Creek Araluen Creek, a partly perennial stream of the Moruya River catchment, is located in the Southern Tablelands and South Coast (New South Wales), South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features Araluen Creek rises near Gilli ...

. Gold reefs were mined briefly, in the area, during 1911. A gold dredge was working at Merricumbene in 1901. A later dredge commenced operation in the river, in December 1912, but it was overturned by floodwater in June 1913. It had a "half-time" school from 1893 to 1904. In its early days, Merricumbene's only road connection—such as it was—was via Araluen; from 1858, there was a pack-horse route to the coastal plain at

. Araluen and Merricumbene were later connected to

, by the Araluen Road, constructed in 1867-1868.

References

Localities in New South Wales Eurobodalla Shire Towns in the South Coast (New South Wales) {{SouthCoastNSW-geo-stub Mining towns in New South Wales Ghost towns in New South Wales