Murrurundi is a small country town in the UpperHunter Valley ofNew South Wales. Murrurundi is 193 km (120 mi) by road fromNewcastle and 309 km (192 mi) km fromSydney. In 2006 there were 2162 people (ABS 2006) living in Murrurundi. The town is circled by mountains of theLiverpool Range. It is on thePages River, which flows into theHunter River. The nameMurrurundi is from anAboriginal word meaning "Five fingers". This is the name given to a group of rocks at the north end of the town.
The first people to live in the Murrurundi area were theAustralian aboriginal people, theWanaruah and theKamilaroi.European settlement of the area began in the 1820s. Benjamin Hall, the father ofbushrangerBen Hall started a cattle farm in the area in 1839. The town was started by the New South Wales government in1840. In the same year, a local land owner - Thomas Haydon - started his own town called Haydonton. Benjamin Hall opened abutcher's shop in Haydonton in 1842. Ben Hall lived here until the age of 13.[1] In1913, the two towns were joined together to make the modern-day town of Murrurundi.
Kerosene shale was first mined at Mount Temi, 11 km (7 mi) north of Murrurundi in 1886. The mine was reopened in 1910. The shale was moved 10 km (6 mi) from the mine on a rope system known as an aerial ropeway. It was then loaded ontotrains at arailway built at Temple Court, just west of Murrurundi. The mine closed in theFirst World War.[2]
Every year there is arodeo and the King of the Ranges stockman (cowboy) contest. Other sports played in the town includerugby, touchfootball,swimming, andcricket.
Murrurundi railway station is on theMain North railway line, 352 km (219 mi) from Sydney. The station opened in 1872. There is a large brick station-house, a passing loop and goods yard.[3]There is a train to and fromSydney andArmidale/Moree every day.