Day 6: Uralla

Uralla is a prosperous rural service town surrounded by the rich, fertile soils of the New England district. Today the prosperity of the town relies on its proximity to Armidale (it has a number of commuters); the superfine wool and cattle which is produced on the surrounding properties; and its location as a tourist destination - it is almost exactly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane. Uralla describes itself as ‘Thunderbolt Country’ and this is demonstrated by the town’s chief claim to fame - the bushranger Captain Thunderbot. He is one of the main features at the local museum; his body lies in the local cemetery; he has a statue in the main street; and Thunderbolt Rock, the place which he reputedly used for many of his robberies, lies only 7 km south of the town.

Gold was discovered at Rocky River, near Uralla, in 1851 and soon 3400 miners were there searching for the precious ore. By 1855, this number had grown to 5000.

Up until 1870, bushrangers were notorious for disrupting the rustic pastoral scene.

The antics of Frederick Ward (alias Captain Thunderbolt), for instance, are legendary. Ward’s stellar career in highway robbery came to an end when he was shot by police at Kentucky Creek in 1870. Or was he? Controversy about who was actually killed on that day has been hotly debated ever since.

It is believed that “uralla”, in the language of the local Anaiwan Aborigines, was the name given to the district - specifically to a ceremonial meeting place and lookout which was situated on the top of a hill or the two hills at the town’s north-western boundary.

We walked around the town and admired the historic buildings.