Delegate (including Bonang)
Small border town noted for
its excellent trout fishing.
The little border town of Delegate
with its population of only 450 people is located 546 km south of Sydney
in the south east corner of New South Wales. The tiny village has a
reputation as one the finest trout fishing destinations in New South
Wales. The partially dirt road from Bombala runs through Delegate and
continues to Orbost in Victoria's East Gippsland. The road has changed
little since it was established by a number of explorers who moved
through the area looking for suitable grazing land and bringing herds of
cattle into the fertile plains of East Gippsland. By 1835 George
McKillop had travelled through Delegate and established a substantial
holding in East Gippsland. He was followed in 1830-40 by Angus McMillan
who became one of the largest East Gippsland land owners.
Delegate Station which was the starting point for many of these
expeditions was one of the earliest runs on the Monaro. It had been
established by Robert Campbell in the late 1820s and it subsequently
gave its name to both the local river and the small township which grew
up beside that river.
Today Delegate is a tiny isolated community which services the
surrounding area and is used by keen trout fisherman as a base for their
fishing expeditions along the river. The town is now so small that by
1996 it had no bank and all cash transaction were occurring in the
Delegate Hotel which reputedly was prepared to accept cheques as low as
$1.
Former Court House
The most historically important
building in Delegate is the former Court House and Police Station, a
single storey building erected in two stages the first being completed
in 1890 and the second in 1920. The front section which is the later
section has a low pitched gabled roof and coloured windows. The rear
section has a hipped roof and a kitchen made out of timber.
Bonang District
Located in Victoria on the dirt road which
runs between Delegate and Orbost the whole Bonang district is well worth
exploration. The small township of Bonang was once a booming gold mining
town and there is also a fascinating water tunnel, known as the Delegate
River Tunnel, which was constructed to change the course of the Delegate
River. The result was that the increased flow of water was used to drive
a local water wheel. In the area are also a number of a attractive
waterfalls and picnic locations. Travellers interested in the journey
should obtain the sheet 'Tourist Information in the Bonang District'. It
can be obtained by writing to the Bonang Post Office, Victoria 3888 or
telephone (02) 6458 0266.
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