Tambaroora is an Aboriginal word meaning “place of the ibis”.

Gold was found first at Dirt Holes in 1851 and then later at the head of Tambaroora Creek. Lawlessness and robbery were rife in 1852, so a resident Gold Commissioner and some troopers were sent there.

In 1852 James McEachern came to Tambaroora with two of his brothers and opened a Store. Thomas Paten arrived during the original rush, opened a store, became the register of Births, Deaths and Marriages and later was an alderman of the Borough Council. Edward Long also had a store and became the town’s chief gold buyer, he was robbed twice. And a market garden was planted by William Wade.

A Wesleyan Church (made of bark) was erected in 1852. The Anglicans also built a church after the first service conducted in the Gold Commissioner’s house was well attended.

By 1855 Tambaroora was the most populated area in the Turon district with about 5-600 people. In the 1861 census for Tambaroora, it showed that 2235 individuals were living in the area, and this included 1625 Chinese.

By 1899 all active mining had ceased, having gleaned over 50,000 ounces (1,418kg) of gold out of the creeks and gullies.

A Post Office was opened on the 9th of July in 1852 and in January 1861 W. J. Slack was Postmaster. A building was rented from T. Peters in 1862 for the Post Office. The Post Office closed on 31st March 1923. The Post Office was opposite the Hargraves Hotel, a few steps is all that is left behind to see.

A public School was opened in December 1858 and closed in December 1928.

Today nothing is left of the village of Tambaroora, apart from a few houses along the road and the remnants of the chimney of the Hargraves Hotel owned by Alfred Thomas Dagger who took over the hotel soon after the death of his father, James Dagger who died 20th December 1900.

Tambaroora Township and its Goldfield

SOURCES:-
The Hint Of Gold? By Kerrin Cook & Daniel Gravey
www.minerals.nsw.gov.au