Kiandra, New South Wales
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Kiandra New South Wales |
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View over Kiandra from a nearby hill
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 Kiandra
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| Coordinates | 35°53′S 148°30′E / 35.883°S 148.500°ECoordinates: 35°53′S 148°30′E / 35.883°S 148.500°E |
| Established | 1839 |
| Postcode(s) | 2630 |
| Location | 90 km (56 mi) NW of Cooma |
| LGA(s) | Snowy Monaro Regional Council |
| State electorate(s) | Monaro |
| Federal Division(s) | Eden-Monaro |
Kiandra is an abandoned gold mining town and the birthplace of Australian skiing. The town is situated in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council inside the Kosciuszko National Park. Its name is a corruption of Aboriginal 'Gianderra' for 'sharp stones for knives'. It was earlier called Gibson's Plains, named after Dr. Gibson, a settler in the district in 1839. For a century (until the establishment of Cabramurra), Kiandra was Australia's highest town.
Kiandra lies approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) north-west of Cooma on the Snowy Mountains Highway between Adaminaby and Talbingo. It sits at 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level and is situated on a high, treeless ridge, on the banks of the Eucumbene River, which is snow-covered during winter and is subject to high winds.
After decades of decline, restoration work on the remaining buildings at Kiandra has been ongoing since 2009. Work on the historic Kiandra Courthouse Chalet and Wolgal Lodge fishing cottage has been conducted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and volunteers, enabling occasional amenities and limited accommodation at Kiandra.
In November 1859, gold was discovered by mountain cattlemen, the Pollock brothers, and by March 1860, some 10,000 miners and storekeepers had raced to the scene. Initial returns were very good. A 9 kg nugget was discovered in river deposits under what became known as New Chum Hill. Kiandra post office opened on 1 June 1860 and it is estimated that the area at its peak accommodated around 15,000 people, served by 25 stores, 13 bakers, 16 butchers, 14 pubs, several banks and four blacksmiths. Nevertheless, by 1861, the Sydney Morning Herald was reporting a "mass exodus" and the easy pickings were exhausted.
The last mining operations finally ceased around 1905. Official total production recorded was 48 676 kg.
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