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1827
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Explorer and Botanist, Alan Cunningham discovers region.
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1837
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First squatter take up land in the district naming his holding “Barraba”, being aboriginal for “camping place on the bank of a river”
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1840
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Property name “Barraba” registered
Other squatters also arrive to take up land
Stores begin to open in and around the district
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1844
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First white child said to be born in district
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1851
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First postal service commences
Mail conveyed by horse
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1852
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Map of town surveyed
District population is 80
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1861
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First school classes operating in Cherry Street
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1862
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Free Land Selection Act proclaimed
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1866
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District becomes known as an agricultural and pastoral area
Gold diggings at Crow Mountain and Woodsreef
Mail conveyed by horseback now twice weekly
Barraba described as a “Pastoral township”
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1872
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Coach service from Tamworth to Warrialda commences
Legend: Thunderbolt attempts to rob coach at Devils Elbow on the Barraba-Bingara road
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1874
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Barraba School has 16 pupils
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1876
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First St Laurence’s church built in Queen Street
First bank begins operation
Auction of Crown Lands in Barraba district
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1878
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Commercial Hotel opens for business
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1881
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Barraba Court House built
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1882
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First brick Post Office erected
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1885
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Barraba proclaimed a town (20 March)
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1889
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Copper discovered at Gulf Creek
Mining commences
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1890
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Victoria Hotel built
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1891
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Barraba Hospital constructed
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1893
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Barraba population 500
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1895
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Bandits Lee and Cummins attempt to rob Commercial Bank - Bank Manager killed
Morrow Row cottages built (Savoy Street)
Barraba Central School building built (Gotha Street) - pupils transferred from Cherry Street Schoolhouse
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1897
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First newspaper “The Barraba & Manilla News” - printed on satin
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1898
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Wesleyan Church (now Uniting) built
First recorded snowstorm hits Barraba
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1900
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Barraba Gazette first published
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1902
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Bank of New South Wales opens
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1905-1906
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St Johns Catholic Church constructed
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1906
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Barraba Municipal Council gazetted
Barraba Shire Council proclaimed
First mayor S J Lillis
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1908
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Railway line to Barraba completed - train runs from Tamworth to Barraba
Dean & Smith stores open
Barraba reaches peak of prosperity - riches from gold, copper, wool and meat a realised - wheat, asbestos, clay and diatomaceous earth add to Barraba’s wealth
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1910
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St Joseph’s convent founded
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1911
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District population stands at 3,552
Town population 1,125
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1914- 1922
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Small scale mining of asbestos
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1915- 1919
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Gas engines installed to generate electricity for street lighting replacing kerosine lamps
World War 1 - 186 enlist from Barraba to serve their country. 40 personnel killed in action
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1924
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War memorial clock tower built to commemorate those who enlisted and those killed in the Great War
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1927
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Diesel engines replace gas engines for street lighting
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1929
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The Great Depression begins
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1933
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Connors Creek Dam constructed to supply town water
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1934
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First town water supply from Connors Creek Dam
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1946
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Bulk electricity comes to Barraba
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1966
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Barraba population estimated at 2,815
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1972
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Asbestos mine opened
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1971
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Barraba High School opened in West Street
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1974
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First “Frost Over Barraba” art exhibition
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1980
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Mall amenity block erected
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1983
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Asbestos mine closes
Train services to Barraba ceases
Richardson House Retirement Home opens
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1984
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Second known snow storm hits Barraba (July)
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1988
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Split Rock Dam opened
Bicentennial Centre opened
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1991
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Barraba Shire Band re-established
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1993
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Barraba main street beautification completed
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1996
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Population 2,271
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1998
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Barraba Hydrotherapy Pool opened
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2011
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Three Tier Government Agreement to fund Pipeline from Split Rock Dam
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2011
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Manilla River floods (November)
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2012
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Manilla River floods (January)
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2011
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Survey work begins on Barraba Pipeline (March)
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