Weethalle

Weethalle (/ˈwiːθæli/ WEE-thal-ee) is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is in the Bland Shire local government area and on the Mid-Western Highway, 526 kilometres (327 mi) west of the state capital, Sydney, and 100 kilometres (62 mi) north east of Griffith. At the 2011 census, Weethalle and the surrounding area had a population of 307.^[2] The name "Weethalle" is said to be an Aboriginal Australian word for drink. Locals refer to the town as the Wee or the Peethalle.^[3]

Weethalle New South Wales
Railway Street (Mid-Western Highway), the main street of Weethalle
Weethalle
Coordinates	33°52′32″S 146°37′30″E
Population	268 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)	2669
Location	526 km (327 mi) W of Sydney 100 km (62 mi) NE of Griffith 57 km (35 mi) W of West Wyalong
LGA(s)	Bland Shire
State electorate(s)	Cootamundra
Federal division(s)	Parkes

History

The area now known as Weethalle lies on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people.^[4]

The Weethalle area was set aside as homestead farms for returned soldiers in 1921.^[5] The Rankins Springs railway line was extended to Weethalle in 1922.^[6] Land clearing commenced and by 1923 the first wheat from the area was delivered to the Weethalle railway station.^[7]

By 1924, a site was surveyed for a village to service the surrounding farms with town allotment sales taking place the following year.^[8][9] A "skeleton" town was in existence by 1926, with "buildings in all states of construction" and "built mostly of wood".^[10] In the same year, a provisional school was established along with a branch of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney.^[11][12]

An observer in 1928 described the growth of Weethalle as "remarkable" with the town having "sprung up in the night".^[13] In that year, a new hotel was built at a cost of £13,000. The hotel was the newest addition to a town that also boasted a bank, "2 stores ... butchers, bakers, hairdresser and tobacconist, several agents, a school, a doctor, a dance and picture hall, and a tri-weekly rail service."^[13]

Sport

The most popular sport in Weethalle is rugby league. The town's team, the Weethalle Kangaroos, used to compete in the Group 17 Rugby League competition. Nowadays, the town's players play for either West Wyalong or Rankins Springs.

Gallery

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  Weethalle Mid-Western Highway
• 
  Weethalle Mid-Western Highway
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  Pioneer Park
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  park
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  Court House
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  Post Office
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  Presbyterian Church
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  Weethalle Roadhouse
• 
  Weethalle Showgrounds
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  Sports Ground
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  Tennis Courts
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  Weethalle Town Entry
• 
  CWA Rooms
• 
  Street in Weethalle
• 
  Weethalle Street
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  Museum
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  War memorial
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  Weethalle Wee St
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  Railway Station
• 
  Wheatfield near Weethalle