The Washington times., 1902-05-28
Proposed Location for
Australian Federal
Capital.
IN NEW SOUTH WALES
Fertile District -Four Hundred Miles by
Rail and Coach From Melbourne
Many Attractive Advantages Pre-
sented to Travellers.


Among the numerous sites proposed
for the establishment of the Australian
federal capital is the beautiful and fer
tile Tumut district. in the southeastern
portion of New South Wales. the town
ship of Tumut being about 800 miles
from Sydney. of which 2S1 miles are by
rail and the remainder by coach. The
distance. by rail and coach, from Mel
bourne is about 400 miles. The railway
journey, branching OF from the main
line at Cootamundra, terminates at Gun
dagai. the country traversed being of a
picturesque nature, with a background
of rugged mountains.
About twenty-five miles farther on is
Adelong, with its many pleasant recol-
lections of the old gold-digging days.
which may become revived at any mo-
ment, for the auriferous character of
the district is far richer than gener-
ally supposed. 1t has been largely
worked, but il will not be worked out
this side of the year of our Lord 1000.
The place is surrounded by mountain
ranges, many Of the recesses of which
remain unexplored to this day, and
everywhere the traces of past and pres
ent gold mining industry are observable.
A visit to the Refer Battery and
falls is interesting.
Water Power Battery.
H..
worked by water-power from a race
running from the Adelong Creek, and
is situated in a precipitous gorge. The
view with the battery in motion is sim
gularly pretty and romantic The water
rushes down the gorge with great force,
and as the water wheels are set in mo-
tion-with the dropping willows nesting
about, and the water tumbling over the
rocks and dropping over 100 feet in a
few hundred yards-a glimpse Of Swift
zerland is thrown before YOU"
But to see the gold-mining industry
properly. a day or two at the least
should be spent in the neighborhood.
Tumut. twelve miles distant, has q
thriving appearance. II is prettily sit
uated on the Tumut River. and boasts
of several handsome public buildings
and several elegant private residences.
Numerous willow and other trees grow
on the river sides, and these, with the
numerous gardens surrounding the priu-
cipal dwellings, enhance the natural
charm of the many beautiful surround
ings.
Chinese in Evidence.
Tho Chinese arc e+ro,yI,- Z, a,-;sz-z-
here. being highly successful tobacco
growers in the district One Of the prin-
cfpal Chinese storekeepers is naturally
proud of the fact that one of his daugh-
tiers passed Trinity College musical
examination. readiness TO adopt Eu-
ropean customs is one of the character
fstics OF the educated Chinese in Austria
liza The district has been described
by an American visitor, conversant with
the details of tobacco cultivation. as
the Australian Virginia. 1t strongly
resembling the American State as re-
CARDS soil and climate. All the avail
able land appears to be under cultiva-
tlon, golden grain waving in every dI
rection, with here and there broad
patches OF other crops. The whole dis
rict is more or less auriferous. and
with those of Adelong and Gundapai
constitutes portion of the great south.
ern goldfeld which the late Rev W
B. Clark, the eminent geologist. pre-
dicted would prove the real Australian
Ell Dorado; and in the early davs Of
the state, eager prospectors, tempf ed |
By the chances which seemed within |
their reach. penetrated far into tho
unexplored wilderness. some TO fiji their
swags with precious metal. others 10
return as poor as they came. and a few
TO stay and leave their bleaching re-
mains in deep. gloomy ravines or stony |
hillsides.
Silence of Mountain Broken.
There are roads. tracks and vii;e
now where formerly the silence Of .5,
mountain solitude was broken only by
the pick Of the digger or the laughter
from the rude tents by the creek. From
Tumut there is picturesque road 20
the Yarrangoblly Caves. one Of the lead
ing features being the ascent of Tai
bingo HILL lofty peak of the Turnut
Range, spur of the Muniong Range.
the northern portion Of the Australian
Alps. The road from the base of the
hill to the summit is about five miles
in length. the total fall in that distance
being 1900 feet.
Old Road and New.
The old road was little more than a
bush track. but the new one. the con-
struction Of which entailed loss Of
G2.000 to the contractor, is really fine
one. affording a series Of grand pan
oramic views during the journey. IT
sweeps round the sides Of the moI-tain.
the roadway in places being supported
by heavy masses Of masonry. Oae OF
the most remarkable pictures en- route
is that In which Black Perry figures
This is a large hill with
a black. rocky surface; hence its name.
IL oyerlooks the-Jounama Greek. a pic
turesaue tributary to the Turnut Riger.
Says a recent visitor: