page_title: Darlington Point
section_title: Darlington Point and Waddai
hierarchical_section_title: Darlington Point / History / Darlington Point and Waddai
caption_attribution_description: Murrumbidgee Shire Council office at Darlington Point, New South Wales
context_page_description: Darlington Point is a small town on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River in the Riverina district of western New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Murrumbidgee Council local government area. The centre of town is four kilometres from the Sturt Highway, along Kidman Way. Darlington Point is 631 kilometres south west of Sydney and 33 kilometres south of Griffith. At the 2011 census, Darlington Point had a population of 1,016.
context_section_description: In 1864 George Rogers acquired 56 acres (22.7 ha) of "Cuba" station.  He built the Darlington Inn about two miles (3 km) west of "Cuba" homestead at the junction of the Wagga Wagga to Hay road and the track leading to the river-crossing.  Rogers soon became discontented; he sold out a year later and left the district.  The new publican of the Darlington Inn was Jacob Abrahams.  Another hotel (probably the Waddai Hotel) was built on the southern bank at the crossing (eventually leading to the development of the Waddai township).  A report published in August 1865 claimed that Darlington Point, by "the growth of free selection", was "fast assuming the dimensions and appearance of a township"; there were two hotels, one on either side of the river, which the writer concluded "can hardly be regarded as a favourable sign".
  In 1866 a punt (previously operating at Wagga Wagga) was purchased for use at the Darlington Point-Waddai crossing; the owner of the punt was Jacob Abrahams, previously publican of the Darlington Inn, who had opened a general store at the township.  The punt was said to be one of the largest in the colony, with the capacity to carry 1,700 sheep in a single trip. The licence of the Darlington Inn was held by Thomas Linsell from 1866 to 1868. Edward J. Flood held the licence of the Darlington Inn in 1869 (the last year this hotel appears in the annual list of licences granted).
  In about 1870 a second hotel was built on the southern bank at Waddai; for the year commencing 1 July 1870 Edward Grimley held the licence there for the Riverina Hotel.   From mid-1871 Alexander Beaumont held the licence of the Waddai Hotel. The licences for the year commencing 1 July 1872 at both settlements were: Coach and Horses Hotel at Darlington Point (Keyran C. H. Cumming); Waddai Hotel (John White) and Riverine Hotel (Edward Grimley), both at Waddai. At Darlington Point by this stage the Coach and Horses Hotel had apparently replaced the Darlington Inn (possibly just a name-change). Keyran C. H. Cumming remained the licensee of the Coach and Horses Hotel at Darlington Point from 1871 to early 1879 (after which John Bowman held the licence). The licences for the two hotels at Waddai were held by a number of different persons over this same period.
  In 1876 the steamer company McCulloch and Co. leased 5 acres (2.0 ha) on the river where they established a wool receiving store, a general store and erected a small wharf.  By 1880 the timber trade was booming with a high demand for railway timber; G. H. Risbey from Narrandera erected a small mill near Darlington Point to cut red-gum. Darlington Point Post Office opened on 1 November 1876.
  Darlington Point township was half a mile from the punt where, on the opposite bank, the southern township – "called by the native name ‘Wadai’" – was located.   In April 1881 it was reported that "Darlington and Wadai collectively contain a population of about 120".   The adjoining townships had three hotels, three stores, "and the usual concomitants of a bush town".
  From 1881 onwards it appears the Punt Hotel replaced the Riverine Hotel at Waddai (possibly a name-change of the existing hotel). The licences at both townships for the year commencing 1 July 1881 were: Coach and Horses Hotel at Darlington Point (John Bowman); Waddai Hotel (William Whyte) and Punt Hotel (James Slattery), both at Waddai.
  In 1882 a public school was opened with Mrs. J. Carroll in charge.  In June 1882 it was reported that a move had been instigated to have the Government buildings removed to the south side of the river.  By 1883 a post-office, courthouse, police barracks, school and telegraph service had been established at the township.
  As the town centre became established in the southern township the name 'Darlington Point' was eventually used for the settlements on both banks of the river.  The town's main street is called Punt Road, a reminder of the public transport service that operated to ferry vehicles, stock and passengers across the river. The place-name of ‘Waddai’ seems to have been transferred; the small cl
caption: Darlington Point branch office of Murrumbidgee Council
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