History + Heritage
History + Heritage
The geological origins of the Hilltops Region are mysterious; millions of years ago, fertile soils arrived and have nourished humans for thousands of years. The original custodians of the land were the Wiradjuri people in the Young and Harden areas and the Ngunnawal people in the Boorowa area. In the 1820s, Europeans arrived in the district now known as Boorowa; areas further west were settled around 1830. Gold rushes brought an influx of people, and from 1860 onwards, towns and villages began to grow.
The Hilltops is one of Australia’s most fertile regions. Before European settlement, the original landowners, the Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal people, sowed and reaped crops of local legumes, seeds and yams, and used fire-stick farming and other ingenious technologies to manage native livestock. The returning boomerang mimicked a bird of prey: when thrown above ducks, it frightened them into nets. Small patches of grass were burned in sequence to attract kangaroos and wallabies to fresh regrowth, where they could be easily speared. A coincidence of history led to peaceful first contact between Aboriginal and European men Cobborn Jackey and James White in Lambing Flat which is now the town of Young in the Hilltops Region. Cobborn Jackey was a respected leader of the Burrowmunditory people, and he played a pivotal role in the early pastoral history of the Hilltops Region—working alongside settler James White to establish Burrangong Station, guiding routes between settlements, and fostering peaceful relations between cultures during a time of great change. In 1826, the NSW Colonial Government declared the “limits of location,” beyond which settlers were not protected by the government.
The Gold Rush
When James White sought to graze sheep and cattle beyond those limits, he had to negotiate with the Wiradjuri people. Running their livestock and cropping this fertile land, the Wiradjuri were healthy, strong people—some men stood over 213 cm (7 feet) tall—and they were great warriors. They were also aware of the arrival of Europeans with their powerful technologies: horses, metal tools, and the ability to convert vegetation into protein through livestock. The Wiradjuri men negotiated with White, learned to ride, and became skilled pastoral workers. During this period, they maintained their ceremonies and connection to the land they had nurtured for generations.
When gold was discovered and European workers left farms to seek their fortunes, the wool industry turned to Indigenous labour. Gold brought an influx of diverse people and cultures into the predominantly British society—Italians, Germans, Dutch, and French, as well as Americans (including African Americans), and the Chinese, who worked in close-knit teams on the diggings. You can hire a gold pan and search for gold still to this day from the Young Historical Museum.
Bushranger History
The gold rush era also brought with it bushrangers—outlaws who roamed the countryside, often targeting coaches, inns and gold escorts. The Hilltops Region, with its remote roads and isolated settlements, was fertile ground for bushranger activity. One of the most infamous was Ben Hall, whose gang was active across the Central West, including near Young and Harden. These men lived rough in the bush, sometimes admired as folk heroes, other times feared for their bold robberies. Their stories are still told across the region today, adding a dramatic layer to our colonial past.
Railway History
The arrival of the railway in the late 1870s was a major turning point for the region. Rail transport enabled goods—especially wool, fruit, and grain—to reach major markets within 24 hours, rapidly accelerating economic growth and population expansion. Harden developed into a major railway centre, with its station still operating today. Countrylink trains pass through daily, continuing a long tradition of regional rail travel.
Young and Boorowa were also connected by rail, though both stations are now closed. The historic Young Railway Station, however, has found new life as the Visitor Information Centre, welcoming travellers and preserving the town’s transport heritage. Boorowa’s railway legacy also remains an important part of its local story, with remnants of its rail past still evident in the landscape.
Farming History
Many miners stayed on once the gold ran out, and large pastoral properties were subdivided. Farming communities remained around the towns and villages near Young and Harden. The Wiradjuri people became contractors, continuing to use pastoral skills such as fencing, shearing, and horsemanship. This period also marked the beginning of horticulture, with cherries and other fruits planted on a large scale.
By 1889, electricity gave the region another boost. Local pastoralists invested in the towns, guaranteeing loans for new businesses. Wiradjuri contractors added fruit-picking to their repertoire of skills.
Following World War I, soldier-settlement schemes were established, and the rural population continued to grow. The Cool Stores in Young were built by a small farmers’ co-operative with the support of local pastoralists. The refrigeration plant was made possible by the town’s own electrical generating station. Young became the region’s commercial and business hub. Harden emerged as a major railway centre, with pastures and wheat farming, while Boorowa remained primarily pastoral, with broadacre properties but has always had the reputation of being a strong sheep growing region. Today, crops such as canola, barley, and triticale are also widely grown across the region.
Home Of The Australian Light Horse
Harden-Murrumburrah proudly holds its place in history as the birthplace of the Australian Light Horse. In 1897, the 1st Australian (Volunteer) Horse was raised here – a proud mounted infantry unit that laid the foundations for the legendary Light Horse brigades of World War I. Today, a striking bronze statue of trooper William “Bill the Bastard” provides a powerful tribute to the region’s enduring connection to this remarkable chapter in Australia’s military heritage.
