See Also: Historic Events and Locations
Timeline
470 Million Years to 45 Million Years B.P. – Australia is part of the super-continent, Gondwanaland.
60 Million Years B.P. – Formation of Murumbidya (Murrumbidgee) River Valley and the Wiradjuri Story of this event.
9000 – 7000 BP – Earliest visible evidence of Aboriginal beliefs conmnected with the Rainbow Serpent. Possibly synonymous with Wawi, or Bunyip the water creature/spirit of the Wiradjuri and Wongaibon people. This is the longest continuing religious belief in the world.
4000 – 1500 BP – Social recogntion and interaction allowed Wiradjuri to live a gather – hunter lifestyle in relative harmony with the Country. Perhaps 2000 – 3000 living in semi-permanent camps throughout the now Wagga Wagga LGA. Higher population concentration around billabongs. (Wollundry, Gumly Gumly, Gobbagumbalin, Currawarna, Bomen), and flood plains (Bullenbong, Old Man Creek, Kockibitoo. Berry Jerry & River) and sandhills (Hunters Hills, Eunonyhareenyah, Wabblambilly, Pomingalarna). Modeate to small sized family groups around lakes (Roping Pole Swamp, Lake Albert), along creeks (Houlaghan’s, Keajura, Sandy, Burkes, Tarcutta) and seasonaly at springs. Traversing hills and sand plains for food gathering, cultural and ceremonial purposes.
1790’s Small pox epidemic brought to the area by travelling Aboriginals from coastal nations. The Wiradjuri people had no immunity to it. Many people died.
1825 on Areas of land set aside from sale for the creation of Aboriginal settlements (reserves, missions and stations). Their aim was to suppress traditional society organisation, law and custom at the same time “protecting” the people from further annihilation.
5th – 8th Dec 1829 Wiradjuri men Peter and Jemmie guide Charles Sturt’s expedition from Wantabadgery past the future site of Wagga Wagga to Mount Arthur.
1832 – 39 First European settlers arrive including the North and South side of the River.
1832 Robert Holt Best and Charles Tompson established station runs on south and north banks respectively of Murrumbidgee River.
24/10/1836 Mitchell spots the Murrumbidgee from a small hill near Alfred town
Early 1841 All the settlers on both side of the river were determined to give the Wiradjuri a lesson for spearing cattle. They went out armed and drove the blacks before them, who took refuge on an island thickly covered with reed in the middle of the river, about 7 miles from Narrandera and they were shot down in numbers. At least 60 to 70 Wiradjuri men, women and children were killed, the island became known as Murdering Island.
1842/43 A grand corroboree took place in Wagga Wagga in which 400 to 500 blacks particiapated.
1846 With help of “the blacks” (Wiradjuri men), the first “prisoner” in Wagga Wagga’s first gaol taken. It was a ram!
1847 Police Station and Court House established.
1849 Proclamation as a town, and first survey by Surveyor Thomas Townshend.
First Wagga Cup Race Meeting, 17 March
1849 Matt Best (son of Robert Best, Wagga Wagga Run), learn the Wiradjuri langauage and is adopted into the Wagga wagga tribe.
1851 First store opened by Dr Robert Davison.
1862 Wagga Wagga Bridge opened for traffic.
1870 Municipality of Wagga Wagga incorporated, 15 March
Population: 1,000
1874 Famous Tichborne Trial.
1875 The Wagga Wagga Express claimed that the “extinction of aboriginies appears to have proceeded more rapidly here than in most parts of the colony for the appearance of one in the streets is now idneed a rarity”.
1879 Railway line extended to Wagga Wagga.
1880 Gasworks established by Wark Bros.
1881 City Council Chambers erected
1885 Water Works established.
1888 Gasworks taken over by Council.
1891 Saleyards control vested in Council.
1895 Hampden Bridge erected.
1899 First Council Meeting of 12 Aldermen.
1901 Census records 6 Aboriginies living in Wagga Wagga
1916 Installation of first sewerage main.
1922 Electricity switched on 6 May.
1925 Best Street overhead railway traffic bridge opened.
1927 “Wiradjuri Language”, a book listing over 300 Wiradjuri words is published by James Baylis. James Baylis, a surveyor, landowner and son of Wagga’s first Police magistrate, compiled an extensive list of over 1500 Aboriginal words.
1928 Electricity switched over from Burrinjuck.
Victory Memorial Gardens established.
1932 Water reticulated to North Wagga.
1938 Water Supply Filtration/Plant installed.
1940 Establishment of No. 2/S.F.T.S. R.A.A.F. at Forest Hill (now R.A.A.F. Base).
1941 Establishment of Royal Australian Engineers Training Centre at Kapooka (now known as Kapooka Military Area).
1943 Opening of College of Technical and Further Education.
1945 Transfer of Electricity Trading and Water Supply Undertakings to the Southern Riverina County Council, 2 July.
1946 Wagga Wagga proclaimed a City, 17 April.
Municipal Library opened.
1947 Teachers College established (absorbed into Charles Sturt University).
1951 Municipal Abattoir opened.
Extension of City boundary, 7 December. Total area, 8,971 hectares.
First Chiko Roll ever sold was at the Wagga Wagga Country Show
1952 Interim Development under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Scheme operative as from 19 September.
1953 City Baths officially opened, 28 November.
1954 Visit to Wagga Wagga by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, 13 February.
30/10/1956 Opening of the wrought iron gates to the Wagga Wagga Teachers College donated by students as a gift in honour of Mary Gilmore. Gates capture the spirit of the evening or dancing star of “Jiemba”, the Wiradjuri name bestowed upon Mary as a child whilst she lived and played with them on the Murrumbidgee and Houghlagan’s Creek area.
1957 Sewerage Treatment Works Reconstruction and Augmentation Works completed.
1958 Town Planning Scheme adopted.
1960 Completion of Flood Prevention and Mitigation Scheme.
1961 Civic Centre Baby Health Clinic opened.
Ivan Jack Drive opened.
1962 Kooringal Sewerage System inaugurated.
Botanic Gardens established.
Sister City Affiliation: Wagga Wagga (NSW) - Leavenworth (Kansas, USA).
1963 Chaston Street Gasworks completed.
Civic Theatre opened.
Miss Leavenworth (USA) to Wagga Wagga.
1964 A.R. Bluett Memorial Award to City Council for greatest relative progress in Local Government in 1963.
1965 Town Planning Scheme gazetted 2nd April.
Cassidy Bridge erected
1966 Coat of Arms and City Flag dedicated and handed over, 2nd June.
1967 Cemetery control vested in Council.
Sister City Affiliation: Wagga Wagga (NSW) - Nordlingen (Germany).
1968 Extension of City Boundary, 1 January. Total area, 10,333 hectares.
1970 Centenary of Proclamation of Municipality.
1971 Completion of Lawn Cemetery-Crematorium.
Official visit by Oberburgermeister of Nordlingen, Dr. H. Kessler.
1972 Opening of Riverina Institure of Higher Education (later Charles Sturt University).
1975 Eunony Bridge opened, 7 June.
1976 Major extensions to Wagga Wagga City Meat Processing Plant, opened 3 June.
Railway Underpass, Edward Street opened.
1977 Bolton Park Stadium opened.
1978 Regional Library established.
1979 Tourist Information Centre opened.
Livestock Marketing Centre opened.
1980 Art Gallery officially opened, 24 January.
1981 Amalgamation of City of Wagga Wagga with Shires of Mitchell and Kyeamba.
Official visit of 62 members of St. George's Choir of Nordlingen, in company with the Oberburgermeister, Dr Hermann Kessler.
Natural Gas supplied to Wagga Wagga.
1984 Centenary of birth of Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey, GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED, at Lake Albert, 24 January.
1986 Wagga Wagga awarded first place in NSW Tidy Town competition.
1988 Outdoor Entertainment Centre opened.
Sister City Affiliation: Wagga Wagga-Kumming, China.
Wagga Wagga awarded first place in N.S.W. Tidy Town competition - Wagga Wagga first to win award twice.
1989 Railway Overpass, Glenfield Road, opened.
1991 Tarcutta Sewerage System completed.
1992 Airport control vested in Council.
1995 Wiradjuri Bridge erected.
1997 Gobbagombalin Bridge opened.
Natural Gas business sold to Great Southern Energy
