European Heritage

European exploration of the Bland region occurred in 1817 under the direction of Surveyor General John Oxley. Oxley described the area as unfavourable, although based on the physiology of the area Oxley did note that the area was typical of gold bearing country. Gold was discovered by the Neeld family in 1893 near West Wyalong and by 1894, 10 000 people descended on the gold fields. By 1899, the Wyalong gold fields had been developed ‘so vigorously that it was the most productive in the colony’. Between 1895 and 1915, the Wyalong fields yielded over 200,000 ounces of gold – in today’s terms A$115 million. During the First World War many diggers abandoned the goldfields to join the war and by 1920 golf mining had almost ceased in the area.

Pastoral settlement began in the area around 1842. By the early 1900s, wheat growing had become well established with around 11,900 acres of land devoted to wheat production.