Town history

The first inhabitants of our region were the Wiradjuri People who lived a modest life off the land. This was something shared by the first European pioneers to ventured out here.

Raised on Yellow Metal and Green Pastures

They were followed by settlers who leased large tracts of land for grazing and selectors who bought smaller been established, and our district’s European history had begun. For all their pioneering efforts it was the yellow metal under the ground rather than the green pastures above it that built the foundations of our town. Temora Gold Field was proclaimed on the 4th June, 1880 and within five weeks there were around 15,000 prospectors on the field. Between them they eventually dug out over 4000kg of gold (worth almost $200 million at today’s prices) on the site. Like all gold rushes ours didn’t last, petering out within the decade and Temora looked like becoming a ghost town until our big fertile countryside came to its rescue. Many of the hopefuls who came in search of easy money under the ground, stayed and farmed, creating a new, more sustainable source of wealth through wheat and wool. Together they began to build a thriving agricultural industry that really blossomed after the arrival of the railway. Our new prosperity also attracted an influx of hard working pioneers of German decent from Victoria, South Australia and the Southern Riverina who settled around Trungley Hall. Their work ethic, and egalitarian attitude towards others, as they cleared the land and built a new life, also established a strong sense of community and belonging that we still enjoy today. Our history is all around you. You can see it, feel it and touch it. It’s written all over our many fine period buildings, from banks to pubs, churches to cottages that line our wide streets.

What's in a Name

The name “Temora” is of Gaelic origin. It is one of the many variations of “Tara”, the name of the traditional stronghold of the High Kings of Ireland. The name “Temora” first appears in the 1700s as the title of an epic poem attributed to the Gaelic poet, Ossian.

Heritage walks & drives

The Temora Shire is home to many beautiful historic acreages for farming. By 1847 Temora Station had

buildings whose walls tell the stories of our ancestors - the way they lived worked and played.

Temora Heritage Tour

Temora’s buildings reflect its changing fortunes - from its origin as a vast southern sheep station through to the heady days of the gold rush. Original buildings from as early as the 1880s remain in the streetscape, a testament to the era in which they were built and the confidence shown in the town's future. As the years progressed, so did the building styles, with Neo-Classical, Edwardian, Federation and Art-Deco features enriching the streetscape. A stroll through Temora using the self-guided tour brochure is truly a trip back in time.

Temora Cemetery

A surprising number of visitors can trace their family heritage back to the Riverina - making a visit to the Temora Cemetery a fascinating experience. Pick up a self-guided cemetery brochure and use the map to locate the headstones and read about the lives of some of Temora’s oldest families and most significant historical figures.

Hotels in the Temora Shire

Temora’s hotels were once central to community life and many of the town’s pubs retain significant aspects of its social and architectural history. Browse through our brochure, ‘Last Drinks from Long Gone Hotels around the Temora Shire’, to visit the sites of Temora’s original pubs and drop into the existing hotels for a schooner and a snapshot of local history.

Ariah Park Heritage Tour

The Village of Ariah Park was proclaimed in 1907 and has since been impeccably preserved by a dedicated team of local volunteers. Amble through the quiet streets of Ariah Park to discover buildings that have had nine lives - surviving fires and transforming from general stores to butchers, bakers and more. Each building tells a story of the ingenuity and resilience of its owners.