Kandos, New South Wales

Kandos
New South Wales
Kandos
Coordinates 32°51′0″S 149°58′0″E / 32.85000°S 149.96667°E / -32.85000; 149.96667Coordinates: 32°51′0″S 149°58′0″E / 32.85000°S 149.96667°E / -32.85000; 149.96667
Population 1,284 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 2848
Location
LGA(s) Mid-Western Regional Council
State electorate(s) Bathurst
Federal Division(s) Hunter

Kandos is a small town in New South Wales, Australia, in the Mid-Western Regional Council. It is located on the Bylong Valley Way. At the 2011 census, Kandos had a population of 1,284 people.[1]

History and economy

The town was established in 1913 to take advantage of local supplies of limestone. The New South Wales Cement Lime and Coal Company lifted the limestone from the quarries by an enormous aerial ropeway.[2]

The town was originally named Candos, an acronym of the Board of NSW Cement, Lime and Coal Co Ltd.[3] In 1915, the name Candos was considered too similar to Chandos in South Australia, and the name was changed to Kandos, the name was registered with the NSW Registrar General.[4]

For many years Kandos' main non-agricultural industry was the production of cement. However, the cement manufacturing facility and associated limestone quarry (both operated by Cement Australia) were closed in September 2011.[5] This was expected to result in the loss of 98 jobs.[6]

Another major industry in the region was coal-mining. Centennial Coal operated the Charbon coal mine until its closure. The underground mine closed in March 2014,[7] while open cut mining continued until 2015.[8]

The town contains the northern-most Field Support Centre of Endeavour Energy.[9]

Transport

Kandos is located on the Wallerawang to Gwabegar railway line. The line was extended from Capertee to Rylstone (7 km to the north of Kandos) on 9 January 1884.[10] Kandos station was opened in 1915 as Candos before being renamed Kandos the same year.[4]

Train at the now-closed Kandos railway station

On 25 May 2007, the rail owner Rail Infrastructure Corporation announced that the Kandos to Gulgong line would be suspended from use.[11]

Cement haulage ceased following closure of the cement works in 2012, while coal haulage ceased following closure of Charbon colliery in 2015.

The line has been reopened temporarily for charter passenger tours, as recently as November 2015.[12][13]

Passenger rail to Mudgee closed in 1985.[14]

Since 1985, coach services from Kandos south to Lithgow and north to Mudgee have provided the only passenger connection to Kandos. The operator was Countrylink until 30 June 2013, which was rebranded as NSW Trainlink from 1 July 2013.

Churches

Kandos Museum

Housed in the former Methodist church building, the Kandos Bicentennial Industrial Museum [18] has a collection that runs from 20th century heavy industrial machinery through to personal memorabilia and intimate journal sketches.

Kandos also has the Harley Museum of NSW containing a collection of early model bikes.

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Kandos (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Kandos". Mudgee Region Tourism. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  3. ↑ "Kandos and Rylstone History p1". Mudgee District History. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  4. 1 2 "Kandos and Rylstone History p2". Mudgee District History. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  5. ↑ "Kandos Cement Plant | | MiningLink - The largest & most visited mining website in Australia". mininglink.com.au. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  6. ↑ "Cement Australia blames taxes for Kandos factory closure". Manufacturers' Monthly. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  7. ↑ SNYDER, DARREN (2014-02-18). "Hope for Charbon workers: Centennial Coal announces plan to re-open Airly mine". Mudgee Guardian. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  8. ↑ "Airly to reopen while Charbon draws to a close". Centennial Coal. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  9. ↑ "Endeavour Energy - Our Network Area". Endeavour Energy. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "Gwabegar line". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  11. ↑ "Gulgong-Kandos rail line to be suspended from use". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  12. ↑ "Use of the Charbon Jct to Kandos line". Mudgee Guardian. 2015-11-04. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  13. ↑ "Take a ride on the Kandos Express". John Holland Rail. 2015-08-19. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  14. ↑ "Railways, Capertee, Gulgong, Mudgee". Mudgee District History. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  15. ↑ "Anglican Dioces of Bathurst:Kandos-Rylstone". Anglican Diocese of Bathurst. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  16. ↑ "St. Dominic's Parish - Kandos". Catholic Diocese of Bathurst. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  17. ↑ "Kandos Uniting Church". Macquarie Darling Presbytery. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  18. ↑ "Kandos Bicentennial Industrial Museum". Kandos Bicentennial Industrial Museum. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
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