Sandy Flat, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Sandy Flat
state = nsw


caption = Sandy Flat rail siding sign
lga = Tenterfield
county = Clive
postcode = 2372
est =
pop = 196
pop_footnotes=
elevation= 805
elevation_footnotes=
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Northern Tablelands
fedgov = New England
dist1 = 751
dir1 = N
location1= Sydney
dist2 = 296
dir2 = SW
location2= Brisbane
dist3 = 169
dir3 = N
location3= Glen Innes
dist4 = 20
dir4 = S
location4= Tenterfield
dist5 = 28
dir5 = NE
location5= Deepwater

Sandy Flat is an historic locality on the Northern Tablelands in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. This locality is situated on New England Highway and the former Main Northern Railway line about 20km south of Tenterfield.

Sandy Flat takes its name from a general description of the area. Nearby Bluff Rock is one of the most prominent and most photographed landmarks along the New England Highway.

History

The original inhabitants of the land were Aborigines of the Kamilaroi clan.

Early community life at Sandy Flat for generations centred on a school (1886-1965), a public hall, a church, a general store and during construction of the railway line during the 1880s the community also had its own hotel. The Main Northern Railway line to Jennings opened on 1 September 1886 and closed on 20 February 1975.

The former Bluff River Rail Bridge at Sandy Flat, has been listed on the Register of the National Estate. It consists of a series of timber trusses and is quite long, with twelve spans totalling 132m. When completed in 1886 it was the second longest timber truss bridge in Australia. [ [http://www.aussieheritage.com.au/listings/nsw/Sandy%20Flat/BluffRiverRailBridge/2973 Bluff River Rail Bridge] ]

Remains of the Sandy Flat community comprises the former rail siding, a disused post office building and a modern Rural Fire Service shed together with an information stand. There are some scattered agricultural properties in the surrounding area.

ports

Apart from facilities for the more traditional sports such as tennis, cricket and football the Sandy Flat Rifle Range provided many hours of recreation for men around the time of World War l. The 1000 yard range was opened in 1913 with a telephone connection and a substantial weather shelter for its sixty or so members.

Industries

Local industries include Merino sheep breeding and beef cattle farms.

Citations

References

Halliday, Ken, Call of the Highlands, Southern Cross Printery, Toowoomba, 1988

Tenterfield Tourism, Tenterfield: A Federation Town, ICP Craftpress, Stanthorpe