Bargo, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Bargo
region = Macarthur
state = New South Wales
lga = Wollondilly Shire
postcode = 2574
pop = 3942 [ [http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ViewData?method=Place%20of%20Usual%20Residence&subaction=2&producttype=QuickStats&areacode=SSC16161&action=401&collection=Census&textversion=true&breadcrumb=PL&period=2006&navmapdisplayed=true& 2006 Census QuickStats : Bargo (State Suburb) ] ] (2006)
stategov = Wollondilly
fedgov = Hume
near-s = Yanderra
near-se = Upper Nepean Catchment Area
near-e = Pheasants Nest
near-nw = Couridjah
near-n = Tahmoor
dist1 = 100
dir1 = South-West
location1= Sydney CBD
propval = [http://www.domain.com.au/public/SuburbProfile.aspx?searchTerm=Bargo&mode=%20$$350,000#mapanchor $350,000] (2008)

Bargo is a small town, located in Wollondilly Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately 100 km south west of Sydney. It is situated between the township of Tahmoor (north) and the village of Yanderra (south), and accessible via the Hume Highway, a major freeway linking Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. It was previously known as West Bargo and Cobargo.Bargo is the largest town in New South Wales without a sewerage system.

Facilities

Bargo Train Station was first opened on July 19 1919 as "West Bargo" and then renamed in 1921 as "Bargo." [ [http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Bargo&line=NSW:main_south:0 NSWrail.net | Bargo Station ] ] . The station is part of the Southern Highlands Line or Main South Line which under CityRail goes to Sydney and under CountryLink to Canberra and Melbourne.

Bargo has community facilities like a public horse racetrack, sporting fields and skatepark. It's commercial facilities include a local pub and a sports club, a small grocery store, chemist, bakery, butcher, newsagency, liquor store, half a dozen restaurants(including bistros at the pub and club), petrol stations and many other small businesses.

Demographics

It's location close to Campbelltown, Mittagong and Wollongong via the Hume Highway as well as land affordability make it an ideal location. "'

History

The name Bargo is derived from the local Aboriginal language, meaning "cripple". Early explorers and convicts found getting through the Bargo area a difficult experience due to the thick scrub, explorers dubbing the tricky bush the "Bargo Brush". The "Bargo Brush" is a rare shrub found only in abundance in the Bargo area. Not a lot is known about the "Bargo Brush", but it can be seen sprouting out of disturbed soil when bushwalking.

Bargo is noted as being where the first recorded sightings of the lyrebird, koala and wombat took place by European settlers.

Bargo is also the site of a famous massacre, when settlers forced local Aborigines to walk off a big cliff and shot them if they refused.

The Original Bargo Train Station on the eastern side was burnt down from an arsonist attack. Currently at use is a permanent demountable building. Bargo Police Station, now disbanded, is still visible in the town along Rememberance Drive. Currently used as a doctors surgeory, the lock ups are still standing behind the building. The patrol area of the Bargo Police Station used to cover Pheasants Nest, Bargo, parts of Tahmoor and Yanderra.

Location

"'

The Bargo township border spreads from Bargo River Road, south along Bargo River to perpendicular with Tylers Road, along Tylers Road, then south along Silica Road to Remembrance Drive, North along the freeway to perpendicular with and along Dwyers to north along Arina Road and back to Bargo River.

Attractions

Bargo offers many attractions to the day tripping city slicker traveling along the Hume Highway.

Nepean and Avon Dams

Natural wonders like the Avon and Nepean Dams are a popular attraction for family picnics, viewing local and Illawarra water catchment in scenic bushland.

Wirrimbirra Sanctuary

Beautiful Animal reserves like the Wirrimbirra Native Sanctuary offer bushland walks on well maintained walking tracks, awareness programs for flora and fauna, a small cafe, and a walk in pen where tame local flora and fauna, like wallabies, can be seen hiding amongst the scrub.

Local natural water features like the Mermaid Pools and "The Potholes" are local swimming spots where caution is recommended when jumping in from the side cliffs into the cool, deep flowing water.

Mermaid Pools

Historically, "Mermaid Pools" is a local sacred aboriginal site for women. It is believed to be protected by spirits. Out of all the recorded Injuries and Deaths at "Mermaid Pools", they have only been Men and Boys. An interesting point for Aboriginal Mythology."The Potholes" have been a local communal gathering point for summer swimming since early European Settlers, and is still a favourite amongst some.

Recreation

Football (Soccer)

Bargo is home to the Bargo Yerrinbool Bush Rangers football team. Established by a group of men in the Pub one night, the Bush Rangers now have teams from U6 to All age Men & Women competing in the Highlands comp.

Walking

The quiet roads of Bargo are used often for walking, and for the more adventurous walker, bushland surrounding Bargo is often trodden by an ambitious squad of seniors. Cross country is also practiced by a few.

Cycling

Bargo is also used by many bicycle enthusiasts where off road training by cyclists are undertaken in the Bargo Mine Site. Road bikers are a common site through Bargo on their training regime. The annual Goulburn to Sydney bike race passes through Bargo each September, bringing locals out to the street to cheer on cyclists, fundraisers and competitors.

Fistball

Bargo is the home of an amateur fistball team. Though still to make a name for themselves, fistball is the name heard in many conversations taking place in meetings. Players do not play on the regulation 20 x 50 metre field, as the tennis court is regularly closed.

Mermaid Pools

Mermaid Pools are not for the public, the Scout Association has decided to close and padlock the gates to the road to the mermaid pools, even though it has been used as a thoroughfare for as long as locals can remember. It is now used as a recreational gathering spot for the Scouts members. Mermaid Pools has built a reputation for significant injuries to persons. A woman was injured in 2004 after falling and was required to be airlifted out. Though with this reputation, some locals can be caught jumping the fence for the secluded swim.

Tourney

One up and coming sport rising in Australia is Computer Gaming, attracting high amounts of prize money. Though practised in Bargo regularly, professional gaming does not exist in the town. Friendly's do however occur.

One such group in Bargo is the group known as 'Battlefield Bargo'. This group keeps an open invitation to the local area for gaming nights once a month. This group plays network gaming with PC games such as "Call of Duty 4" and "V8 Supercars 3". Most players have custom PC's that they have put together themselves. Players order their food from 'Hectors', a local cafe, to keep well fed for a nights play.

Organisations

Dingo Sanctuary

Merrigal Dingo Sanctuary is located in Bargo, where fitting families may adopt a Dingo.

Wirrimbirra Sanctuary

Wirrimbirra Sanctuary is run by volunteers who are more than willing to show there knowledge of local flora and fauna to anyone who just asks.

Bargo Chamber of Commerce

Bargo Chamber of Commerce looks after the towns business interest to local government and residents.

Bargo Rural Fire Brigade
Bargo Rural Fire Brigade, established 1939, serves the local community, restoring normality to those in need. From its humble beginnings, the brigades few handtools and drum of water has been constantly upgraded to its present day Heavy Tanker and Light Tankers housed in the purpose built Village Two category building on the outskirts of Bargo. The brigades top service calls are Bush Fires in the local surroundings and Vehicle Accidents along the Hume Highway that passes along Wilton, Pheasants Nest and Yanderra. Bargo Fire Brigade is also recognised with assisting out of area disasters such as the 1994 Sydney Bushfires, Sydney Hail Storm of 1999, 2001/2002 Christmas Fires, 2007 Gosford Storm Damage to name only a few.

The Brigade will be celebrating its 70th year on December 26 2009.

[http://www.bargo.rfsa.org.au Bargo Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade]

References