Urana, New South Wales

Urana () is a small town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia.

Urana is located between Lockhart and Jerilderie, about 578 kilometres southwest of Sydney. To the west lies Lake Urana and the Lake Urana Nature Reserve. To the east lies a smaller lake, Lake Uranagang.

Urana in the major town and headquarters of Urana Shire. The shire includes the localities of Boree Creek, Morundah, Oaklands and Rand.

History

Urana was first settled by Europeans during the 1850s. In May 1859 a design for the "Town of Urana" by Surveyor Hayes was approved by the New South Wales Executive Council.  The name Urana comes from the Aboriginal word 'airana', meaning a temporary shelter (usually consisting of a simple frame of branches covered with bark, leaves, or grass).Jervis, James, 'The Western Riverina: A History of Its Development', Royal Australian Historical Society Journal and Proceedings, Vol. XXXVIII 1952, pp. 242-3.

Urana Post Office opened on 1 January 1861.

In August 1863 near Urana the notorious bushranger, Dan 'Mad Dog' Morgan, and his accomplice Clarke held up the Police Magistrate based at Wagga Wagga, Henry Baylis.  A few days after this incident Baylis led a party of policemen to the bushrangers' camp; shots were exchanged and both Baylis and the bushranger Clarke were wounded.  Morgan and Clarke both escaped on this...
Read More