Rylstone is a town in New South Wales, Australia, in the Central Tablelands region within the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area.
Rylstone is a rural town located within the Mid-Western Region in New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Bylong Valley Way road route. In the , Rylstone had a population of 904. The area surrounding Rylstone is the traditional home of the Dabee tribe of the Wiradjuri people. Rylstone shares much of its locality, employment and infrastructure with its neighbouring town Kandos, 6 kilometres away; the two towns have a shared community which is connected by farming, the arts and Aboriginal culture. Rylstone is within a half an hour drive of Mudgee, and within two hours of Lithgow and Bathurst. Rylstone is a three hour drive from Sydney (via the Blue Mountains and Castlereagh Highway); and Newcastle (via Bylong Valley Way).
Amenities
Ganguddy Ganguddy, (also known as Dunns Swamp) is a popular recreation area and lake in the Wollemi National Park. Ganguddy was established when Cement Australia constructed a weir on the Cudgegong River to provide piped water to the Kandos Cement Works. Current facilities include bushwalking tracks, picnic areas, camping sites, Aboriginal art, fishing and kayaking services run by locals throughout the summer. Many also recreationally jump off of the rocks that surround Ganguddy. Ganguddy is popular with both locals and tourists from around Australia, with up to 40,000 visitors per year.
19th Century buildings Rylstone has retained its original character buildings from its beginnings. Some notable buildings are the Bridge View Inn, the Globe Hotel, the post office, the police station, the courthouse and the shire hall. The old town granary was built in the early 1840s.
Historic hotels and pubs There was a pub named The Shamrock Hotel, and was located on the southern side of the railway bridge. It was built by Michael Hayes in 1885 and closed in 1890.
Ferntree Gully Ferntree Gully is a rainforest area 17 kilometres north of Rylstone. Walking tracks take visitors down into the narrow fern tree-studded valley floors and present unusual rock formations.
Other places in the surrounding areas
Nullo Mountain – is a high mountain plateau to the north of Dunns Swamp with views over the Wollemi Wilderness and the Widden Valley. Lake Windamere – a large water supply dam with camping facilities, used for water sports and fishing Historic streetscape – The town has several old stone buildings, especially in Louee Street Wollemi National Park - the second largest national park in New South Wales, and contains a large part of the Wollemi Wilderness area.
District events The Rylstone and District Agricultural Show happens late February each year. The RDAS was formed and the first show was held on 17 April 1937. Prior to that, the Rylstone Horticultural Society formed 1 August 1892 ran shows, with the first show occurring 9 November 1892.
The Rylstone Street Feast is a food and wine event that occurs each November. Rylstone main street is closed and tables and stalls are set up along the street. The event showcases the region's produce.
Established in 2011, the Rylstone Classic is an annual motoring event attracting over 200 classic Mini vehicles to the region. The two-day event departs from the Central Coast of New South Wales and tours the scenic roads of the mid-west, travelling either via the south through the Blue Mountains or via the north through the Bylong Valley. The overnight event centres activities on the town's central pub and brings almost 400 tourists to the area and surrounds.
Rylstone is predominantly an agricultural community with wool, sheep, cattle, wine grapes, and olives, being among the main pursuits. Coal mining and cement production are also significant employers in the community with these works being located in the nearby town of Kandos.
Tourism Rylstone is on the tourist route that has developed following the final sealing of the Bylong Valley Way. The sealing of the route was commenced in 1950 and completed in April 2009. A large part of the Bylong Valley Way route lies between the Wollemi and Goulburn River National Parks. Business associations and local governments in the area are promoting the journey to develop the tourist potential. A route is now available from Sydney through the Hunter Valley and return to Sydney via Rylstone providing a tourist loop.
Transport and railway line
On 9 June 1884, the railway was opened to Rylstone, transforming the status of Rylstone village to that of a town. The railway yard included a goods shed, trucking yards, and turntable. Notably, Henry Lawson's father, Niels Hertzberg Larsen, helped build the timber Rylestone railway station. The line was extended from Rylstone to Mudgee and this section was opened on 10 September 1884. Rylstone is located on the Gwabegar railway line. In April 1895 a railway telephone line was installed between Wallerawang and Mudgee with Rylstone as an intermediate telephone point. The telephone was an important safety feature on this railway due to the steep cliffs and tunnels that occur on both sides of Rylstone allowing quick and clear communication of problems. The railway line through Rylstone was closed on 2 March 1992 and remain closed for eight years.The end of the Gwabegar line Railway Digest May 1992 page 184 The New South Wales Government spent $11 million to resleeper the track, repair bridges, and level crossings reopening the line on 2 September 2000.Intelligence Railway Gazette International November 2000 page 702 The line was again closed seven years later on 30 June 2007; plans emerged to reopen the line for coal trains to operate between Cobbora Mine (near Dunedoo) and the Mount Piper Power Station and Wallerawang Power Station. On 24 October 2017 the New South Wales Government announced that $1.1 million would be provided to reinstate the eight kilometre rail link between Kandos and Rylstone, thus enabling tourist trains to access the resulting 'Kandos-Rylstone Rail Heritage Precinct'. The line to Rylstone station reopened on 29 September 2018.
Bridges Four road bridges have spanned the Cudgegong River which flows through the town. The first bridge was a suspension bridge that was washed away by floods around 1867. This was followed by a second bridge of two spans built by a Mr Hayden soon after the flood. This second bridge was alongside the first bridge at the end of Hall Street. A third bridge built by Eddy Fitzgerald replaced the second in 1890 and was a little further up the river. The fourth bridge, and the only one remaining, which is still used today was built in 1948 to line up with the Bylong Road. A railway bridge also spans the Cudgegong River approximately 100 metres upriver of the present road bridge. This apart from upgrading works, to add additional centre pillars, is the original structure built during the construction of the line.
History The district was originally known as Dabee (under various spellings). There are many contemporary newspaper references to the town being referred to as Ryalston in the period 1846 to mid-1850s then referred to as Ryalstone during the late 1850s. Rylstone town was laid out in 1846 by surveyor Davidson. By the 1850s Rylstone was becoming a well established town with post office, hotels, school, mills, and police lock-up. The Rylstone district was declared as a police district in 1854. Rylstone was formally proclaimed a town on 20 March 1885.
Naming The name 'Rylstone' has no clear origin; however, several possible origins are promoted. Michael Hayes who built the Shamrock Hotel and other buildings at The Junction (where the Cudgegong River and Tong Bong Creek meet) claims responsibility. On travelling through the area he mentioned sleeping on 'that Ryle Stone' his Irish accent converting what was actually said 'Royal Stone'. Another tale suggests the Scots had a weapon called a Ryle Stone. This weapon being used when the Scots were at war with the Picts (England) and Scottish shepherds built their huts at the location of the current village of Rylstone. A petition was sent to Governor Gipps asking for a village to be called Tong Bong to be established at the present site of Rylstone. Governor Gipps granted permission for the village to be surveyed but he insisted that the village be called Rylstone and not Tong Bong. There is no evidence of any connection between Governor Gipps and the English village of Rylstone. Early maps spell Rylstone as Rylestone.
Early settlers and properties
Richard Fitzgerald 1772–1840 (of Dabee Station) – an Irish political prisoner who became an emancipist Robert Fitzgerald (son of Richard) 1807–1865 Edward Cox (of Rawdon Station) Daniel Cox (of Balmoral, Nullo Mountain) – Daniel Cox sailed from England as a convict on 16 August 1830 John Nevell (of the property Carwell) John Thompson 1796–1873 and son William Barber Thompson 1821–1889 (Davis Swamp Holding, later named Olinda) Harry Thompson (of Warleigh to become Woodlands, near Nullo Mountain) no relation to the above Thompsons Thomas Harris (of Loowee, property that later became Lue and Monivae)
Buildings and businesses The main commercial street, Louee Street, was originally an upper level and lower level street. In the 1930s the street was levelled and this created the high steps to the buildings on the high side of the road. Early buildings were constructed of timber slabs and stringy bark, later wattle and daub became common. Plentiful sandstone in the area led to significant buildings being constructed of that material. The Butter Factory – when closed it became the Freezing Works The Rabbit Factory – building demolished Cordial Factory – built in 1880 and owned by Mr JN Collins of Mudgee Court House and Gaol – built in 1870
Recent history The Rylstone District was governed by a separate local government area known as the Rylstone Shire Council which was formed on 5 December 1906. Prior to that the area was administered by the Department of Public Works. In 2004 the New South Wales Government conducted an inquiry that found evidence of deteriorating finances as well as breaches of regulations in appointments and management of staff. It ruled all civic offices to be vacated and appointed an administrator to manage council's affairs. The council's relatively small area was ultimately amalgamated with the Mudgee Shire Council in March 2006 to become the Mid Western Regional Council.
Aboriginal history The local indigenous Aboriginals were the Dabee tribe and they in turn were part of the broader Wiradjuri group of people. Some of the localities in the area are derivations of Aboriginal words. Lue (chain of waterholes) believed to be pronounced in the Aboriginal language like Loowee Mudgee believed to derive from Moothi meaning nest in the hills Dabee – name of the local Aboriginal Tribe and the Fitzgerald's property was named after Wollemi – is derived from an aboriginal word meaning "watch out" or "look around you" Cudgegong – meaning red hill, noted for the red clay used by Aboriginal people in body decoration Tong Bong, pronounced "Tung Bung" One of the last full blooded Aboriginal people of the Rylstone area was Peggy Lambert wife of Jimmy Lambert, she was buried in the Aboriginal section of the Rylstone Cemetery in June 1884. Another local Aboriginal person was Jimmy McDonald who was attached to the Rylstone Police station as a tracker.
Timeline
1849 – Post Office opened on 1 January 1849. 1853 – Wesleyan Chapel opened on Sunday 15 May 1853 1857 – laying of foundation stone for new church, St James Rylstone on 19 May 1857 1857 – The School opened in July 1857. 1875 – Rylstone and district population was approximately 300 persons 1879 – Dr Dame Constance D'Arcy, a leading Sydney obstetrician and gynaecologist, born in Rylstone.