Toomelah

Toomelah
New South Wales
Toomelah
Coordinates 28°40′15″S 150°28′45″E / 28.67083°S 150.47917°E / -28.67083; 150.47917Coordinates: 28°40′15″S 150°28′45″E / 28.67083°S 150.47917°E / -28.67083; 150.47917
Population 205 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 2409
Elevation 230 m (755 ft)
Location
LGA(s) Moree Plains Shire
State electorate(s) Barwon
Federal Division(s) Parkes

Toomelah Station (formerly Toomelah Aboriginal Mission) is an indigenous community in the far north of inland New South Wales, Australia within the Boggabilla locality in Moree Plains Shire. The mission was established in the 1930s. Toomelah is the home of about 300 Gamilaroi people, located north of Moree on the MacIntyre River and is close to the town of Goondiwindi across the border in Queensland.

Following a report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission on the community, in 1987 there was a public outcry over poor sanitation at Toomelah and action was taken to improve water and housing.[2] In 2008 the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in New South Wales heard evidence of abuse and neglect of children at Toomelah.[3]

In May 2012 the ABC's 7.30 program ran a special report dealing with child abuse, housing and the collapse of social services in Toomelah. In August 2013 a house fire killed a 14-year-old girl while two other children managed to escape. [4]

A specialised unit of the Australian Army was deployed in Toomelah in 2017[5] to run a six-month works project to restore infrastructure including roads and the community hall.

Singer/songwriter Roger Knox is from Toomelah. In 1994, the Toomelah Tigers rugby team won the Aboriginal NSW Koori Knockout, defeating La Perouse in the grand final.

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Toomelah (ILOC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 13 April 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ↑ Toomelah lesson, Sydney Morning Herald 21 June 2008; Jews bring water, hope to Aboriginal town Archived 22 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine., Australian Jewish News, 24 January 2007.
  3. ↑ Heartbroken nurse quits over child abuse, Sydney Morning Herald 23 June 2008.
  4. ↑ Toomelah house fire Sydney Morning Herald
  5. ↑ Army begins six-month program ABC News
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