From gold rush pioneers to modern tree changers — Bingara's story is still being written.
Tucked into the rolling hills of northern NSW, Bingara has always been more than a dot on the map. It's a town shaped by extraordinary people, dramatic events, and a spirit that refuses to be forgotten. Bingara Our Town, Our People Vol 2 captures that spirit — and the index alone tells you just how rich this story is.
Pioneers, Professionals & Community Builders
The book opens with the Flood of 1946 — a defining moment that tested the town and revealed its character. From there, it honours the men and women who built Bingara's foundations.
Dr. Thomas Dudley Hagger and Dr. Frank Matheson Hollinshead kept the community healthy in an era when a country doctor was everything. Ralph Arthur Whitfeld M.B.E., O.M.A. earned national recognition for his service. Edward James McManus, Joseph Henry Pankhurst, Eli Brown, and Samuel Odell are among the unsung names whose lives shaped the town's early decades.
And then there's Thelma Merle Karch (Reading) — a reminder that Bingara's women were every bit as vital to its story as its men.
A Story That Had to Be Told — Samuel Odell & the Mates Who Marched Away
Of all the stories in Vol 2, few are as moving as that of Samuel Odell. A young Bingara man, newly married, Samuel left the family farm in 1915 with two of his best mates to serve in the Middle East. Not long after, he was killed at Gallipoli — as was his mate Bill Harris. Only the third of the trio survived to return home to Australia.
The story could have ended there, lost to time like so many others. But it didn't.
After Bill Harris's death in 1979, his son Graham made it his mission to find the families of the two mates who never came home. After years of searching, that journey led him to Bingara — and to the Odell family, still living on the very same farm that Samuel had left from all those years ago.
The reunion that followed was something truly special — a circle finally closed, across generations and decades, on the land where it all began.
It's the kind of story that reminds us why local history matters.
Gold, Mines & Adventure
The Ballarat was Bingara's most celebrated gold mine — and one of the richest strikes in the region's history. Named after the famous Victorian goldfields, it drew hopeful miners and made fortunes in an era when gold was king. Captain Charles Rogers of the Monte Christo Mine adds another layer to Bingara's remarkable mining story, while Halls Creek, Potential Killer and Bush Rangers You Have Never Heard Of round out a chapter of adventure, danger, and daring that rivals anything in Australian frontier history.
The Mail Must Get Through
Two chapters pay tribute to the unsung heroes of outback communication — Mail Carrier Gordon Athol Tutt and Mail Carrier Arthur Kahler. In an era before sealed roads and reliable vehicles, these men were the lifeline connecting Bingara to the outside world. Their stories deserve to be told.
Sport, Music & Culture
The Making of Rugby League traces how the game took root in this corner of New England — essential reading for any footy fan. Legends of Minor League celebrates the local sporting heroes who never made the headlines but were giants in their own community. Costello's Music brings a cultural heartbeat to the story, and Peglars Corner captures the social fabric of a town where everyone knew everyone.
Families Who Built a Town
Vol 2 is rich with family histories — The Scutt Family, The Lanagans, The Mitchell Family, Beltana and Sarah Thompson, and Leonard Livingston Payne among them. These aren't just names — they're the DNA of Bingara itself. If your family has roots in the New England, there's a good chance your story is in these pages.
Bingara Today — A Town Reborn
Perhaps the most inspiring chapter of all is "Geoff and Barb Travelled the World to Find Bingara" — a modern love story about tree changers who searched far and wide before discovering their perfect home right here in northern NSW.
It's no surprise. Bingara's free camping sites on the Gwydir River have been named among the best free camps in Australia, drawing travellers, fossickers, and adventurers from across the country. The town's rich gold fossicking history, its welcoming community, and its stunning New England landscape make it a destination unlike any other.
Bingara is growing — and Vol 2 captures exactly why.
Get Your Copy Today
Bingara Our Town, Our People Vol 2 is available now from Rodney's Relics. Written by local authors dedicated to preserving Bingara's proud past, with 80% of sales supporting the Bingara Historical Society.
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