Collarenebri, New South Wales

Collarenebri is a town in north western New South Wales, Australia. The town in the Walgett Shire local government area and on the Barwon River approximately 75km northeast of Walgett and south west of Mungindi on the Gwydir Highway. It is 16km from Pokataroo which was the nearest railway town prior to closure of the rail service there. The town is 150m above sea level.In the, Collarenebri had a population of 767.Collarenebri is an indigenous word of the Gamilaraay galariinbaraay, meaning 'place of flowers' or 'eucalyptus blossoms'.HistoryOriginally spelt "Collarindabri", Collarenebri is located near a shallow rocky ford on the Barwon River, which provided a hard bottomed shallow river crossing for stock and pioneering travellers.In 1860 William Earl settled near the Collarenebri crossing and established "The Squatters Arms" to capitalise on the increasing traffic through the area. Earl and his pub later became famous for having been held up by bushranger Captain Thunderbolt. Earl is credited with having established present day Collarenebri, with a prominent street and aged housing carrying his name. A number of his descendants still reside in the town.By the end of 1865, Collarenebri is described as having "two stores, a public house, with another nearly finished: the timber is also lying at Collarenebri for a Government punt; several small houses and a population of about 50 people stationary."