Tumut

Tumut or is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the banks of the Tumut River.Tumut sits on the north-west foothills of the Snowy Mountains and is referred to as the gateway to the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The former Tumut Shire was administered from offices located in the town. Tumut is approximately 410km south-west of Sydney and 525km north-east of Melbourne.Tumut is home to a number of historic buildings, including an Anglican church designed by Edmund Blacket and a Courthouse designed by James Barnet. Many of the pubs in the town have been in use from the mid to late 1800s.Early settlers established a large number of European deciduous trees throughout the area. The stand of Poplars, Elm and Willow, amongst others, create a well renowned display of colour over autumn. Tumut celebrates this with the yearly Festival of the Falling Leaf.EtymologyThe name Tumut is derived from an Indigenous name for the area a word thought to mean "a quiet resting place by the river".HistoryPrior to European settlement, Tumut and surrounding areas were part of the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri, Ngarigo and Ngunnawal aboriginal peoples. The area's rivers may have been the boundaries or connection-points of these three language groups. During summertime, the high country was a meeting place for tribes, with Bogong moths being an abundant food source in the warmer months.