Launceston, and 202 miles from Hobart. Barrington is connected with Don (13 miles) by tramways, and good roads extend to Latrobe. Bass's Straits, between Victoria and Tasmania, were discovered by Bass in 1797-9. The west entrance, formed by the islands to the N.W. of Tasmania and Barringun, N.S.W. A squatting town- Cape Otway, is 108 miles wide. King's ship on the Queensland border, 640 miles Island lies nearly midway, and is 35 N.W. of Sydney. Nearest railway station miles from north to south, the northerly Byrock, on the Great Western line. A channel being 47, and the southern 37 great depôt for travelling stock. Popu- miles wide. Between King's Island, to lation 150. nearly the longitude of Wilson's Promontory and the north-east cape of Tasmania, there are no islands; but between these points are those of Furneaux, Flinders, Cape Barren, the Kent Group, Hogan, and other small islands. Barrona, N.S.W. A new county at the extreme N.W. of the Warrego river. Barron's Creek (Northern Territory),S. A. A station on the Overland Telegraphy, 1297 miles from Adelaide. Barrow Island, W.A., on the N.W. coast of the continent, opposite the mouth of the Fortescue river, is named after Sir John Barrow, Secretary to the Admiralty. Barrow, Mount, Tas. A mountain in the county of Dorset, in the north-eastern portion of the island, near the source of the St. Patrick's river, 4644 feet high. Barry's Reef, Vict. A mining town near Mount Blackwood, 72 miles N.W. from Melbourne, on main road from Ballarat to Kyneton. Population of district 750. Barwon (or Upper Darling), N.S.W. Flows into the Darling above Bourke, after a course of 510 miles in New South Wales and Queensland. Bass, George. A navigator and explorer, born at Ashworthy, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, in 1770. Son of a farmer, who died during his infancy, he was apprenticed to a medical practitioner at Boston, and was afterwards appointed surgeon to the Reliance, in which Governor Hunter sailed to Sydney in 1795. Explored the country round Botany Bay and Illawarra; and in 1797 with a whaleboat manned by a crew of six men rowed through the straits which now bear his name, and examined Western Port, Vict. Next year accompanied Flinders on board the Norfolk, a cutter of 25 tons, sailed round Tasmania, and examined the various harbours. In 1799 he returned to England, and it is believed that he afterwards served on different men-of-war, and died either in South America or the Straits of Malacca. Bass, Vict. A town 68 miles S.E. from Melbourne, on the river Bass (about two miles from its mouth), which flows into Western Port. Batavia River, Qd. A small stream rising in the western watershed of Cape York Peninsula, and falling into the Gulf of Carpentaria about 100 miles S. of Cape York. Bateman's Bay, N.S.W. A seaport situated on Clyde river, near its entrance into the bay, 200 miles S. of Sydney-and 20 miles N. of Moruya. Population 260. Batesford, Vict. A town 48 miles S.W. from Melbourne, and 6 miles from Geelong, on the river Moorabool. Much fruit is grown in the neighbourhood. Population 180. Bathurst, N.S.W. An old county W. of the Blue Mountains, intersected by the Western railway and the branch from Blayney to Cowra, and contains the city of Bathurst. Bathurst, N.S.W. A city, railway station, and seat of circuit courts, on the S.W. of the Macquarie river, 145 miles W. of Sydney, on the Western railway, 2153 feet above sea-level, and surrounded by hills. The third city in the colony, and the seat of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops. The first discovery of gold in Australia was near Bathurst, and there are still important gold workings in the neighbourhood. Lighted with gas, and a good water supply. The climate is excellent. The land in the neighbourhood is very fertile, and the city contains a large number of educational establishments and other public buildings. Population of_city 8500. Newspapers: Bathurst Free Press, Bathurst Times, Sentinel and Advocate. Bathurst was founded in 1824, and the depredations of the aborigines were so serious that martial law was proclaimed the same year. In 1829 there was an insurrection amongst the convicts in the district, which was not suppressed until two soldiers had been killed. Ten convicts were hanged for their share in the mutiny. Bathurst Bay, Qd. A bay on the Pacific coast, on the east shore of Cape York Peninsula, W. of Cape Melville and two degrees N. of Cooktown. Bathurst Island (Northern Territory), S.A. An island W. of Melville Island, from which it is separated by Apsley Strait, and nearly opposite Port Darwin. On disallowed by the Home Government, town clerk of Geelong, and the youngest, Polymenya, who was named after the wife of the aboriginal chief Jagga-Jagga, Daniel Bunce, a distinguished botanist, who was for many years curator of the Geelong Botanical Gardens. Baudin, Nicholas. See NAVIGATORS. Baudin Rocks, S.A., are two high rocks which lie to the S. of Cape Jaffa, and form the W. shelter of Guichen Bay. Bauer Cape, S.A., the S.E. head of Streaky Bay. Baw Baw, Mount, Vict. A mountain in the county of Evelyn, about 4500 feet high. Baxter, John. See EXPLORERS. Bathurst Lake, N.S.W., to the E. of Lake George, about 25 miles S. of the city of Goulburn, and 130 miles from Sydney, is from 3 to 5 miles in diameter, and has an area of about 8 square miles. Batman, John, one of the founders of Victoria, was born at Parramatta, named Collyer, another Mr. Weire, the N.S.W., in 1800, and in 1820 emigrated to Van Diemen's Land. He lived on a farm at Kingston, near Hobart, and took an active part in the attempt to remove the aborigines from the mainland of Tasmania to some of the adjacent islands. In 1835 he was appointed by an association of Van Diemen's Land settlers to report upon the general character and capabilities of Port Phillip as a grazing and agricultural district. He embarked at Launceston on May 10th, 1835, in the Rebecca, 15 tons, accompanied by his own servants and some New South Wales aboriginals; reached Port Phillip Head May 29th, and anchored near Hobson's Bay; went ashore and explored the country for about 25 miles in the direction of the Macedon. Returning to the mouth of the Salt Water river, he saw smoke in an easterly direction, followed it, and came up with a large tribe of aborigines, at the site of what is now Northcote. He made a treaty, by which, in consideration of a quantity of blankets, knives, lookingglasses, beads and scissors, he purchased all the land around Port Phillip as far west as Geelong, some 600,000 acres, more or less. The deed had been previously prepared in Hobart by Mr. Gellibrand, and set out in proper legal language, that Jagga-Jagga, Cooloolock, Bungarie, and others, being the owners of this land, conveyed to John Batman, his heirs, executors and assigns, all the land belonging to them and their tribe, in consideration of the beads, etc. After signing the deed, which was afterwards Bay of Islands, on the N.E. coast of New Zealand, one of the finest harbours in the world, was discovered and named by Cook on his first voyage. The Rev. S. Marsden, of the Church Missionary Society, visited it in 1814, and the headquarters of the Church Missionary Society were here established. Traders and whalers followed the new-comers, formed alliances with the native women, and a numerous progeny of half-castes were born. All the whaling fleet in the Pacific made Kororarika, in the Bay of Islands, the place for obtaining water, fresh food, and for indulging in dissipation. good effected by the missionaries was more than counterbalanced by the profligacy of the sailors and longshoremen. First a resident magistrate (the Rev. Mr. Kendall), and then a Government Resident (Mr. Busby) were appointed by the British Government, which recognised the Maoris as an independent The nation. Captain Hobson, R.N., arrived at the Bay on Jan. 29th, 1840. The treaty of Waitangi was executed on Feb. 7th, 1841, by which the chiefs of New Zealand recognised the sovereignty of the British Crown. Hobson remained at the Bay with his staff and a detachment of the 80th Regiment, but in Jan. 1841 removed the seat of government to Auckland. Baynton, Vict. A town in a pastoral and agricultural district 52 miles N. from Melbourne. Railway via Kyneton (16 miles). Population 400. Bay of Islands, N.Z. A county in the Northern Island on the north-east coast, including the country around the Bay of Islands; principal town, Russell. Bay of Plenty, N.Z. A large bay on the east coast of the Northern Island, extending from Cape Runaway to the Thames Peninsula. Beaac, Vict. A town in a farming and grazing district 101 miles from Melbourne and 53 from Geelong; the terminal railway station of the branch line from Colac. Population 160. Beachport, S.A., is the port at Rivoli Bay and the terminus of the railway to Mount Gambier. The harbour is said to be one of the best in the district, and vessels drawing 14 or 15 feet can lie within half a mile of the shore. A pier 2100 feet in length affords facilities for landing and discharging cargoes. A lighthouse has been erected on Penguin Island, at the entrance to the Bay. Population 260. Beaconsfield, Tas. A town in the midst of a large goldfield, on which several companies are successfully working. The yield from the district in 1888-9 was 30,832 oz., and in 1887-8 28,000 oz. Situated near the W. bank of the Tamar, with which it is connected by tramway, and 37 miles N.W. of Launceston. Population of town and district 2500. Beaconsfield, Vict. A town and railway station on the Gippsland line, 28 miles S.E. from Melbourne. Bealiba, Vict. A mining town and railway station on Cochrane's creek, 137 miles N.W. from Melbourne. Population 500. Beaudesert, Qd. A township and station on the South Coast line, 47 miles S. of Brisbane. Beaufort, Vict. A town and railway station in a mining, farming and woolgrowing district, situated on the Yam Hole creek, 129 miles W.N.W. from Melbourne. Population of district 4750. Local paper, Riponshire Advocate. Beaufort, W.A. A county in the interior, E. of Howick. Beautiful Valley (or Wilmington), S.A. A town on the direct road from Adelaide to Port Augusta, at the entrance to Horrock's Pass, 205 miles from Adelaide and 30 from Port Augusta. Population 250. Bedford, Cape, Qd. A headland jutting into the Pacific a few miles N. of Cooktown. Bedout, Cape, S.A. A cape on the west coast of Kangaroo Island, facing the Southern Ocean. Beechworth, Vict. An important township and railway station in a mining district, 172 miles N.E. from Melbourne, on Spring creek, 25 miles S. from the Murray river. The assize and circuit courts are held here. Population, with district, 7355. Newspapers, Ovens and Murray Advertiser and Ovens Register. Beemerang, Mount, N.S.W. The highest peak of the Blue Mountains. Beenleigh, Qd. A township in a sugar and agricultural district 24 miles S. of Queensland, with which it is connected by railway. Population 600. Newspaper, Logan Witness. Bees. First introduced into New South Wales in 1822 by Captain Wallis, of the Isabella. Introduced into Tasmania in 1834. Bega, N.S.W. A river falling into the Pacific Ocean near the southern boundary of the colony. Bega, N.S.W. An agricultural town on the Bega river, in a district celebrated for cheese, 13 miles from the seaport of Tathra, and 255 miles S.W. from Sydney. Lighted with gas. Population, with district, 7000. Local papers, Bega Gazette and Bega Standard. Belair, S.A. A town in the hills, with the Nairne railway passing through it, 7 miles S.E. (by rail 138) of Adelaide; 1008 feet above sea-level. It is chiefly remarkable for containing an Inebriates' Retreat. Population 210. Belford, N.S.W. A town on Jump-up creek 138 miles N. of Sydney, 39 from Newcastle, and a station on the Great Northern railway. Population 220. forms a spur of the Dividing range, 4840 feet high. Belgrove, N.Z. A town and station on the Nelson and Belgrove railway and Wai-iti river; 22 miles from Nelson. Benarba, N.S.W. A new county on Bellender Ker Range, Qd. A lofty the Queensland frontier, E. of the Macrange S. of Cairns in Northern Queens-intyre river and intersected by the land; its highest peaks are Wooroonooran, Gwydir. 540, and Chooreechillum, 5200 feet. Bellerive, Tas. A suburb 2 miles from Hobart, on the E. bank of the Derwent. Steamers plying throughout the day. Coaches run daily to Richmond and Sorell. Courts of general and quarter sessions are held here. Population 450. Belle Vue (late Cattle Camp), Qd. A mining centre in the Woolgar goldfield. Population 100. Belmont, N.S.W. A town and wateringplace on the E. shores of Lake Macquarie, 93 miles N. from Sydney, and 12 miles from Newcastle, of which it is destined to become the Brighton. Population 200. Belmont, Vict. A township 2 miles S. of Geelong, and 47 miles S. W. from Melbourne, near the Barwon river. Population of neighbourhood 428. Beltana, S.A. A town near the Warrioota creek, 353 miles N. of Adelaide, and 143 N. of Port Augusta, with which it is connected by rail. It is the first station on the overland telegraph route to Port Darwin, and the north railway line is now completed to Warrina, 634 miles N. of Adelaide. Population 150. Belvidere, S.A. An agricultural town on Angus river, 39 miles E. of Adelaide. Population, with district, 1050. Benalla, Vict. A township on the Broken river, 122 miles N.E. from Melbourne, and communicating with Melbourne by the North-Eastern railway. The centre of an important agricultural and pastoral district. All fruits of the Citrus family flourish well, and raisins and currants are successfully preserved. Population, including shire, 8652. Newspapers, North-Eastern Ensign and Standard. Benambra, Vict. One of the new counties; area, 2749 square miles; portion of the old Murray district in the mountains at the extreme N.E. of the colony, bounded on the N. and E. by New South Wales, on the W. by Bogong, and the S. by Tambo; watered by the Upper Murray, the Mitta Mitta and their tributaries; contains the towns of Bethanga, Tintaldra and Towong. Population 60,242. Benambra, Vict. A mountain which Bendemeer, N.S.W. A township on the Muluerindie river on the main northern road, 273 miles N. from Sydney, and 45 miles from Armidale. The Giant's Den tin mine and Watson's Creek mine are in the neighbourhood. Population 220. Bendigo, N.Z. A mining locality on Bendigo creek, 14 miles N.E. of Cromwell, and 153 miles N.W. from Dunedin. The principal claims are Cromwell Co., Jubilee Quartz Mine, and the Rise and Shine Sluicing Co. Population 150. Bendigo, Vict. One of the new counties; area, 1949 square miles; part of the old Loddon district; bounded on the N. by Gunbower, on the W. by Gladstone, on the S. by Talbot, and on the E. by Rodney and part of Dalhousie; is watered by the Campaspe, Loddon and their tributaries, Bendigo, Picanninny and Bullock creeks; is intersected by the railway from Ravenswood towards Echuca, from Sandhurst towards Heathcote, from Sandhurst towards Inglewood, and from Sandhurst towards Swan Hill; contains the towns of Sandhurst, Eagle Hawk, Lockwood, Marong and Huntley. Named after the goldfields of the same name. The origin of the word is the bandicoot, a native animal, and not the British pugilist, Bendigo. Population 52,756. Ben Lomond, N.S.W. The highest peak of the New England range; has an elevation of 5000 feet. Ben Lomond, Tas. A mountain in the county of Cornwall and the north-eastern portion of the island, and N. of the town of Avoca. Ben Nevis, N.Z. A peak in the province of Otago, and a spur of the Southern Alps, 9165 feet high. Ben Nevis, Tas. A mountain in the county of Cornwall, 3910 feet high, in which the river Ringarooma rises. Bent, Andrew, the pioneer journalist of Van Diemen's Land, established the Hobart Town Gazette in 1816, under the patronage of the Government. Quarrelled with Governor Arthur, and changed the title to Colonial Times; suppressed by aid of legislature in 1827, when started Colonial Advocate, a five-shilling monthly. The suppression was disallowed by the Secretary of State, and Arthur prosecuted Bent for libel. He was convicted, and fined £500. Bent, Jeffrey Hart, the first judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court, arrived in 1814; but was almost imme-, diately afterwards sent back to England in consequence of a disagreement with Governor Macquarie. Bentinck Island, Qd. An island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the mouth of the Gregory river. Berem boke, Vict. A forest district E. of the Brisbane ranges, and 9 miles N. of Steiglitz. The communication with Melbourne, 46 miles distant, is by rail to Bacchus Marsh. The district abounds in game. Beresford, N.S.W. A new county in the S.E. of the colony, E. of the Upper Murrumbidgee, and contains the town of Cooma. Berkshire Valley, W.A. A telegraph station in the centre of an agricultural district 135 miles from Perth. Berlin, Vict. A mining and agricultural township on the Kangderaar creek, 4 miles S. of Kingower, and 133 miles N.W. from Melbourne. Population, with neighbourhood, 150. Celebrated for the large nuggets of gold found in the vicinity, including the Viscount Canterbury, 1105 oz.; another unnamed, 806 oz.; the Kum Tow, found by a Chinaman, weighing 792 oz. The Blanche Barkly, said to be the largest ever found, weighing 1760 oz., was unearthed in the neighbourhood. Bernier Cape, Tas. On the S.E. coast of Tasmania, opposite Maria Island. Bernier Island, W.A. At the entrance to Geographe Channel, and opposite the mouth of the Gascoyne river. Berrima, N.S.W. A township on the Wingecarribee river, on the main southern road, and 6 miles from the Moss Vale station of the Great Southern railway, 83 miles S.W. from Sydney. Deposits of iron, coal, kerosene and shale have been found in the district, and a tramway connects the shale works with the railway. Population, with district, 7250. Berrima was a large penal station in the early days, and it was here that the notorious John Lynch was executed for the murder of Landregan in 1842. He confessed to having committed seven different murders. Berrima now contains a model prison, at which the discipline is very strict. Berwick, Vict. A town and railway station on the Gippsland line, on the Cardinia creek, 27 miles S.E. from Melbourne, and 84 miles from Dundenong. Dairy farming is principally followed. Population, with district, 3800. Bethanga, Vict. A mining town near the Mitta river, 204 miles N.E. from Melbourne, and is reached from the Wodonga railway station. Population of district, 400. Bethesda, S.A., 625 miles N. of Adelaide, is an aboriginal station. Bet-Bet, Vict. A mining and farming township and railway station on the line from Castlemaine to Dunolly, on the Bet-Bet creek, between Dunolly and Maryborough, 103 miles N.W. from Melbourne, and 25 miles from Castlemaine. Population of district 5000. Bethungra, N.S.W. A small town on the Billabong creek, 268 miles S. of Sydney, on the main road between Junee and Cootamundra, and a station on the Great Southern railway. Population 150. Betoota, Qd. A recently surveyed township in a pastoral district between Birdsville and Canterbury. Beveridge, Vict. A town in an agricultural and grazing district on the North-Eastern railway, 26 miles from Melbourne; situated on a slope of an extinct volcano, known as Mount Thaser. Population 200. Beverley, W.A. A small town on the Avon river, 85 miles E. of Perth, 22 miles S. of York, and the centre of an agricultural district. The railway from York to Beverley has been recently opened, and the town is also in connection with Albany by the Great Southern railway. Population 146. Beverly, S.A. Population 130. A suburb of Adelaide. Bibbenluke, N.S.W. An agricultural and pastoral town on the Bibbenluke river, 307 miles S. of Sydney. Bungendore is the nearest railway station. Population of neighbourhood 350. Bible Christians. The number of the church population is not given in the census returns. New South Wales: ministers, 3; local preachers, 16; churches 6. Queensland: ministers, 2; local preachers, 6; churches, 6. South Aus |