It is acknowledged that the town of Coonabarabran is located on the lands of the Gamilaraay people. It is believed the word Coonabarabran means ‘an inquisitive person’.
Coonabarabran developed around a crossing of the Castlereagh River as a trading and administrative centre. Initial development included stores and inns that serviced the pastoralists of the district. The first building in Coonabarabran was a “roughly built hotel” erected by James Weston in the 1850s. A police station was established here by 1857. About the same time James Weston sold his pastoral run and hotel to Alfred Croxon. Croxon rebuilt the hotel as the Travellers’ Inn. The Village of Coonabarabran was gazetted on 2 May 1860. In that year the first town land was
sold, and a courthouse built.
The built environment of Coonabarabran reflects the steady development of the town since the 1890s. The central business district around John Street between Cassilis Street and the Castlereagh River provides evidence of the impact of a series of economic booms through the 20th century. Buildings such as the Royal Hotel and McDonagh’s Store testify to the confidence of the post Federation era and the former Savoy Theatre and the former Rural Bank and Commonwealth Bank on the corner of John and Cassilis Streets reflect the growing commercial activity of the late 1930s.
After its formation in 1906 the Coonabarabran Shire Council guided the development of Coonabarabran’s business district. The Coonabarabran Urban Committee had particular responsibilities in setting the character of the business district and provided comment on development applications. In concert with the Urban Committee Council established a ‘brick area’ requiring the construction of buildings within the business district using brick, stone or concrete. This policy was modified in 1941 to allow construction of sheds using other materials ‘at a fixed distance from the building line’. This policy was responsible for the establishment of the character of Coonabarabran’s business district that is still evident today.
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