Alectown, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alectown New South Wales
Alectown Location in New South Wales
Postcode(s)	2870
Location	382 km (237 mi) WNW of Sydney 97 km (60 mi) SW of Dubbo 24 km (15 mi) N of Parkes
LGA(s)	Parkes Shire
State electorate(s)	Orange
Federal Division(s)	Calare

Alectown is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is on the Newell Highway and in the Parkes Shire local government area, 382 kilometres (237 mi), west north west of the state capital, Sydney.

History

Originally known as Alecs Flat, the district was named after the three men who first prospected here - Alexander Cameron, Alexander Patton, and Alexander Whitelaw.

It was originally a gold mining town which once had a population above 1,000. Bachelors Rush Post Office opened on 1 May 1888 and was renamed Alicktown in 1889 and Alectown in 1891. It closed in 1983. Today, only two churches and some residences remain in the town.

Telescope

Alectown is the actual address of the Parkes Radio Telescope operated by the CSIRO, the largest radio telescope in Australia, which is used for both theoretical research and on NASA projects including the Moon landings.

Demographics

At the 2016 census, Alectown and the surrounding area had a population of 168. In the 2021 census the population had dropped to 151.

Notable residents

• Scott Westcott

Christmas at Alectown, 1910s, by A B Unger.