{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Byrock | state = nsw | image = Byrock-school.JPG | caption = The School | image_alt = | relief = | coordinates = {{coord|30|39|43|S|146|24|13|E|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_label_position = | map_alt = | pop = 50 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name="ABS">{{Census 2006 AUS | | id = LGA11750 | name = Cobar (Urban Centre/Locality) | quick = on | accessdate = 2007-10-28 }}</ref> | poprank = | density = | density_footnotes = | established = | established_footnotes = | abolished = | gazetted = | postcode = 2831 | elevation = 155 | elevation_footnotes = | area = | area_footnotes = | timezone = | utc = | timezone-dst = | utc-dst = | dist1 = 575 | dir1 = NW | location1 = Sydney | dist2 = 107 | dir2 = NNE | location2 = Cobar | dist3 = 89 | dir3 = SW | location3 = Brewarrina | lga = Bourke Shire | seat = | region = | county = | division = | stategov = Barwon | fedgov = Parkes | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_footnotes = | managing_authorities = | url = | maxtemp = 26 | maxtemp_footnotes = | mintemp = 13 | mintemp_footnotes = | rainfall = 404 | rainfall_footnotes = | near-n = | near-ne = | near-e = | near-se = | near-s = | near-sw = | near-w = | near-nw = | near = | footnotes = }} '''Byrock''' is a small village in north western New South Wales, Australia in Bourke Shire. In 2016, Byrock had a population of 50 people.<ref name=Census2006Y>{{Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC16595|name=Byrock (State Suburb)|accessdate=28 June 2009|quick=on}}</ref>
It is named after a rock hole, called ''Bai'' by the Nyammba tribe. This became the Bye Rockhole, then Bye Rock, then Byrock.<ref>{{cite web | title =Byrock | publisher = Geographical Names Board of New South Wales | url = http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/place_naming/placename_search/extract?id=KWjLjztLMa | access-date = 2006-12-26}} </ref>
Byrock is on the Mitchell Highway roughly halfway between Bourke to the north-west and Nyngan to the south-east.
== Railways == Byrock was founded to serve the Cobb and Co stagecoaches. The railway reached Byrock from Nyngan in 1874, with an extension to Bourke opening on 3 September 1885.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13596642 |title=THE RAILWAY TO BOURKE. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 August 1885 |access-date=9 February 2014 |page=10 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On 6 July 1900, Byrock became a railway junction when the new branch line Byrock to Brewarrina opened.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78889781 |title=BYROCK TO BREWARRINA. |newspaper=The Singleton Argus |location=NSW |date=3 July 1900 |access-date=9 February 2014 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The branch line to Brewarrina closed in 1974 after the line was damaged by flooding, the mainline from Nyngan to Bourke through Byrock was closed in May 1989, after flooding caused major track damage. Passenger train services ceased in 1975.
==Services== The Mulga Creek Hotel with a caravan and camping ground.<ref>[http://www.mulgacreekhotel.com.au/About%20Us.html Mulga Creek Hotel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091024202757/http://www.mulgacreekhotel.com.au/About%20Us.html |date=2009-10-24 }} (accessed 29 September 2010)</ref>
==Water== Byrock relies on rainfall for its non potable water supply that is channeled into a large ground tank, settled and then pumped to the historical railway tank. Water is then gravity fed to dwellings. When the ground tank runs dry, emergency water cartage from Bourke is provided by road tanker, as was the case around 2006.<ref name=ByrockWS>{{cite web|title=Byrock Water Supply|url=http://www.bourke.local-e.nsw.gov.au/roads/1121/1141.html|publisher=Bourke Shire Council|access-date=7 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706121744/http://www.bourke.local-e.nsw.gov.au/roads/1121/1141.html|archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref><ref name=ByrockwaterABC1>{{cite web|title=Recent rain eases Byrock water crises|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-08-16/recent-rain-eases-byrock-water-crises/1240060|work=ABC News|access-date=7 March 2012|date=August 2006}}</ref>
Byrock has one Council maintained bore.<ref>[http://www.bourke.local-e.nsw.gov.au/environment/2665/1084.html Bourke Shire Council Bourke Township and Surrounding Village Water Sampling] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216034735/http://www.bourke.local-e.nsw.gov.au/environment/2665/1084.html |date=2011-02-16 }} (accessed 29 September 2010)</ref>
==Cemetery== The Byrock Cemetery is the resting place for pioneers who died between 1882 and 1933. The average age at death of those buried in this cemetery is 20 years.<ref>[http://www.australiancemeteries.com/nsw/bogan/byrockdata.htm Australian Cemeteries Byrock Cemetery] (accessed 29 September 2010)</ref>
==Public transport== NSW TrainLink operate a bus service between Dubbo and Bourke, via Nyngan, four days a week.<ref>[http://www.countrylink.info/timetables/western/sydney_to_bourke CountryLink Sydney to Bourke Timetable] (accessed 29 September 2010)</ref>
==Airstrip== Byrock has a gravel airstrip 1067 metres long with no facilities. It is located next to the town on the western side of the Mitchell Highway.<ref name=Bairstrip1>{{cite web|title=Bourke Shire Council – Byrock Airstrip|url=http://www.bourke.local-e.nsw.gov.au/roads/1120/13740.html|publisher=Bourke Shire Council|access-date=7 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706121739/http://www.bourke.local-e.nsw.gov.au/roads/1120/13740.html|archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref>
==Newspaper== The Western Herald community newspaper is delivered free to Byrock from Bourke every Thursday.<ref>[http://www.themediaworkshop.com.au/index.php?option=com_sobi2&sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=13&sobi2Id=25&Itemid=28 The Media Workshop Bourke Western Herald] (accessed 28 September 2010)</ref>
==School== In 2006, the school was placed on review because of insufficient enrolments and has since been formally closed. By September 2009, the site of the former Byrock Public School was put up for sale by the NSW Department of Education.<ref name=ByrockPS>{{cite web|title=Byrock Public School up for sale|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-09-07/byrock-public-school-up-for-sale/1419790|work=ABC News|access-date=4 March 2012|date=September 2009}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Byrock-butcher.JPG|Butcher shop, Byrock Image:Byrock-water-tower.JPG|Water tower, Byrock </gallery>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline}}
{{Adjacent stations |system1=State Rail Authority |line2=Main Western|left2=Marooma|right2=Coolabah |line3=Brewarrina|left3=Wyuna Downs }}
{{Bourke Shire}} {{authority control}}
Category:Bourke Shire Category:Towns in New South Wales Category:Main Western railway line