In this photo, taken close to 90 years ago from today's Oxley Lookout, the scene before us is quite different to what we witness today.
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Whereas here we see considerable development in West Tamworth, dating back to the first Australian Agricultural Company land sales near Ebsworth Street in 1851, to the left of that in South Tamworth we see largely farmland.
The farm-track beginnings of what became Hillvue Road can be seen in the centre-background.
A series of AA Company land sales and Government resumptions, dating from the 1890's, led to development of the South Tamworth area.
During the 1890's William Missen, on his 'Fairview' property, claimed to have cleared land using 40 bullocks to drag a log over it, thence to grow wheat and barley.
Several current South Tamworth streets, including Vera, Margaret and Kathleen, are named after Missen family members.
In 1926 Major Eric Hyman DSO, a hero of the World War 1 Charge at Bersheeba, purchased Missen land to establish his 'Hillvue' property.
The 'Hillvue' homestead still stands on the corner of Hillvue and Garden Streets. In 1944 he subdivided some of the land, with son Robert (Robert Street) conducting later further subdivisions and land sales.
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Across the valley in the distance we see the Melville Range, named by explorer John Oxley in 1818 after the English First Lord of the Admiralty.
The highest point is Duri Peak, with the slope to the left leading down to the Currabubula Gap, through which another explorer, Major Thomas Mitchell, entered the valley in 1831, making his way across to the Peel River and beyond.
Years later, in 1849, Mitchell presided over the first 19-street Tamworth Town Plan, east of the river.
- Mike Cashman, Tamworth Historical Society
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