Grafton, New South Wales

	Grafton; New South WalesAustralia
Population:	17,380
Established:	1851
Postcode:	2460
Elevation:	5 m
Location:	640 km from Sydney ; 345 km from Brisbane ;
LGA:	Clarence Valley Council
State District:	Clarence
Federal Division:	Page

From Familypedia

File:Pacific.hwy.nth.jpg

Grafton is reachable by road from Sydney and Brisbane on the Pacific Highway (Highway 1)

File:Grafton location map in New South Wales.PNG

Location of Grafton in New South Wales (red)

Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley which has a population approaching 50,000. Established in 1855, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached by road, rail, or air.

In 1851, Governor FitzRoy officially named the town "Grafton", after his grandfather, the Duke of Grafton, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Grafton was proclaimed a city in 1885. Local industries include logging, beef cattle, fishing/prawning, sugar, manufacturing; and tourism is a growing part of the local economy.

The town is also known for its double-decker road/railway bridge, opened in 1932, completing the standard gauge rail connection between Sydney and Brisbane. This bridge is a one of a kind and is a major feature on the Clarence River in Grafton.

[edit] Culture

Grafton is also known as the Jacaranda City, in reference to its tree-lined streets and annual Jacaranda Festival, held in October/November.

Grafton is also well known for the Grafton Cup horserace, held on the second Thursday in July. A half day holiday is observed in Grafton for the Cup day.

The people of Grafton have a large interest in country music. Local artist Troy Cassar-Daley received four Golden Guitar awards in the 2006 Tamworth Country Music Awards - the largest and most prestigious country music awards in Australia. At the same awards event, Samantha McClymont, the 2005/2006 Grafton Jacaranda Queen, also received an award for her country music talent.

A vision of Grafton, with its numerous brilliantly-flowered trees in bloom, is immortalised in Australian music culture in Cold Chisel's song Flame Trees.

[edit] Notable buildings

Christ Church Cathedral, designed by John Horbury Hunt, was opened in 1884 and is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Grafton.^[2]

Schaeffer House is a historic 1900 Federation house and contains the collection of the Clarence River Historical Society, which was formed in 1931.

[edit] Transportation

The Murwillumbah - Byron Bay - Lismore railway (opened in 1894) was extended to north Grafton in 1905. The North Coast Line reached South Grafton from Sydney in 1915. Pending the opening of the combined road and rail bascule bridge in 1932, Grafton had a train ferry to connect the two railways.

File:GraftonBasculeBridgeSpanLiftingCirca1932.jpg

The Grafton Bridge over the Clarence River showing Bascule span lifted to let shipping through. (Postcard from about 1932; The "Southern Cross" aeroplane has been added to the photograph.)