“You know Evans, it’s him in the statue in Kings Parade. It’s him at Evans Bridge. It’s him at Evans Crown. It’s him at Evans Plains. George Evans discovered Bathurst in 1813” said The Big Mac. “So it’s right that we name things after him”. But poor old Evans lost one of his biggest claims to fame in 2004.
Evans Shire was a local government area which encircled the City of Bathurst. It was established on 1st October 1977 after the City of Bathurst, Abercrombie Shire and Turon Shire were divided between Bathurst City and Evans Shire. It was dissolved on 26 May 2004 because of financial sustainability concerns, with most of the shire becoming part of the new Bathurst Regional Council. Around 15% of the south eastern portion of the shire (including Mount David and Burraga) became part of the Oberon Shire, with a small parcel of land towards Tarana going to Lithgow.
The shire when proclaimed was 4,277 square kilometres, and grew slightly to 4,284 square kilometres prior to its dissolution. It included the towns of Hill End and Sofala.
Google doesn’t even have a picture of the Evans Shire Council chambers, but here at Heritage Central we’ve got it all. A lovely modest heritage building at 7 Lee Street, Kelso, now occupied by Museums Bathurst and other civic organisations.
On 14th August 2002 the Western Advocate reported… “Councillor Mann, along with four former presidents and mayors and other guests gathered at the council’s chambers on Thursday last to mark the occasion with a 25th Anniversary Afternoon Tea Party. The four former presidents and mayors are Crs Ralph Hamer, Dick Locke (former Turon president), Hugh Pearce and Trevor Toole. Cr Mann in welcoming the guests said the growth of Evans was due to people finding the “angst of living in Bathurst and Lithgow too much”.
“in 2026 is the angst of living in Bathurst too much?”
by a humble, heritage advocate – August 2026, column #349.
