Manilla
Medium-sized service town at the junction of the Namoi and Manilla Rivers.
Manilla is a service centre to a rich wheat-growing, wool, mixed farming and fat livestock district, at the junction of the Namoi and Manilla Rivers. It is situated 44 km north of Tamworth on the Fossickers Way and 456 km north of Sydney. Manilla has a population of 2110 people and is 363 m above sea-level on the North-West Slopes of NSW.

Once occupied by the Kamilaroi Aborigines, the Baldwins of Singleton were the first squatters, occupying land about 10 km south in the late 1820s. The family took up the Dinnawirindi station in 1837. It was one of six cattle stations which swallowed up all of the local land.

In 1853 George Veness selected a property at the confluence of the Namoi and Manilla Rivers, thereby capitalising on what was then a teamsters' campsite known as 'The Junction'. He built a wine-shop, a store and a residence and later became the first postmaster. Veness was asked by the postal department to choose a title for the village and named it after the Manilla River which had originally been called the 'Manellae', either a reference to the tribe which hunted its banks or a Kamilaroi term meaning winding river. It is said an ex-sailor familiar with Manilla in the Philippines instigated the change.

The town was laid out in the early 1860s by Arthur Dewhurst and he named its streets after himself, his wife, their English home towns, his chain man and his employer. It was gazetted in 1863 although a major flood the following year swept away a number of buildings and killed four of the twelve residents. This kind of inundation has proved a periodic problem, down to the 1970s.

In 1866 Manilla was described by the NSW Gazetteer as a 'postal town' in a pastoral and quartz mining district. There was a hotel, an inn and a district population of 50. However, over the next 35 years there was considerable development and population growth facilitated by closer settlement after the passing of the Robertson Land Act, the construction of a bridge over the Namoi River, the coming of the railway to Tamworth in 1878 and to Manilla in 1899, and the development of the wool and especially the wheat industries.

The boom years of 1894-1900 saw a spurt of building, although a series of fires the following decade destroyed many structures. Manilla became a municipality in 1901, at which time the population was 888. Tobacco was commercially grown in the early years of the twentieth century.

Bushranger 'Thunderbolt' (alias Fred Ward) began a regular association with Manilla in 1865, taking two horses from Lloyd's station and committing a series of robberies on the Barabba road. In 1867 he bailed up the Tamworth mail 3 km from Manilla. He then proceeded to Hill's public house where he partook of refreshments. At Veness's store and hotel he robbed everyone, pilfering clothes, spirits and groceries. The police arrived and he fled without his pack horse which carried some of his gains. He returned to again rob the mail coach later that year.

The national paragliding and hang-gliding championships are held at Manilla each year. The annual vintage machinery display occurs on the June long weekend, the Festival of Spring Flowers in October and the Choral and Cod Festival in September.

Things to see:  

Visitor Information
Information about Manilla and the surrounding area can be accessed at the Manilla Visitor Information Centre which is located at 197 Manilla Street. This is also the site of the Manilla Heritage Museum. It is open seven days a week from 9.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. (except Christmas and Easter holidays). The telephone is (02) 6785 1207 and the fax number is (02) 6785 2503.

Manilla Street
A stroll along picturesque Manilla St, the town's main thoroughfare, is pleasant enough. It has some fine Federation-style buildings. Burrell's Bazaar at no. 192 has some quality craftware and gifts. It is open weekdays and Saturday mornings, tel: (02) 6785 1537.

Royce Cottage
Also in Manilla St is Royce Cottage and Museum which has the Pioneer Gallery, a bakery, a schoolhouse, a machinery museum and the original house. The latter was originally a family home erected in 1884 by G.H. Royce, the building contractor who constructed the original bridge over the Namoi River. In 1900 the home became a bakery (built on at the rear) with the shop section added to the front. It is the only remaining building of that era on the main street; many others being destroyed by fires in the 1900s. There is also a machinery museum and a display relating to platypuses which are often found in the area. They are open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m., or by appointment, tel: (02) 6785 1207.

Manilla Weir
The Manilla Weir, off Stafford St, at the eastern end of town, is a pleasant spot for a quiet fish or for a family outing. There are picnic, barbeque and toilet facilities.

Lake Keepit
The Lake Keepit Recreation Area turnoff is 30 km south-west of Manilla and is appropriate for all varieties of water sport - waterskiing, fishing, swimming, sailing, windsurfing and power boating, with fishing boats for hire. Children's facilities include a children's pool, a BMX track, a skateboarding area and a roller-skating rink. There are barbeques, a kiosk, toilets, half-court tennis and a five-hole golf course. For further information contact the ranger on (02) 6769 7605. A sailing regatta is held each June and the Lake Keepit Soaring Club is also located at the lake, tel: (02) 6769 7514. For reservations at the caravan park, tel: 02-6769 7620.

Manilla Ski Gardens
Before you reach the turnoff to the recreation area there is another signposted turnoff on the right into a dirt road that leads, after 3 km, to Manilla Ski Gardens on the eastern side of the lake. There is an established caravan park, a kiosk, playground equipment, barbeques, boat ramps and fisherman's lodges, tel: (02) 6785 1686.

Warrabah National Park
Warrabah National Park is 35 km north-east of Manilla on the Namoi River Road (only the first 13 km are sealed). It surrounds the Upper Namoi River which descends in altitude by 220 m as it traverses 18 km of striking gorge country, offering a number of large grade 3 rapids before flowing gently past the car camping and picnic area at the park entrance. Bushwalking, bush camping, canoeing, rock climbing, abseiling, fishing and swimming can all be pursued, tel: (02) 6773 7211.

Split Rock Dam
Split Rock Dam is good for fishing and aquatic activities. Head north along the Fossickers Way towards Barraba for 14 km, turn right at the clearly signposted turnoff and it is another 6 km. There are toilet, barbecue and picnic facilities.

Manilla Paragliding
Manilla is a popular paragliding and hang-gliding spot. Manilla Paragliding offers tandem flights, a two-day introduction and an eight-day 'live-in' licensing course with all equipment supplied, tel: (02) 6785 6545.

Farmstay
Oakhampton Homestead and Farmstay on Oakhampton Rd, offers quality farmstay accommodation with bed-and-breakfast service, horse riding, fishing and farm animals for the children, tel: (02) 6785 6517.

	Tourist Information
	Manilla Tourism 197 Manilla St Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1207 Facsimile: (02) 6785 2503
	Motels
	Manilla Motel Cnr Namoi & Courts Sts Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1306 Facsimile: (02) 6785 1964 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Court House Hotel Manilla St Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1137
	Imperial Hotel Manilla St Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1018
	Post Office Hotel Manilla St Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1162
	Royal Hotel Manilla St Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1017
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Oakhampton Homestead Bed & Breakfast Oakhampton Rd Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6786 6517 Facsimile: (02) 6786 6573 Rating: ****
	Apartments
	Muluerindie Country Holiday Apartments Namoi River Rd Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6786 1542 Rating: *
	Caravan Parks
	River Gums Caravan Park 86 Strafford St Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1166 Rating: ***1/2
	Restaurants
	Imperial Hotel Manilla St Manilla NSW 2346 Telephone: (02) 6785 1018