Albert, New South Wales

Albert is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is in the Lachlan Shire local government area, 481 kilometres (299 mi) west north west of the state capital, Sydney. At the 2016 census, Albert had a population of 81,[1] though Albert once had a population of 900.

Albert New South Wales
Albert Anglican Church
Albert
Coordinates	32°21′S 147°30′E
Population	81 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	2873
Location	481 km (299 mi) WNW of Sydney 141 km (88 mi) W of Dubbo 25 km (16 mi) SE of Tottenham
LGA(s)	Lachlan Shire
State electorate(s)	Barwon
Federal division(s)	Parkes

Copper had been discovered in the area by 1900.[2] In the early 20th century, there were several copper mines nearby, the most significant of which was the Iron Duke Mine, which operated from around 1909 until the early 1920s.[3][4] Around the time that mining commenced, the area was known as 'Albert Water Holes'.[3][5] Its post office was originally called 'The Alberts' but became Albert in 1916; it closed in 1982.[6]

A school—known as 'Albertia', until it was renamed Albert in January 1920—opened there in January 1899 and closed in June 1972.[7] The date of the opening of the school, the name of one of its streets, Federation Street, and the timing of the discovery of copper suggests that the village itself dates from around the time of Federation.

Albert is on the Bogan Gate–Tottenham railway line.[8] There was a station at Albert[9] and a short branch from Albert to the nearby Iron Duke Mine.[10] The branch line was known officially as the Albert Siding to Iron Duke Mine Railway.[11] The branch line to the mine closed in June 1926.[12]