Bathurst, New Brunswick
Bathurst (2011 population; UA 12,275; CA population 13,424) is the county seat for Gloucester County, New Brunswick, and is at the estuary of the Nepisiguit River.
Bathurst Showground
The Bathurst district was the first European settlement in the interior of the Australian continent, having been proclaimed by Governor Macquarie on 7 May 1815. The area was necessary for the expansion of the colony. Governor Macquarie, being opposed to graziers with large holdings, was hoping the land would be opened up as small holdings for the production of wheat. While wheat was grown, the grazing of first cattle and then sheep, became more important. The wheat industry was hampered by a lack of supply networks to Sydney markets and the majority of the harvests were consumed locally, although Gold Rush towns became a significant market during the 1850s and 1860s. Despite this, four flour mills were open in Bathurst in 1862 and five were operating in 1886. The transportation issue was solved in 1876, when the railway line was extended from Lithgow