| Hobbys Yards New South Wales | |
|---|---|
 A sign greets visitors to Hobbys Yards | |
  Hobbys Yards | |
| Coordinates | 33°42′S 149°19′E / 33.700°S 149.317°E |
| Population | 198 (locality) (2006 census)[1] |
| Postcode(s) | 2795 (the village), 2799 (western end of the locality) |
| Elevation | 970 m (3,182 ft) |
| Location | 40 km (25 mi) from Bathurst |
| LGA(s) | Blayney Shire Council |
| Region | Central West |
| State electorate(s) | Bathurst |
| Federal division(s) | Calare |
Hobbys Yards is a small village in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, in Blayney Shire. It is situated within an hour's driving time from the regional centres, townships, villages of Bathurst, Barry, Blayney, Neville and Trunkey Creek. At the 2006 census, Hobbys Yards locality had a population of 198 people,[1] most of them living on neighbouring farms. The village is named after Thomas Hobby[2] who accompanied John Oxley on his exploration expeditions, or his son.[3]
By road it is 18 minutes (20 km on the bitumen) from Blayney, which contains the chambers of the local shire council, a public library, and the nearest supermarket, 40 minutes (40 km) from Bathurst, which contains most facilities and whose postcode covers Hobbys Yards, and 10 minutes from Newbridge, the closest railway station (but currently without a passenger service) and pub.[4] All of these roads are sealed but subject to frost and occasionally snow or at other times to flooding, and to the hazard of hitting a kangaroo or wombat particularly at or after dusk. The nearest service stations are also at Blayney, one of them offering unmanned 24-hour service by credit card.
The entire locality is within Blayney Shire, but all but the westernmost farms are in the Bathurst postal district and so have its postcode. It is served by the Barry Hobbys Yards Rural Fire Brigade, who are based at nearby Barry but who maintain a water tank at the Hobbys Yards Community Hall.
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Hobbys Yards (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
- ^ "Australian Pioneers". The Sun (Sydney, NSW). 22 August 1911.
- ^ "Hobbys Yards". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
- ^ All travel times according to Whereis
