Curlwaa a small Murray River town near Wentworth, NSW

Curlwaa (NSW)

On the Murray is the small town of Curlwaa. With very minimal services you'll find a caravan park and rest stop.

Spanning across the great Murray River is the Abbostford Bridge. A classic and unique architectural single lane bridge will give you access to either Wentworth if you're coming from Mildura and Merbein on the Victorian side of the river.

In 1908 the settlers on the Wentworth Irrigation Area discussed another name. Abbottsford was the only one mentioned.  This was generally favoured and agreed to be suitable.  Because of the punt it was quite common to see and hear “going to Abbottsford” – ‘at Abbottsford’, but the matter lapsed.

In 1911 when the Mildura Co-operative branch was to be opened, Walter Sage, the settler’s representative and Mr. Hawke, the manager of the Co-op agreed that the name apart from Wentworth was necessary if the local produce was to be branded. Three names were submitted: – Valetta, Orana and Curlwa. The latter an Aboriginal name for native peach, indigenous to the area, the Quandong tree.

Curlwa was chosen, having the advantage of being unique. It had to be approved by the postal authorities. The settlement by Act was Wentworth Irrigation Area – gradually it became Wentworth Irrigation Area (Curlwaa). It is not recorded who slipped the second A in. Dried fruit was branded ‘CURLWAA’.