About Our Town
Murrumbateman was proclaimed a village in March 1885. With its close proximity to Canberra and Yass, it is now becoming a town. The NSW State government and Yass Valley Council are progressing growth plans for a population of 10,000 in Murrumbateman (up from the 2021 census population of 3607), and 20,000 in Yass.
Travelling along the Barton Highway (the road between Canberra and Yass) you see on the left, the old post office- now ‘The Meadery’, a service station/grocery store with Butcher, the Murrumbateman Country Inn, the historic one room brick school and teachers residence, a double story new public primary school and the Abode Motel.
On the right as you enter town, a travellers stop called Jones Park and the War Memorial. Behind this is the Murrumbateman Recreation Ground, a large multi-purpose recreation area with tennis courts, equestrian arenas, sports oval, Scout Hall being built, a weatherboard community hall, the village green where the markets are held, an outdoor stage and other facilities.
Turn left or right off the Highway to see rural residential lifestyle estates, homes on arge blocks residents embraced the rural lifestyle, with large gardens, orchards and vineyards. Many owners also keep animal such as horses, sheep, goats, cattle or alpacas.
Turn up South Street and stop at the historic Murrumbateman Bush Cemetery and see the magnificent artwork on a large water reservoir – it features Gang Gangs, Golden Sun Moth, rare flora and fauna of a critically endangered box gum grassy woodland within the Cemetery.
Murrumbateman is famous for its boutique vineyards and cellar door wines – they are the heart of the Canberra district’s ‘cool climate’ wine region. There are more than 20 vineyards in this region and other attractions include chocolatiers, alpaca experiences, wood-fired pizzas, mushroom growers, mead and honey sellers. The Winery Trail is a walking/cycling path that traverses throughout Murrumbateman to get to many of these venues.
History
The Ngunnawal first nations people walked through this area for thousands of years and made special marks upon country. Our locals are the Onerwal Aboriginal Land Council.
Europeans first reached the Yass Plains in 1821, explorer Hamilton Hume and his party. In 1824 Hume returned with William Hovell while on an expedition to Port Phillip Bay. Hume later returned to Yass and bought ‘Cooma Cottage’ in 1839, previously built by Henry O’Brien in 1827.
Settlers followed the explorers. They were looking for good grazing land for their flocks of sheep. By 1825 a bush track joined the Goulburn and Yass Plains. Gold was discovered in the area in the 1850s – found near Nanama (now Nanima), east of Morumbateman (now Murrumbateman). In 1861 gold was a very small operation with about 18 Europeans and 30 Chinese working the Nanima field.
In 1882 Walter Merriman was born at Ravensworth , Yass. He was educated at Murrumbateman Public School and was instrumental in developing the wool industry in the region. He started his own sheep stud on Merryville (part of Ravensworth) around 1903. He was knighted in 1954.
The local Ngunnawal language has “murra” meaning “hand”, “murun” meaning “alive”, and “murrin” meaning “man”. However, there is no explanation for Bateman although one local wit insists that the town’s name comes from a regular customer ordering rum from a Mr Bateman at the local pub and calling out “More rum, Bateman!”.
Tourist Attractions
Exploring the Local Wineries
Murrumbateman is renowned for its cool climate wines and there are more than 20 wineries in close proximity to the town. Many of them are listed on the Makers of Murrumbateman website makersofmurrumbateman.org.au which also includes information about local chocolate makers, guest houses and a honey and mead maker. The winery trail links some of the closer vineyards to Murrumbateman village. Visitors can walk or cycle along this trail.
Historic Buildings
One of the town’s few historic buildings is the old school (1872) and school residence which have remained largely unaltered. Some other historic buildings are the Scots Uniting Church, Grubers Cottage, Travellers Inn & Post office, Woodside, Hillview Homestead (formerly Drumclog).
Visitor Information
The nearest Visitor Information Centre is the Yass Valley Visitor Information Centre located at 259 Comur Street, or on (02) 6226 2557.
Murrumbateman Playground
Murumbateman All-ablilities playground - suitable site for it to happen?
Council has released a new survey on two sites they are considering for the Murrumbateman All-abilities Playground. Council has a grant of $750,000 from the last Federal election that needs to be expended as well as some fund in the Council budget. The site options now under consideration are the Murrumbateman Recreation Grounds (southern sand arena 2800sqm area - previously proposed by the independent consultant hired by Council last year) or 10 Hercules Street (1200sqm area, previously not considered) which is owned by the Anglican Church understood now to be leased to Council (details not clear) but with no toilets available for public use.
After years of community consultation and professional advice, it is disappointing to see this work being set aside in favour of a popularity-based approach to an important infrastructure decision. We encourage members to read the background information and correspondence before completing the survey, to inform your vote. MCA did a cost benefit analysis of various sites in 2023.
With limited public land available in Murrumbateman some level of compromise is inevitable. However, the community has consistently agreed on the need for a safe, accessible, all-abilities Category 1 playground—comparable to Coronation or Riverbank Park in Yass (Our 2024 survey of 379 persons supports this view). Murrumbateman Recreation Ground User Groups were consulted in Feb 2025 and agreed to compromise and support delivery of an all-abilities playground on the southern sand arena at the Recreation Grounds.
Barton Highway
7 April 2025 MEDIA RELEASE Calls Grow Louder for Barton Highway Duplication as Safety and Economic Pressures Mount Murrumbateman residents have been calling for the duplication of the Barton Highway for nearly 30 years. With a crash rate double that of similar highways, community concern continues to grow as lives are lost and serious injuries occur on this critical route. “The recent reduction to 80km/h acknowledges the safety risks, but it’s not a long-term solution,” said Stephanie Helm, President of the Murrumbateman Community Association. “In fact this new speed zone risks increasing driver frustration and unsafe overtaking—two of the leading causes of crashes. Duplication is the only real solution to ensure driver safety.” Beyond safety concerns, the Barton Highway serves as a vital link for the movement of freight and for connecting rural communities to employment hubs. For the Riverina electorate, access to international, national, and regional markets is essential—and the Barton Highway plays a strategic trade role, particularly via Canberra Airport. “The highway is more than just a commuter road—it’s a lifeline for our region’s economy,” Stephanie Helm said. “Duplication must be completed to keep our communities safe, connected, and ready for future growth.” Media Contact: Stephanie Helm President/Murrumbateman Community Association
