WALES, NEW SOUTH, extends over tho south-eastern portion of Australia. Its western boundary has been fixed by the grant of the colony of Southern Australia, whose eastern boundary extends from the shores of the Southern Sea along 141° II long. to 26° S. lat. The northern boundary-line of New South Wales hiss not yet been definitely fixed, but is generally taken as 26° S. lat., the same as Southern Australia, as there are settlements, particularly since the gold discoveries, north of Moreton Bay, which is in 27° S. lat. On the east New South Wales is washed by the Pacific. On the south the Murray forms the boundary between it and the newly-constituted province of Victoria from South Australia to its source, whence the lino turns southerly through the Australian Alps west of Mount Wellington, and then takes an arbitrary straight lino south-easterly to Cape Howe, which is the moat southerly point of the province, in 37' 5' S. lat., 150° E. long. The extreme leogth is 893 miles, the average breadth about 600 miles, which gives an area of 535,800 square miles. The most north-western portion of the country, extending over perhaps one-third of the whole surface, has scarcely been visited by any European. The population of the colony was estimated in December 1852 at 208,254.
Surface, Soil, and Climate.—The physical constitution of this country is very peculiar. The interior consists of wide plains, interrupted only by comparatively short ranges of high hills or low mountains. The waters collected in these plains are all united into one river, the Murray, which disembognes within the territories of South Australia. On the east and south the plains are surrounded by higher land, which constitutes the watershed between the rivers joining the Murray and those which run into the sea. This watershed is in general about 100 miles from the shores.
The Australian Alps commence at Wilson's Promontory, and extend into New South Wales by Mount Wellington. In this range rise the Murray and the numerous streams which, flowing more or less west ward, ultimately fall into it and form it into a river, having abundance of water all the year round, whilst most of the large rivers which run into the interior become dry during the summer months. Farther
north, in the Warragoog Chain, the Murrumbidgee with its affluents takes its source, and is likewise a perennial river; east and north of this are Yam Plains and the hilly tract inclosing Lake George. The elevated plains extend, under the name of Goulburn and Breadalbane Plains, about 40 miles farther north, to the southern extremity of Cockbundoon Range, which constitutes the southern part of the Blue Mountains, cast of which rune the Shealhaven River to the sea. The Blue Mountains commence in 34' 30' S. lat., and run northward to the Monundilla Range, in 32'40' S. lat. From the eastern side descend the Negean, the Colo, the Wollondilly, and the Macdonald rivers, all of which find their way to the sea through the Hawkesbury at Bullen Bay ; on the west side descends the Lachlan and its affluents, which join the Murrumbidgee. The mountains are of sandstoue; the highest point, Kiog'a Table-Land, attains a height of 3400 feet above the flat country. At the distance of from 60 to 70 miles north of the Monun dilla Range is the Liverpool Range, running east and west. This range extends to about 32' S. lat. On Its northern side are Liverpool Plains, between 150' and 151' E. long. In these parts its southern slope rises with a precipitous acclivity, and in some places nearly perpendicular above the plains which lie south of it. Its elevation is probably 1560 or 2000 feet above the base. Where the slope is not too rapid, It is thinly wooded. On account of the steepness of the ascent, only two places have been found at which it can be traversed with ease : the western, called Pandora Pass, near 150° E. long.; and the eastern, called llecknadiley, west of 151° E. long. When the summit of the panes is attained, a short descent brings the traveller to the Liverpool Plains. A ridge from the Monundilla Range to these mountains divides the affluents of Goulburn River, a tributary of hunter River, which falls Into the Pacific, from those of the Cudgegong and Talbragar, which fall into the Macquarie. A considerable portion of this ridge is without trees, overgrown with bushes, and grassy; but on the rising grounds are forests, composed mostly of apple-trees, iron bark, stringy-bark, and box.