The “Nineteen Counties”

The “Nineteen Counties”. The Nineteen Counties are the limits of location in the colony of NSW as defined by the Governor of NSW, Sir Ralph Darling in 1826 in accordance with a govt order from Lord Bathurst, the secretary of State. A further order of 1829 extends these boundaries. Settlers are only permitted to take up land within the defined area. From 1831, there are no more free land grants, and the only land for sale is within the Nineteen Counties. The area is extended to Kempsey in the north and Wellington in the West. The Nineteen Counties are mapped by Surveyor General, Major Thomas Mitchell in 1834.