European Discovery and Early Settlement

In 1821 Hamilton Hume was the first non-indigenous person to see the Yass Plains. At the time he was struck by the superior quality of agricultural land and spectacular scenery in the area. In 1824 Hamilton Hume and William Hovell returned to the Yass Plains and it was during this time that they made their groundbreaking exploratory expedition from Appin near Sydney, to Port Phillip Bay.

A rough bush track joining Yass and Goulburn was established in the late 1820's partially as a result of Hume and Hovell's early exploration work in the area. Following Hume and Hovell's expedition, other settlers followed bring flocks of sheep, which represented the beginning of the local wool industry in Yass Valley LGA. By 1835 a small village had begun to develop on the south bank of the Yass River in an area known by the local indigenous community as Warrambalulah (beside flowing water).

Yass Valley LGA has since earned a reputation as the "Fine Wool Capital of the World" and the development of Yass Valley LGA stemmed from its strong agricultural base. Hamilton Hume returned to Yass area and purchased "Cooma Cottage" where he lived with his wife until his death in 1873.
 

The Goodradigbee Shire was the first local Government Association for the area and the old shire offices still remain functional as part of the greater Yass Valley Shire