Дарлингтон-Пойнт және Ваддай тарихы: қонысқа иелік және даму жолы

The first pastoral run near present day Darlington Point, on the north bank of the Murrumbidgee, was taken up in 1844 by John Peter; he named the run "Cuba" after the Aboriginal word for a locally common Acacia tree. On the south bank, John Peter also leased the "Tubbo" run, a property he had formed in the 1850s by the amalgamation of several runs. The site where the township later developed was a crossing place over the Murrumbidgee River used by stockmen and teamsters. The Surveyor Townshend laid out reserves near the crossing place during the 1850s.

In 1864 George Rogers acquired of "Cuba" station. He built the Darlington Inn about two miles (3 km) west of "Cuba" homestead at the junction of the Wagga Wagga to Hay road and the track leading to the river crossing. Rogers soon became discontented; he sold out a year later and left the district. The new publican of the Darlington Inn was Jacob Abrahams. Another hotel (probably the Waddai Hotel) was built on the southern bank at the crossing (eventually leading to the development of the Waddai township). A report published in August 1865 claimed that Darlington Point, by "the growth of free selection", was "fast assuming the dimensions and appearance of a township"; there were two hotels, one on either side of the river, which the writer concluded "can hardly be regarded as a favourable sign". In 1866 a punt (previously operating at Wagga Wagga) was purchased for use at the Darlington Point Waddai crossing; the owner of the punt was Jacob Abrahams, previously publican of the Darlington Inn, who had opened a general store at the township. The punt was said to be one of the largest in the colony, with the capacity to carry 1,700 sheep in a single trip. The licence of the Darlington Inn was held by Thomas Linsell from 1866 to 1868. Edward J. Flood held the licence of the Darlington Inn in 1869 (the last year this hotel appears in the annual list of licences granted). In about 1870 a second hotel was built on the southern bank at Waddai; for the year commencing 1 July 1870 Edward Grimley held the licence there for the Riverina Hotel. From mid 1871 Alexander Beaumont held the licence of the Waddai Hotel. The licences for the year commencing 1 July 1872 at both settlements were: Coach and Horses Hotel at Darlington Point (Keyran C. H. Cumming); Waddai Hotel (John White) and Riverine Hotel (Edward Grimley), both at Waddai. At Darlington Point by this stage the Coach and Horses Hotel had apparently replaced the Darlington Inn (possibly just a name change). Keyran C. H. Cumming remained the licensee of the Coach and Horses Hotel at Darlington Point from 1871 to early 1879 (after which John Bowman held the licence). The licences for the two hotels at Waddai were held by a number of different persons over this same period. In 1876 the steamer company McCulloch and Co. leased on the river where they established a wool receiving store, a general store and erected a small wharf. By 1880 the timber trade was booming with a high demand for railway timber; G. H. Risbey from Narrandera erected a small mill near Darlington Point to cut red gum. Darlington Point township was half a mile from the punt where, on the opposite bank, the southern township – "called by the native name 'Wadai'" – was located. In April 1881 it was reported that "Darlington and Wadai collectively contain a population of about 120". The adjoining townships had three hotels, three stores, "and the usual concomitants of a bush town". From 1881 onwards it appears the Punt Hotel replaced the Riverine Hotel at Waddai (possibly a name change of the existing hotel). The licences at both townships for the year commencing 1 July 1881 were: Coach and Horses Hotel at Darlington Point (John Bowman); Waddai Hotel (William Whyte) and Punt Hotel (James Slattery), both at Waddai. Part of the old bridge was reconstructed for the Australian Bicentenary celebrations and can now be found at the entrance to the Darlington Point Riverside Caravan Park which is located on a bend along the banks of the Murrumbidgee River.

Darlington Point contains a small shopping precinct, a swimming pool, two churches, a hotel, a club and a school. The town has a population of over 1000, with the majority living on the southern side of the river.

Sporting activities include bowling and tennis, as well as being represented by the Darlington Point Coleambally Roosters in the Group 20 Rugby League competition.

The Darlington Point Solar Farm is located approximately 10 km south of the town. It was commissioned in 2020 and is capable of generating 333MW (DC) or 275MW (AC).