Форбс: История, золото и жизнь на реке Лахлан

Located on the banks of the Lachlan River, Forbes is above sea level and about west of Sydney. The district is a cropping area where wheat and similar crops are grown. Nearby towns and villages include Calarie, Parkes, Bedgerebong, Bundabarrah, Corradgery, Daroobalgie, Eugowra, Ooma North and Paytens Bridge. Forbes is subject to a pattern of flooding, generally occurring to a significant level once every seven years, including 2016 The first settlers moved into the district in 1834. Gold was discovered by Harry Stephan, also known as "German Harry", in June 1861. The goldfields were originally named "Black Ridge", and the name "Forbes" celebrating Sir Francis Forbes was declared from Sydney as the result of a possible government administrative error. It is said that the name was meant for the town now known as "Hill End" between Orange and Mudgee, where gold was discovered around a similar time. Gold was initially found in the area known as Halpin's Flat. The Albion Hotel, once a Cobb and Co. stage coach stop, had tunnels situated underneath which were used during the gold rush to convey gold and money to and from the banks to minimise the chance of theft. One of Australia's most renowned bushrangers, Ben Hall, was shot dead in an early morning police ambush about to the north west of Forbes on 5 May 1865. Hall and his gang were famous for stealing of gold and £3,700 from the nearby town of Eugowra in 1862. He is buried in Forbes Cemetery. Kate Kelly, the sister of bushranger Ned Kelly, lived in the town. She drowned in Lake Forbes while saving an Aboriginal child during a flood in 1898 and was found in a lagoon of the Lachlan River, just outside Forbes. She is buried in Forbes Cemetery. Forbes Cemetery, Bogan Gate Road: Grave of Ben Hall
118 Lachlan Street: Forbes Post Office
Parkes Stockinbingal railway: Forbes railway station

According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 8,432 people in Forbes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 12.1% of the population. 86.2% of people were born in Australia and 89.1% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 35.1%, Anglican 24.7% and No Religion 15.4%. Forbes lies at or near the confluence of the Newell Highway, the Lachlan Valley Way and Henry Lawson Way.

Forbes Shire has four public primary schools: Forbes Primary School, Forbes North Primary School, Corinella Public School and Bedgerebong Public School. There is one Catholic primary school, St Laurence's Primary School. Forbes High School, a public school, is located to the north of town. Red Bend Catholic College at Forbes is a co educational secondary school, with the school located at the site of the former Marist Brothers' College, on the banks of the Lachlan River. Local tertiary institutions are the Forbes College of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and the Forbes Conservatorium.

The Forbes Camel Races have been held annually since 2001 on Good Friday at the Forbes Racecourse.

Forbes lies in the transitional zones of the semi arid climate (BSh) and humid subtropical climates (Cfa), with relatively large temperature variation between seasons, and moderate rainfall spread evenly throughout the year. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 47.8 °C (118 °F) on 11 Jan 1882, to 5.6 °C (22 °F) on both 11 Jul 1958 and 15 Jun 1959; the warmest minimum was on 24 Jan 1896; and the coolest maximum, on 27 Jun 1904. Notwithstanding its northerly latitude and low elevation of just , snow has been known to fall on a few occasions—one of which saw a daily snowfall total of on 05 Jul 1900. It features 133.2 clear days annually.

There are two local newspapers servicing Forbes. The Forbes Advocate is owned by Fairfax Media. The Forbes Phoenix is a free weekly paper that is published on Fridays. It is part of the independently owned Phoenix Group of papers.