Prior to 1894 the town of Cobar was part of the
district of Bourke which returned three members. Multi-member constituencies were abolished in the 1893 redistribution, resulting in the creation of 76 new districts, including Cobar. Bourke was reduced in size and parts were given to the new districts of Cobar and
The Barwon. Cobar also absorbed parts of the abolished districts of
The Bogan and
Forbes. The electoral district included all of the counties of
Canbelego,
Robinson and
Yanda as well as parts of the surrounding counties of
Booroondarra,
Cowper,
Flinders,
Gregory,
Oxley,
Rankin,
Werunda and
Woore. Cobar's economy was centered around copper mining, and the district also included
Nyngan which was established in 1883 as a stop on the
Main Western railway line on its way to Bourke. At its establishment in 1894 Cobar had 1,646 enrolled voters, slightly less than the average of 2,046. In 1904 the number of enrolled voters nearly doubled as women were given the right to vote while the number of members of the Legislative Assembly was reduced from 125 to 90 as a result of the
1903 New South Wales referendum. Cobar absorbed parts of
The Lachlan and parts of the abolished seats of The Barwon,
Condoublin and
Wilcannia. The combined effect of the changes meant that the number of enrolled voters in Cobar went from 3,501, to 6,488, an increase of 185%. The district was significantly expanded in 1913, absorbing most of
The Darling, including the town of Bourke. Cobar was abolished in 1920, with the introduction of
proportional representation, and was absorbed by the expanded
district of Sturt, along with
Willyama to create a three-member electorate covering most of the
Western Division of New South Wales. Proportional representation was abolished in 1927, with Bourke going to the re-created district of
Namoi, while Cobar and Nyngan were in the re-created district of Lachlan. Cobar was re-created in 1930, and comprised part of the districts of Sturt, Lachlan and Namoi, including the towns of Cobar, Bourke,
Brewarrina,
Byrock,
Wilcannia,
White Cliffs and part of
Broken Hill. The 1949 redistribution saw Cobar absorb the entire district of Sturt, but lost Bourke and Nyngan to
Castlereagh and
South Broken Hill and
Menindee to the re-constituted Sturt. Cobar, along with Sturt were abolished as a result of the 1966 redistribution, replaced by the new
district of Broken Hill, which included all of the town, and the district extended from the border with Victoria on the
Murray River to the Queensland border in the north, including the towns of
Wentworth and Wilcannia. The town of Cobar was absorbed by Castlereagh, which moved west, while south western part of the district was absorbed by the
district of Temora. ==Members for Cobar==