Wingham, New South Wales

Wingham New South Wales
Wingham Library and Post Office
Wingham
Coordinates	31°52′S 152°22′E / 31.867°S 152.367°E / -31.867; 152.367Coordinates: 31°52′S 152°22′E / 31.867°S 152.367°E / -31.867; 152.367
Population	5,313 (2011 census)^[1]
Established	1844
Postcode(s)	2429
Location	319 km (198 mi) NE of Sydney 13 km (8 mi) NW of Taree
LGA(s)	Mid-Coast Council
State electorate(s)	Myall Lakes
Federal Division(s)	Lyne

Wingham is a town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia in Suburbs of Mid-Coast Council 335 kilometres (208 mi) north of Sydney. According to the 2011 census, Wingham had a population of 5,313.^[1]

History

The first land grant in the area was made at The Bight to George Rowley in 1841. Wingham was chosen as a location for a government settlement because supply boats could not proceed any further up the Manning River and was also located on the road from Raymond Terrace to Port Maquarie. Named after Wingham in Kent, England, Wingham was proclaimed a village in 1844 but allotments were not made until 1854, the same year that Henry Flett laid out Taree as a private settlement. In the meantime, Tinonee had also been established as a government settlement and in 1866 had a population of 100, compared to 90 at Wingham and 150 at Taree.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Wingham was proclaimed a municipality in 1889. By 1909, Wingham consisted of 285 houses and had a population of 900, but government services had been transferred to Taree, which had a population of 1300 in 269 houses. The municipalities were merged with each other and the Manning Valley Shire in 1981 to form the City of Greater Taree.^[5]

Town

A de Haviland Vampire at Central Park outside the Wingham RSL

Wingham's main street, Isabella Street runs east west and fronts the typically English town square, Central Park. Around the eastern end Central Park are the Wingham Brush Public School, the Victorian style School of Arts, built in 1907 and now a council building with Library at the rear, the state heritage listed Post Office, built in 1884, and a telephone exchange. Along the southern side of the park runs Farquhar Street which has a private residence, the Georgian Revival style Courthouse, built in 1934, the 1909 Federation style police station, Catholic Presbytery, St. Joseph's Catholic School, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church, the Manning Valley Historical Society rooms and Museum and a dental surgery. On the corner of Bent and Farquhar Streets stands the old Gibson and Skinner Butchery, built in 1911. Bent Street runs along the western side of Central Park and is home to the Australian Hotel (the Top Pub to the locals), the Wingham District Memorial Services Club,^[6] formerly a Returned Services League Social Club and various shops. Shops also dominate the northern side of the park. The Northeast corner was occupied by the Wingham Hotel or Bottom Pub from 1926 until it burned down on 5 July 2010.^[2]^[7]^[8]

The Big Log opposite Wingham Roman Catholic Church

Central Park itself is home to "The Log," a massive log felled in the surrounding countryside which serves to remind the townsfolk of the timber (and dairy) driven history of the area, a de Havilland Vampire fighter plane (opposite the RSL Club), a cricket pitch (Phil Tufnell played an exhibition match in Wingham in which he was bowled for a duck in the first innings, by Glenn Levine, but made a good fist of it in the second), some children’s play equipment, a drinking fountain commemorating the installation of mains water in the town, a small ornamental waterfall (which has been filled in with a garden), and two flag poles at opposite ends of the northern side of the park.

Education

The old cargo wharf on the Manning River

There are five schools in Wingham. Wingham Public School is located in Murray Road, and is known to the locals as Murray Road Public School. St Joseph's Catholic School is located between the Catholic Church and Presbytery on the southern side of Central Park, Wingham Special Education primary school for young mentally challenged children, located in the north end of Richardson Street and Wingham Brush Public School is around the corner between the eastern side of Central Park and Wingham Brush.

Wingham High School is located three blocks northeast of Central Park, and has an extensive agricultural science department, owning three properties and a feedlot. The WHS Agricultural Show Team breeds all their own cattle through both natural mating and artificial insemination. They specialise in commercial beef animals, and have won first ribbons for hoof and hook, steer competitions, as well as junior judging and parading, in such shows as the Royal Sydney Show, Royal Brisbane Show and Tamworth Show.

Tourism

Wingham Brush

Along the Manning River is Wingham Brush, an area of native bush including spectacular Moreton Bay Fig trees and home to a colony of flying foxes. For many years the flying foxes were considered pests and various initiatives were taken to remove them, including offering free ammunition to those willing to shoot them. These efforts proved ineffective and, in more recent years, moves have been taken to protect the flying foxes, which have become a tourist attraction. Wingham Brush is also home to a large number of Moreton Bay Fig trees.

Wingham is the gateway to the Ellenborough Falls on the Bulga Plateau, the second longest single drop waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere. The Bank Guesthouse, formerly the local branch of the Westpac Bank, featured on the Seven Network's Sydney Weekender with Mike Whitney in 1999.

Jimmy Governor

The infamous murderer and fugitive Jimmy Governor was incarcerated in Wingham immediately after his capture. The cell in which he was imprisoned is on display at the Manning Historical Society Museum. A memorial to Governor is located at the site of his capture, a 30-minute drive west along the Wingham-Elands road, outside the small town of Bobin.

Communications

Wingham is also home to the Wingham Chronicle and the Rhema FM Manning Great Lakes radio station.

Di Morrissey, one of Australia's most successful novelists with 23 best-selling novels and two children’s books, was born in Wingham on March 18, 1948.

Members of Sydney-based independent bands The Maladies and Love Parade grew up in the area and attended Wingham Public School and Wingham High School.

Wingham is served by the Grafton, Casino and Brisbane XPT service on the North Coast Railway Line linking Sydney with Grafton, Casino, and Brisbane with complimenting bus services which travel to Newcastle and Broadmeadow with NSW TrainLink, rail connections to Sydney. Six NSW TrainLink XPT services stop at Wingham (three in each direction). Night time NSW TrainLink XPT services no longer stopped in Wingham from the early 1990s until around 2011. Night time services stopping in Wingham ended in the early 1990s when the station became unattended. The Wingham station opened on 5 February 1913 and features single platform and a 780-metre crossing loop which is predominantly used for freight cargo travelling along the North Coast Railway Line.

Annual events

Wingham Summertime Rodeo. Events include rodeo, bucking horses, saddlebronc, rodeo clowns, and bucking bulls. First week in January.
Wingham Show held annually at Wingham Showground.
Wingham Beef Week, a series of beef-oriented activities held the fourth week of April in Wingham and surrounding areas.
Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival usually held first weekend in June.^[9]
Wingham Campdraft at Wingham Showgrounds, first week in November.
Wingham Akoostik Music Festival held in Wingham Central Park every third weekend in October. It presents various genres of music such as Acoustic, Rock, Reggae & everything alternative.^[10]

References

1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Wingham (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
1 2 "Wingham Walk" (PDF). Greater Taree City Council. March 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
↑ "Taree". The Age website. The Age Company Ltd. 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
↑ Ramsland, John (1987). The Struggle Against Isolation - A History of the Manning Valley. North Sydney, New South Wales: Library of Australian History. pp. 42–43,. ISBN 0-908120-67-2.
↑ Ramsland, John (1987). The Struggle Against Isolation - A History of the Manning Valley. North Sydney, New South Wales: Library of Australian History. pp. 160, 300–301. ISBN 0-908120-67-2.
↑ Wingham District Memorial Services Club Limited, Annual Report 2010
↑ "Historic Wingham pub burnt to the ground". Manning River Times. 2010-07-05.
↑ "Wingham hotel burns to ground". Manning River Times. 2010-06-06.
↑ Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival page on Manning Valley Historical Society website
↑ "Wingham Akoostik Music Festival". Website. Retrieved 27 August 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wingham, New South Wales.

"Manning River catchments" (map). Office of Environment and Heritage. Government of New South Wales.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-factsheet/wingham-20081113-5yn8.html

Towns, suburbs and localities of Mid-Coast Council, in the Hunter & Mid North Coast Regions, New South Wales

Towns, suburbs and localities	Alderley Alderley Creek Allworth Back Creek Bakers Creek Barrington Baxters Ridge Belbora Bennetts Head Bennys Tops Berrico Bindera Black Head Blueys Beach Bobin Bohnock Bombah Point Boolambayte Boomerang Beach Booral Bootawa Booti Booti Bowman Bowman Farm Bretti Brimbin Bucca Wauka Bulahdelah Bulby Brush Bulga Forest Bulliac Bundabah Bundook Bungwahl Bunyah Bunyah Upper Burgess Beach Burraduc Burrell Creek Cabbage Tree Island Caffreys Flat Callaghans Creek Caparra Cape Hawke Caramea Carrington Cedar Party Cells River Charlottes Bay Clareval Cobark Coneac Coolongolook Coomba Coomba Bay Coomba Park Coopernook Cooplacurripa Copeland Coralville Corroboree Flat Craven Craven Plateau Cravens Creek Crawford River Croki Crowdy Bay National Park Crowdy Head Cundle Flat Cundletown Cureeki Creek Curricabark Darawank Dewitt Dewrang Diamond Beach Dingo Forest Dirty Creek Dollys Flat Doon Ayre Dumaresq Island Dungog Dyers Crossing Elands Elizabeth Beach Failford Faulkland Fernhill Firefly Forbesdale Forster Forster Keys Forster Waters Friendship Key Gangat Gereeba Island Ghinni Ghinni Giro Girvan Glen Ward Glenthorne Gloucester Gloucester River Gloucester South Gloucester Tops Green Point Hallidays Point Hannam Vale Harrington Hawks Nest Heatherdale Hillville Invergordon Johns River Johnsons Creek Jones Island Karaak Flat Karuah Kauthi Khatambuhl Kia Ora Killabakh Killawarra Kimbriki Kippaxs Kiwarrak Knorrit Flat Knorrit Forest Koorainghat Krambach Kundibakh Kundle Kundle Langley Vale Lansdowne Lansdowne Forest Legges Camp Lime Kiln Limeburners Creek Lower Bowman Manning Point Mares Run Markwell Marlee Maudville Mayers Flat Melinga Mernot Milbrook Mill Creek Upper Minimbah Mitchells Island Mograni Creek Mograni Mondrook Monkerai Mooral Creek Moorland Moppy Moto Mount George Mount Peerless Mungo Brush Myall Lakes Myall Upper Myra Nabiac Nerong New Forster Newells Creek Nooroo North Arm Cove North Pindimar Nugra Nugramudgee Number One Old Bar Oxley Island Pacific Palms Pampoolah Pindimar Pioneer Park Pipers Bay Pitlochry Possum Brush Purfleet Rainbow Flat Rawdon Vale Red Head Rocky Crossing Rookhurst Rosenthal Saltwater Sandbar Seal Rocks Smiths Lake South Pindimar Stewarts River Stratford Stratford South Strathcedar Stroud Stroud Road Sugarloaf Point Tahlee Tallwoods Village Tamboy Taravale Tarbuck Bay Taree Taree South Tea Gardens Telegherry Terreel The Bight The Branch Tibbuc Tinonee Tiona Tipperary Titaatee Creek Topi Topi Tugrabakh Tuncurry Upper Bowman Upper Karuah River Upper Lansdowne Upper Monkerai Violet Hill Waitui Wallabi Point Wallamba Island Wallanbah Wallingat Wallingat River Wallis Island Wallis Lake Wang Wauk Wapra Wards River Warranulla Washpool Wattley Hill Waukivory Waukivory Upper Weismantels Wherrol Flat Whoota Willina Winda Woppa Wingham Wirradgurie Woko Wootton Yagon Yagon Beach Yarratt Forest Yumbunga

Rivers and other waterways	Avon River Barnard River Barrington River Bowman River Coolongolook River Cooplacurripa River Crawford River Curricabark River Gloucester River Karuah River Mammy Johnsons River Manning River Myall Lakes Myall River Smiths Lake Telegherry River The Branch River Wallamba River Wallingat River Wallis Lake Wards River

National parks	Barrington Tops National Park Booti Booti Ghin-Doo-Ee Myall Lakes Wallingat

Other places and points of interest	Broughton Island Cape Hawke Gloucester Tops Mitchells Island Oxley Island Port Stephens Singing Bridge Tahlee historic property Tops to Myall Heritage Trail

Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia

Federal divisions	Cowper Lyne

State electorates	Coffs Harbour Myall Lakes Oxley Port Macquarie

Local government areas	Bellingen Coffs Harbour Kempsey Nambucca Port Macquarie-Hastings Greater Taree

Cities	Coffs Harbour

Towns / suburbs	Arakoon Batar Bellingen Birdwood Boambee Bonny Hills Bonville Bostobrick Bowraville Camden Haven Collombatti Comboyne Coopernook Coramba Corindi Beach Crescent Head Cundletown Dorrigo Ellenborough Frederickton Hannam Vale Harrington Hat Head Herons Creek Jerseyville Karangi Kempsey Kendall Kew Kinchela Kindee Kolodong Krambach Kundabung Lake Cathie Lansdowne Laurieton Long Flat Lowanna Macksville Manning Point Mylestom Nambucca Heads Nana Glen Newee Creek New Entrance North Haven Oceanside Old Bar Park Beach Port Macquarie Raleigh Repton Sawtell Scotts Head Smithtown South West Rocks Taree Taylors Arm Telegraph Point Thora Toms Creek Tinonee Toormina Ulong Urunga Valla Warrell Creek Wingham Woolgoolga Wauchope

Rivers	Apsley Barnard Barrington Bellinger Bowman Camden Haven Cells Christmas Coolongolook Cooplacurripa Crawford Dawson Doyles Ellenborough Forbes Georges Hastings Kalang Kunderang Lansdowne Macleay Manning Maria Mummel Myall Lakes Myall Nambucca Never Never Nowendoc Pappinbarra Pipers Ralfes Rosewood Rowleys Smiths Lake Stewarts Taylors Throne Tobins Walcrow Wallamba Wallingat Wallis Lake Wang Wauk Williams Wilson

Ranges and mountains	Banda Banda Three Brothers

National parks / Nature reserves / Important Bird Areas	Coocumbac Island Nature Reserve Dooragan NP Ellenborough Falls Hastings-Macleay IBA Hat Head NP Kattang Nature Reserve Maria NP Middle Brother NP Sea Acres NP

Major tourist attractions	Big Banana Billabong Koala and Wildlife Park North Coast Regional Botanic Garden Willi Willi Caves

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