Bundanoon, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BundanoonNew South Wales |
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Bundanoon Town Centre at dusk
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 Bundanoon
Location in New South Wales
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| Postcode(s) | 2578 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 675 m (2,215 ft) | ||||||||||||||
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| LGA(s) | Wingecarribee Shire | ||||||||||||||
| County | Camden | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Sutton Forest | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Goulburn | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Hume | ||||||||||||||
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Bundanoon /ˈbʌndəˌnuːn/ is a town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Wingecarribee Shire. The town is located where the lands of the Gandangarra and Dharawal Aboriginal peoples meet.
The name "Bundanoon" comes from an Aboriginal word. It means "place of deep gullies." The town was once known as Jordan's Crossing. People sometimes call Bundanoon "Bundy" or "Bundi" for short.
Bundanoon has seen its popularity change over the years. In the early 1900s, it became a well-known place for tourists. Its beautiful scenery, especially near what is now Morton National Park, attracted many visitors. Being connected by train made it easy for city people to come for holidays. It was a good choice for those who couldn't afford more expensive places like the Blue Mountains.
However, by the 1950s, things changed. More people could afford cars, which gave them more holiday options. Because of this, Bundanoon became less popular. Later, in the early 2000s, Sydney's housing prices went up a lot. This made Bundanoon a more affordable place to live for people who worked in the city. House prices in Bundanoon increased significantly.
In January 2020, a bushfire affected the town. Several houses were sadly destroyed.
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Who Lives in Bundanoon?
At the 2021 census, there were 2,869 people living in Bundanoon.
The 2016 census showed that 2,729 people lived here. The people in Bundanoon were generally older than the average Australian. Their median age was 56 years. This was 18 years older than the national average age of 38. About 13.8% of the population were children under 15. This is a bit less than the national average. Also, 36% of the people were 65 years or older. This is more than double the national average.
Most people in Bundanoon (76.6%) were born in Australia. The next largest groups were from England (8.7%), New Zealand (1.4%), and Germany (1.1%). About 92.5% of people spoke only English at home. When asked about religion, the most common answers were No Religion (29.4%), Anglican (27.4%), and Catholic (18.7%).
Fun Annual Events
Bundanoon hosts several exciting events each year:
- Brigadoon Highland Gathering – This event happens every April. It started in 1977. It brings Scottish performers and visitors from all over the world.
- Garden Ramble – This event takes place every October. It began in 1996.
- Sydney Gilbert & Sullivan Opera – Bundanoon hosts this opera group every spring. Their performances at the Soldiers' Memorial Hall are very popular and often sell out.
Places of Worship
Bundanoon has several churches and a Buddhist monastery.
Churches in Bundanoon
- Anglican Church: Holy Trinity Anglican Church was built in 1879. The original timber church burned down in December 1904. It was rebuilt with stone in 1905.
- Catholic Church: St Brigid's Catholic Church was built in 1895. Before that, Catholic services were held in Sutton Forest.
- Uniting Church: The Primitive Methodist Church was set up around 1870. It moved to a new building in 1885, which is now the Uniting Church.
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Holy Trinity Anglican Church
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St Brigid's Catholic Church
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Uniting Church
Other Places of Worship
- Buddhist Monastery: Santi Forest Monastery is a Theravada Buddhist monastery. It is a place for Bhikkhunī nuns to practice meditation and contemplation.
Local School
Bundanoon Public School was started in 1871. In 2016, it had 190 students. By 2020, the number of students was 160.
The first school was held in the Primitive Methodist Church hall. Mrs. Dinah Osborne was the first teacher. A new school building with two rooms was built in 1880. This building is still used today as the school library.
Getting Around Bundanoon
Train Services
Bundanoon railway station is on the Southern Highlands train line. Most trains stop at Moss Vale, so Bundanoon has limited services. Trains traveling from Sydney to Canberra also stop at this station.
Bus Services
Local bus services in Bundanoon are provided by Berrima Bus Lines.
How People Travel to Work
On the day of the 2011 census, about 4.1% of working people used public transport to get to work. Most people (65.3%) traveled by car, either driving themselves or as a passenger.
Sports in Bundanoon
Bundanoon offers several sports for its residents:
- Football (Soccer): The Bundanoon Rebels Football Club started in 1991. They have junior and senior teams that play in the local Highlands competition. Soccer is the main winter sport. There are five acres of fields at Ferndale Reserve for playing.
- Cricket: The Bundanoon Cricket Club has junior teams for boys and girls. They also have senior cricket teams that play in the HDCA competition.
- Rolloff World Championships: Bundanoon is also home to the Rolloff World Championships!
Historic Places
Bundanoon has some sites that are listed for their historical importance. One of these is the Bundanoon railway station, which is part of the Main Southern railway line.
Bundanoon's History
The town was first called Jordan's Crossing. The name was officially changed to Bundanoon for the post office in April 1881. However, people were already calling it "Bundanoon township at Jordan's Crossing" as early as 1870. That's when a meeting was held to start the public school.
Bundanoon History Group
The Bundanoon History Group was started in the early 1980s. This group meets once a month at The Old Goods Shed. They keep a collection of old photographs and written records about the town's past.
Ban on Bottled Water
In July 2009, Bundanoon became famous for a special community project called "Bundy on Tap." This project declared that it was against the sale of bottled drinking water. This was done to protect the environment. Local businesses agreed to fill reusable bottles with tap water for free instead. The community wanted to protest against companies like Norlex and Coca-Cola (which owns Australian bottled water brands Neverfail and Mount Franklin). These companies were taking water from the town's underground water sources.
2020 Bushfire
In January 2020, a large bushfire affected Bundanoon. Several homes in the town were destroyed during this event.
Famous People from Bundanoon
Some notable people have lived in Bundanoon:
- David Foster (born 1944) – a novelist (someone who writes novels).
- Margaret Jeffrey (1896–1977) – a senior policewoman.
