Dorrigo, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids DorrigoNew South Wales |
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Dorrigo Main Square
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 Dorrigo
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 1,046 (2021 census) | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2453 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 731 m (2,398 ft) | ||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Bellingen Shire | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Oxley | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Cowper | ||||||||
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Dorrigo is a small town in New South Wales, Australia. It sits on the Northern Tablelands, a high area of land. You can find Dorrigo along the scenic Waterfall Way. It is part of the Bellingen Shire local government area.
The town is about 580 kilometers (360 miles) north of Sydney, the state capital. It's also about 64 kilometers (40 miles) west of the coastal city of Coffs Harbour. Dorrigo is located on the Dorrigo Plateau, which is part of the Great Dividing Range. It is 731 meters (2,398 feet) above sea level. In 2021, about 1,046 people lived in Dorrigo.
Contents
History of Dorrigo
First People and Early Days
The land where Dorrigo is today traditionally belongs to the Gumbainggir people. The name Dorrigo comes from their language. It means 'Stringy Bark' (Dundurriga), which is a type of tree.
European settlers started coming to the area in the 1860s. Before that, timber cutters arrived in the 1840s. They were looking for valuable red cedar trees along the Bellinger River.
Exploring the Plateau
Richard Craig, an escaped convict, was the first European to reach the Dorrigo Plateau. He followed an old path used by the local Indigenous people. This path led from the Grafton area to Armidale. Craig's route later became a road.
Timber cutters followed Craig into the rainforest. Many sawmills were built because there was a high demand for timber, especially Australian Red Cedar.
Growth and Changes
Today, the main road across the plateau is the Waterfall Way. Permanent settlements began in the 1860s. Dairy farming became very important for Dorrigo. Now, tourism is also a big part of the town's economy.
A railway line, the Glenreagh to Dorrigo railway, opened in 1924. However, it closed in 1972 due to flood damage.
Population of Dorrigo
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1954 | 1,080 | — |
| 1961 | 1,027 | −4.9% |
| 1966 | 1,111 | +8.2% |
| 1971 | 1,078 | −3.0% |
| 1976 | 1,152 | +6.9% |
| 1981 | 1,192 | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 1,167 | −2.1% |
| 1991 | 1,135 | −2.7% |
| 1996 | 1,013 | −10.7% |
| 2001 | 969 | −4.3% |
| 2006 | 967 | −0.2% |
| 2011 | 1,072 | +10.9% |
| 2016 | 1,042 | −2.8% |
| 2021 | 1,046 | +0.4% |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data. | ||
In the 2021 Census, Dorrigo had 1,046 residents. Most people (80.8%) were born in Australia. About 90.2% of people spoke only English at home. The most common religions were No Religion (42.5%), Anglican (23.4%), and Catholic (10.1%).
Things to See and Do
Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum
Dorrigo is home to the planned Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum. It's not yet open to the public. This museum has a huge collection of railway vehicles and items from New South Wales. It's one of the biggest railway collections in the world. You can see large items like steam engines from outside the property.
National Parks
Nearby, you can explore the World Heritage listed Dorrigo National Park and New England National Park. These parks are great for people who love nature and outdoor sights. You can find more attractions on the Destination Dorrigo website.
Dangar Falls
Dangar Falls are located about 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) north of Dorrigo. They are on the Bielsdown River. These falls are small but very pretty, and many people like to photograph them. After it rains, they become even more spectacular. There's a nice picnic spot with great views. You can also walk down to the river below the falls.
Be careful not to confuse these falls with Dangars Falls near Armidale. Those falls are about 125 kilometers (78 miles) to the west.
Dorrigo War Memorial
The Dorrigo War Memorial is a stone column in the middle of a street intersection. It's a brown stone pillar with the names of soldiers from the First World War carved into it. Names from the Second World War are on plaques attached to the stone. A white statue of a soldier stands on top, facing east. The memorial is surrounded by a small garden and lit up at night.
Schools in Dorrigo
- Dorrigo Public School
- Mt Saint John's Primary School
- Dorrigo High School
Local Media
A local newspaper, the Don Dorrigo Gazette, started in 1910. For a long time, it was thought to be the last newspaper in Australia printed using an old method called hot metal typesetting. The newspaper stopped publishing in June 2023. The owners said that rising costs and competition from social media led to its closure.
Climate and Weather
Dorrigo has a type of oceanic climate or highland subtropical climate. This means it has mild temperatures and plenty of rain. The average rainfall each year is almost 2,000 millimeters (79 inches). This makes Dorrigo one of the wettest towns in New South Wales.
| Climate data for Dorrigo (Dorrigo Old Coramba Road, 1996-2019) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 36.3 (97.3) |
38.0 (100.4) |
34.1 (93.4) |
28.0 (82.4) |
25.0 (77.0) |
25.0 (77.0) |
22.8 (73.0) |
29.5 (85.1) |
32.0 (89.6) |
34.6 (94.3) |
36.3 (97.3) |
34.5 (94.1) |
38.0 (100.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 24.5 (76.1) |
23.9 (75.0) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.8 (67.6) |
17.2 (63.0) |
14.9 (58.8) |
14.6 (58.3) |
16.2 (61.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.2 (70.2) |
22.3 (72.1) |
23.9 (75.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.1 (59.2) |
15.1 (59.2) |
13.7 (56.7) |
10.7 (51.3) |
7.4 (45.3) |
5.5 (41.9) |
4.4 (39.9) |
4.8 (40.6) |
7.6 (45.7) |
9.9 (49.8) |
12.1 (53.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
10.0 (50.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
8.5 (47.3) |
6.0 (42.8) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
3.9 (39.0) |
3.6 (38.5) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 264.5 (10.41) |
261.6 (10.30) |
309.0 (12.17) |
138.9 (5.47) |
87.9 (3.46) |
134.0 (5.28) |
55.0 (2.17) |
99.9 (3.93) |
76.7 (3.02) |
119.9 (4.72) |
179.5 (7.07) |
179.5 (7.07) |
1,922.4 (75.69) |
| Average rainy days | 14.8 | 15.8 | 18.0 | 14.6 | 10.8 | 10.5 | 9.0 | 7.3 | 9.0 | 12.2 | 15.5 | 16.5 | 154.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 73 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 68 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 57 | 61 | 70 | 70 | 67 |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology | |||||||||||||
Notable Weather Events
Dorrigo has seen some interesting weather. In October 1913, a big hailstorm hit the town. Hail fell for an hour and piled up in many places. The town also experienced its first known snowfall in August 1923.
Dorrigo holds the record for the highest daily rainfall in New South Wales. On February 21, 1954, 809.2 millimeters (31.86 inches) of rain fell in just 24 hours! This huge amount of rain was caused by a tropical cyclone.
Gallery
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A Dorrigo homestead around 1900.
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Dangar Falls at Dorrigo.
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Engines and carriages outside the Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum.
See also
In Spanish: Dorrigo para niños
