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Merriwa, New South Wales facts for kids

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This page is about the town in rural New South Wales. For the outer metropolitan suburb in Perth, Western Australia, see Merriwa, Western Australia.
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Merriwa
New South Wales
Merriwa Bettington Street 001.JPG
Bettington Street (Golden Highway), the main street of Merriwa, 2017
Merriwa is located in New South Wales
Merriwa
Merriwa
Location in New South Wales
Population 1,790 (2011 census)
Postcode(s) 2329
Location 273 km (170 mi) NW of Sydney
LGA(s) Upper Hunter Shire

Merriwa is a friendly town in the Upper Hunter Shire area of New South Wales, Australia. It's located in the western part of the Hunter Region.

You can find Merriwa on the Golden Highway. It's about 273 kilometres (170 miles) northwest of Sydney. It's also roughly halfway between the cities of Newcastle and Dubbo. In 2011, about 1,790 people lived in Merriwa. Before 2004, Merriwa had its own local government area. Then, it joined with nearby councils to form the Upper Hunter Council.

Did you know that Old Rowley, the horse that won the famous Melbourne Cup race in 1940, retired to Merriwa?

Fun Events in Merriwa

Merriwa hosts exciting events throughout the year. These events bring the community together:

  • Merriwa Morgans Cup Races: This horse racing event happens every year in April. You can find out more at their website.
  • The Festival of the Fleeces: This unique festival takes place annually on the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June. Learn more at their website.
  • Merriwa Springtime Show: This show is held every year on the third weekend of September. It's a great way to experience local culture. Check out their website for details.
Merriwa sign
This sign welcomes you to the town of Merriwa, NSW.

Historic Places to See

Merriwa has several buildings and sites that are important to its history. These are called heritage-listed sites:

  • Colonial Cottage Museum: Built in 1857, this old cottage on Bow Street is now a museum.
  • Merriwa railway line: This railway line played a big part in the town's past.
  • Merriwa Courthouse: This building, which also had a police station and cells, was used from 1860 to 1958.
  • Fitzroy Hotel Merriwa: This hotel was built in 1914.
  • The Royal Hotel Merriwa: Another historic hotel, also built in 1914.
  • Holy Trinity Church: This church was built between 1875 and 1899.
  • The Catholic Church: This church was built in 1881.

Merriwa's Climate

Merriwa experiences a range of temperatures throughout the year. Summers are generally warm, with average high temperatures around 30°C (86°F) in January. Winters are cooler, with average high temperatures around 16°C (61°F) in July. The town gets most of its rain in the warmer months. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -5.8°C (21.6°F) in June, and the hottest was 45.4°C (113.7°F) in February.

Schools in Merriwa

Merriwa has schools for local students:

  • Merriwa Central School (which has different campuses)
  • St Joseph's Private School

Famous People from Merriwa

Some notable people have connections to Merriwa:

  • Catherine Cecily O'Brien: She was a Dominican sister and a very important person in education.
  • Lachlan Walmsley: He is a Scottish international rugby league player. He currently plays for the Halifax Panthers team.
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