Narrandera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids NarranderaNew South Wales |
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East Street, main street of Narrandera
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 Narrandera
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 4,369 (2021 census) | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2700 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 173.0 m (568 ft) | ||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Narrandera Shire | ||||||||
| County | Cooper | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Cootamundra | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Farrer | ||||||||
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Narrandera (say it like nuh-RAN-duh-ruh) is a cool town in the Riverina area of south-western New South Wales, Australia. It sits right where two big roads, the Newell and Sturt highways, meet. The town is also next to the Murrumbidgee River and is seen as the main entry point to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. In 2016, about 3,746 people lived in Narrandera.
Contents
History of Narrandera
Narrandera is a river town with a really interesting past. Captain Charles Sturt was the first European explorer to see the area where Narrandera is now. He passed through on December 12, 1829. However, another explorer named Charles Throsby had already seen the Murrumbidgee River (which means "Big Water") back in 1821. The name Narrandera comes from the Wiradjuri word nharrang, which means "frill-necked lizard", and also from the local Narrungderah clan.
The Narrungderah People
The local Aboriginal people, part of the Wiradjuri nation, faced huge challenges when European settlers arrived. Many were affected by new diseases and conflicts. Today, about ten percent of Narrandera's population are Wiradjuri people, many of whom moved from other areas due to colonial expansion.
Early Settlement of the Town
Narrandera was first mentioned as a large farming area, or "run," in 1848. It was called the Narrandera Run. In 1850, a surveyor named James Larmer set aside the land for what would become Narrandera. The town really started to grow in the early 1860s. The first post office opened nearby in 1859 and then moved to Narrandera in 1861. Narrandera officially became a town on March 17, 1885.
1945 RAAF Plane Crash
On September 3, 1945, a Royal Australian Air Force plane, a Bristol Beaufighter, crashed into a canal at the west end of town. This sad event happened during a short pleasure flight, and all seven people on board lost their lives.
Celebrating 150 Years in 2013
In October 2013, Narrandera celebrated its 150th birthday with a big event called Back to Narrandera 1863 to 2013. The Governor of New South Wales, Marie Bashir, who was born in Narrandera, officially opened the celebrations. She spoke about the Wiradjuri people, the original owners of the land, and how Narrandera means "the place of lizard or goanna" in their language.
Many fun and interesting things happened during the celebration:
- The Parkside Cottage Museum showed off historical items.
- There were sheepdog championships.
- People could take walks through the Narrandera Cemeteries to learn about history.
- There was a Chinese exhibition and a railway display with old train rides.
- A time capsule was sealed and placed under the Narrandera Clock Tower.
- The new Rocky Waterholes Bridge was also opened.
Heritage Sites in Narrandera
Narrandera has several places that are listed as important heritage sites. These include:
- Elizabeth Street: Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall
- Junee-Hay railway: Murrumbidgee River railway bridge
- Murrumbidgee River: Berembed Weir
- 30–32 Twynam Street: Derrendi
- Whitton Street (Newell Highway): Narrandera railway station
- Murrumbidgee River near: Gogeldrie Weir
Narrandera Today
Narrandera is a pretty town with lots of trees, which is a nice change from the flat plains around it. It's located right by the Murrumbidgee River, where the Newell and Sturt highways meet. The town is in the middle of a rich farming area.
Narrandera is where the dry farming lands (used for growing grains and raising sheep) meet the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA). The MIA gets its water from the Burrinjuck Dam. Thanks to this water, farmers in the MIA can grow all sorts of things like rice, citrus fruits, grapes for wine, potatoes, and even cotton and nuts!
Special Places in Narrandera
The Narrandera Memorial Gardens have a unique Hankinson Fountain. This ceramic fountain was made by the Royal Doulton Company in England, and it's one of only two like it in the world! It was given to Narrandera in 1922 to honor the local people who fought in World War I.
Narrandera is also famous for its waterways, especially the Lake Talbot Water Park. This park has a 50-meter swimming pool, a big pool for kids, a tiny pool for babies, a water playground, and two giant water-slides! It's right next to Lake Talbot, which is great for swimming, water-skiing, and canoeing.
The Narrandera Flora and Fauna Reserve is home to a Koala Regeneration Reserve. This reserve was started in the 1970s to bring koalas back to the area, as they had disappeared by 1950. Now, there are hundreds of healthy koalas in the reserve, and they've even spread to areas far beyond Narrandera. You can also see lots of kangaroos there!
Other important waterways around Narrandera include the Murrumbidgee River, the Narrandera Wetlands, Bundidgerry Creek, and Lake Coolah.
The town also has some cool old buildings and features, like a huge fig tree on the corner of King and Cadell Streets, which is thought to be 150 years old! There's also the Mon Repos, a beautiful house built in the 1890s. The Oakbank Brewery Tower, by the Murrumbidgee River, is another famous landmark. It used to be a brewery and then a soft drink factory.
The Parkside Museum in Narrandera has a special cloak made from the very first bale of Merino wool sent to England by the MacArthur family.
The Irrigation Canal, which flows through the town, carries water to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. This canal starts about 34 kilometers (21 miles) east at Berembed Weir, where water is taken from the Murrumbidgee River. Lake Talbot was actually formed in 1924 when the bank of this canal broke, flooding the land nearby. The town decided to keep this shallow lake, and it became a popular spot for fun activities. There's also a wetland near Lizard Drive, which collects stormwater from the town.
Climate in Narrandera
Narrandera has a cold semi-arid climate, which means it's often dry but can get cold. Summers are long, hot, and very sunny, sometimes with big thunderstorms. Winters are cool and often cloudy, with light rain or fog that can last for days. It almost never snows in Narrandera.
| Climate data for Narrandera Airport AWS (1970–2022); 145 m AMSL; 34.71° S, 146.51° E | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 47.4 (117.3) |
45.8 (114.4) |
39.8 (103.6) |
38.1 (100.6) |
30.4 (86.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
29.1 (84.4) |
38.2 (100.8) |
38.2 (100.8) |
43.4 (110.1) |
45.1 (113.2) |
47.4 (117.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 33.6 (92.5) |
32.1 (89.8) |
28.7 (83.7) |
23.8 (74.8) |
18.9 (66.0) |
15.1 (59.2) |
14.4 (57.9) |
16.1 (61.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
24.4 (75.9) |
28.0 (82.4) |
31.1 (88.0) |
23.8 (74.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.8 (64.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
14.2 (57.6) |
9.7 (49.5) |
6.4 (43.5) |
4.0 (39.2) |
3.2 (37.8) |
3.7 (38.7) |
5.7 (42.3) |
9.2 (48.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
15.0 (59.0) |
9.9 (49.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5.9 (42.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
4.2 (39.6) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
3.0 (37.4) |
6.2 (43.2) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 39.2 (1.54) |
33.8 (1.33) |
34.0 (1.34) |
34.5 (1.36) |
39.2 (1.54) |
38.8 (1.53) |
35.9 (1.41) |
39.1 (1.54) |
35.9 (1.41) |
41.3 (1.63) |
37.9 (1.49) |
35.8 (1.41) |
444.6 (17.50) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 7.3 | 10.1 | 11.4 | 10.7 | 8.5 | 7.4 | 6.5 | 5.4 | 86.7 |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Narrandera Airport AWS | |||||||||||||
Getting Around Narrandera (Transport)
Narrandera has good transport options. The Sturt Highway and the Newell Highway cross just south of the town. Narrandera Airport is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of town. You can catch a Rex Airlines flight from here to Sydney, which takes about an hour and 20 minutes.
There's also a train service called NSW TrainLink Xplorer that runs twice a week between Sydney and Griffith, stopping in Narrandera. NSW TrainLink also has a bus service from Wagga Wagga to Griffith.
Sports in Narrandera
Narrandera loves its sports!
- Rugby League: The town has a rugby league team called the Lizards, which started in 1921. They play in the Group 17 Rugby League competition. The Lizards have won championships in 1986, 1991, 1999, 2022, and 2023.
- Australian Rules Football: The Narrandera Eagles (also known as Narrandera Imperials Football Club) play in the Riverina Football League. They won championships in 1986 and 2012. Before that, they won 15 titles in the South West competition!
- Narrandera also has strong local competitions for cricket and basketball.
Population of Narrandera (Demography)
Like many country towns, Narrandera's population has changed over the years. Here's how it has looked at different times:
| Selected historical census data for Narrandera urban centre/locality | |||||
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| Census year | 2001 | 2006 | 2011 | ||
| Population | Estimated residents on Census night | 4,116 | 3,961 | 3,871 | |
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1921 | 2,985 | — |
| 1933 | 4,119 | +38.0% |
| 1947 | 4,186 | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 4,418 | +5.5% |
| 1961 | 4,718 | +6.8% |
| 1966 | 4,914 | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 4,831 | −1.7% |
| 1976 | 4,984 | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 5,013 | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 4,835 | −3.6% |
| 1991 | 4,649 | −3.8% |
| 1996 | 4,678 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 4,116 | −12.0% |
| 2006 | 3,961 | −3.8% |
| 2011 | 3,871 | −2.3% |
| 2016 | 3,746 | −3.2% |
| 2021 | 3,783 | +1.0% |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data. | ||
Famous People from Narrandera
Many talented people have come from Narrandera, including:
- Dame Marie Bashir: A former Governor of New South Wales.
- Percy Bushby: An Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon.
- Daniel Christian: A former Australian cricketer who played for the national team in One Day Internationals and T20 matches.
- Creswell Eastman: A professor known for his research on iodine deficiency.
- Adrian Feint: An Australian artist famous for his paintings of flowers.
- Matt Flynn: An Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Coast Eagles.
- Kathleen Gorham: A famous ballet dancer (prima ballerina).
- Stan Grant Snr: A Wiradjuri elder and author who has helped keep the Wiradjuri language alive.
- Sam Groth: A professional tennis player.
- Patrick Hartigan: A Catholic priest, poet, and author who wrote under the name "John O'Brien."
- Victor Hugo: An Australian rules footballer.
- Cliff Lyons: A former professional rugby league player who played for Manly Sea Eagles, New South Wales, and Australia.
- Graham Lyons: A former professional rugby league player who played for South Sydney, Balmain, Penrith, and New South Wales.
- Michael Salafia: A former professional rugby league player who represented Italy.
- Tim Ruffles: A former Australian rules footballer for Fremantle.
- Zac Williams: An Australian rules footballer who plays for Carlton.
Images for kids
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Narrandera Post Office
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Charles Sturt memorial on the Murrumbidgee River
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Narrandera railway station
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Narrandera railway station
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Aerial view of Narrandera
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