Oberon, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oberon New South Wales
Oberon Street, the main street of Oberon
Oberon Location in New South Wales
Population	3,319 (2021 census)
Postcode(s)	2787
Elevation	1,113 m (3,652 ft)
Location	187 km (116 mi) W of Sydney 49 km (30 mi) SE of Bathurst 143 km (89 mi) N of Goulburn
LGA(s)	Oberon Council
County	Westmoreland
State electorate(s)	Bathurst
Federal Division(s)	Calare
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 16.8 °C 62 °F 5.2 °C 41 °F 842.9 mm 33.2 in

Oberon is a town in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. It's managed by the Oberon Council. The main jobs here are farming, growing trees, and making things from wood. Because Oberon is high up, it often gets snowfall in winter. In 2021, about 3,319 people lived in Oberon.

Some famous Australians were born in Oberon. These include Bob Brown, a politician from the Australian Greens party, and TV presenter Ken Sutcliffe. Former Penrith Panthers rugby league player Ray Blacklock also comes from Oberon. The town is close to the amazing Jenolan Caves and the beautiful Kanangra-Boyd National Park.

History of Oberon

People started living permanently in the area now known as Oberon in 1839. It was first called Bullock Flat. In 1863, its name was changed to Oberon.

In 1823, gold was found on the Fish River. This discovery brought many more people to the area. The Oberon Council, which helps run the town, was officially formed in 1906. The local post office first opened in 1855 as Fish River Creek Post Office. It was renamed Oberon in 1866.

Special Heritage Places

Oberon has several places that are protected because they are important to history or nature. These are called heritage-listed sites:

• Blue Mountains National Park: This park has many special walking tracks.
• 124 Oberon Street: This is where the Malachi Gilmore Memorial Hall is located.
• Tarana-Oberon railway: This includes the old Oberon railway station.
• Caves Road: This road leads to the famous Jenolan Caves.

Town Centre and Fun Spots

Oberon's main streets are Carrington Avenue–Oberon Street and Ross Street. The town has several parks and sports fields where you can play. These include the Oberon Showground, Cunynghame Oval, and Apex Park.

You can also visit the Oberon museum on North Street to learn about the town's past. There's a caravan park and a camping ground if you want to stay overnight. Oberon also has a hospital and a wood gallery on Oberon Street. For great views, check out Rotary Lookout on Abercrombie Road. East of town, the Blenheim State Forest offers nice walking tracks.

Culture and Activities

If you like fishing, you can enjoy it at Lake Oberon and The Reef Reserve. Oberon also has a golf club where you can play a round.

South of the town, you'll find Lake Oberon, Oberon Dam, and the Fish River. There's a nice picnic area at the dam and a reserve with walking tracks near the lake.

A famous rugby league football coach, Craig Bellamy, started his playing career with the Oberon Tigers team back in the 1970s.

Mayfield Garden is a very popular botanical garden that covers a huge area, about 16 hectares (40 acres). It's open every day except on public holidays, but there is an entry fee to get in.

Getting Around

From 1923 to 1979, Oberon had a special train line. It was known for being very steep and having sharp turns. After it closed, the line fell apart. But since 2005, volunteers from the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway have been working to fix it up.

Roads to Oberon

You can reach Oberon by road from several places:

• From Bathurst: It's about 49 km (30 mi) southeast on the sealed O'Connell Road.
• From the Great Western Highway near Hartley: It's about 50 km (31 mi) south-west, along the sealed Jenolan Caves and Duckmaloi Roads.
• From Goulburn: It's about 140 km (87 mi) north, along the sealed Goulburn-Oberon Road.

Bus Services

Since June 1, 2020, there's a bus service from Oberon to Tarana station every weekday morning. From Tarana, you can catch the Bathurst Bullet train to Sydney Central. There's also a return bus connection in the afternoon.

Weekday bus services to Bathurst are run by Newmans. These buses connect with other train and coach services, and with local buses in Bathurst.

Oberon's Climate

Oberon has an oceanic climate (Cfb). This means it has mild to warm summers and cool to cold winters. Winter temperatures usually range from 0° to 9 °C. Rain falls pretty evenly throughout the year.

Frosts happen often in autumn, winter, and spring. They can even happen in summer! Because Oberon is high up and on the windy side of the mountains, you can expect moderate to heavy snowfalls every year.

Images for kids

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  Cows grazing in Oberon

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  Fields in Oberon

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  Oberon after a light snowfall event