Orana (New South Wales) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orana New South Wales
Looking over Farms at the edge of Dubbo
Orana Location in New South Wales
Population	122,897 (2021)
• Density	0.638157/km2 (1.65282/sq mi)
Area	192,581 km2 (74,355.9 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC)
LGA(s)	Bogan Shire Bourke Shire Brewarrina Shire Cobar Shire Coonamble Shire Dubbo Regional Council Gilgandra Shire Narromine Shire Walgett Shire Warren Shire Warrumbungle Shire
State electorate(s)	Barwon Dubbo
Federal Division(s)	Calare Parkes
Localities around Orana: Far West North West Slopes North West Slopes Far West Orana Central West Far West Riverina South West Slopes

Orana is a very large area in the middle-north of New South Wales, Australia. As of 2021, about 122,897 people live there. This region covers about 192,581 square kilometers. It is the biggest region in New South Wales, making up about 25% of the entire state. The main towns in Orana include Dubbo and Cobar.

What Does Orana Mean?

The name 'Orana' is often said to mean "welcome" in an Aboriginal language. Some people believe it comes from the local Wiradjuri group. The word became popular in a Christmas carol called Orana to Christmas Day in 1948.

However, the true origin of the word is not fully known. Some experts think 'Orana' might come from a Polynesian language. For example, Kia orāna means "hello" or "welcome" on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Also, Ia Orana means "hello" in Tahitian. The word was first linked to Aboriginal languages in the 1920s. It was specifically linked to Wiradjuri only from the 1970s.

Orana's Economy

Farming is the most important industry in the Orana region. A huge 86% of the land here is used for agriculture. This makes up 27% of all the farmland in New South Wales.

The farms in Orana produce about A$658 million worth of goods. This is about 11.7% of the state's total farm production. More than 20% of all jobs in the region are in farming. There are also a few vineyards in Orana. Wine made from these vineyards can be called Western Plains wine.