Picton, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Picton New South Wales
Picton Uniting Church
Picton Location in New South Wales
Established	1841
Postcode(s)	2571
Elevation	165 m (541 ft)
Location	90 km (56 mi) from Sydney CBD 20 km (12 mi) from Camden 30 km (19 mi) from Campbelltown 42 km (26 mi) from Mittagong
LGA(s)	Wollondilly Shire
Region	Macarthur
State electorate(s)	Wollondilly
Federal Division(s)	Hume
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 23.5 °C 74 °F 8.8 °C 48 °F 803.6 mm 31.6 in
Localities around Picton: The Oaks Razorback Douglas Park Mowbray Park Picton Menangle Lakesland Thirlmere Maldon

Picton is a cool town in the Macarthur Region of New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Wollondilly Shire in south-western Sydney. The town is about 90 kilometres south-west of the Sydney city centre. It's also near other towns like Camden and Campbelltown. Picton is the main hub for the Wollondilly Shire area.

Picton's Past: A Quick Look at History

Picton was first explored by Europeans in 1798. For a while, it was outside the areas where people were allowed to settle. But in 1819, Governor Macquarie decided to build a new main road. This road, called the Great South Road, connected Sydney to the Southern Highlands.

This new road helped open up the Picton area for settlers. One of the first was Henry Colden Antill, who started a large property in 1822. Picton really grew when the railway arrived in 1863. It was first called Stonequarry in 1841, but its name changed to Picton in 1845. It was named after Sir Thomas Picton, a brave British army officer who died in a famous battle called the Battle of Waterloo.

A Unique Railway Town

Did you know Picton has a special railway fact? It's the only town in the Southern Hemisphere where you can pass through twice when travelling by train! This is because of how the railway lines are set up near Picton railway station.

For many years, Picton was a key stop on the Great South Road, which later became the Hume Highway. However, a new bypass road was built in 1980, so the main highway no longer goes directly through the town.

Historic Places in Picton

Picton is full of old buildings and sites that are important to its history. These are called "heritage-listed" sites. They include:

• Jarvisfield on the Hume Highway Deviation
• Picton railway station
• The Stonequarry Creek railway viaduct, Picton
• Abbotsford on Oaks Road
• Victoria Bridge, Picton on Prince Street

Cool Bridges and Spooky Tunnels

Picton has some really old and interesting bridges. The Victoria Bridge was built in 1897. It's a timber trestle bridge that crosses Stonequarry Creek. There's also the 'Picton Railway Viaduct', a stone bridge built in 1863, which also crosses Stonequarry Creek. This stone viaduct is still used by trains today!

There's also a disused railway tunnel on Redbank Range. People say they've experienced strange things there, and ghost tours are sometimes held. During World War II, this abandoned tunnel was used to store special tanks.

The George IV Inn: A Very Old Hotel

The George IV Inn is thought to be one of Australia's oldest hotel buildings, possibly built in 1839. In its cellar, you can still see parts of old shackles. These were used for prisoners who were being moved from Sydney to Berrima prison. They would often stay overnight in Picton.

The barn behind the hotel might be even older, possibly from 1810. It's used for parties and events now. The hotel is also home to Scharer's Little Brewery. This was one of the first small breweries in Australia and has won many awards for its beers.

Nangarin Estate: A Modern Village

On the western side of Picton, you'll find Nangarin Vineyard Estate, or just Nangarin Estate. This is a modern village that's quite unique. It's one of the first places in New South Wales where homes are built within a working vineyard. The people who live there help manage the vineyards and community facilities.

Who Lives in Picton?

The latest count in 2021 showed that 5,282 people live in Picton.

• About 3.9% of the people are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
• Most people (84.4%) were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces include England (4.3%) and New Zealand (1.2%).
• Almost everyone (92.0%) speaks only English at home.
• When it comes to religion, many people said No Religion (35.7%), followed by Catholic (25.1%) and Anglican (22.0%).

Getting Around Picton

Picton has its own train station, Picton railway station. It's on the Main Southern railway line. Trains don't come super often, but they connect Picton to other places. The town is also located on the Old Hume Highway, which was once the main road connecting Sydney to the south.

Sports and Fun in Picton

Picton is a great place for sports! It has both junior and senior teams for rugby league and soccer. The Picton Netball Club also has teams for all ages. If you love photography, there's a group called Depictin' Picton. They meet every other Saturday to share photos of the local area.

The Picton Botanical Gardens were created in 1986. They are a lovely place to visit and enjoy nature.

Picton's Weather: What's the Climate Like?

Picton has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot summers and cool to mild winters. Even in winter, the days can often be quite warm. Because Picton is inland and in a valley, its temperature can change a lot between day and night.