Smithtown, New South Wales facts for kids
Smithtown (31°00′S 152°56′E / 31.000°S 152.933°E) is a small and interesting town located in New South Wales, Australia. It sits right on the banks of the Macleay River, which is a beautiful waterway. Smithtown is part of an area known as Kempsey Shire. Just across the river, you'll find the town of Gladstone. In 2016, a count showed that about 590 people lived in Smithtown.
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Discovering Smithtown
Smithtown is a quiet place with a rich history and a very important factory. It's a great example of how a small town can play a big role in making products that are known all over the world.
How Smithtown Got Its Name
The town of Smithtown was officially named in 1877. This happened when a post office was first set up there. The town was named after a person called Robert Burdett Smith. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, which is a group of people who help make laws and decisions for the state of New South Wales.
The Famous Nestlé Factory
One of the most important parts of Smithtown is the large Nestlé factory. This factory has been in Smithtown for over 100 years! It's a huge employer in the area, giving jobs to more than 200 people. This makes it one of the biggest private companies providing jobs on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales.
Where Milo Was Born
Did you know that the popular chocolate malt drink, Milo, was first made right here in Smithtown? It started in 1934. Back then, it was created to be a healthy food supplement for children, especially during a tough economic time known as the Great Depression. Today, the factory makes a huge amount of Milo – over 13,000 tonnes every single year!
Making Coffee for the World
The Smithtown Nestlé factory is also very special because it's the only place in the entire world that produces Nestlé's "Café Menu" range of products. This means that all the "Café Menu" items you might see in stores around the globe come from this one factory in Smithtown, Australia!