Wardell, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WardellNew South Wales |
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The lift span bridge over the Richmond River at Wardell.
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 Wardell
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 662 (2021 census) | ||||||||
| Established | 1856 | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2477 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 8 m (26 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Ballina Shire | ||||||||
| County | Rous | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Ballina | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Page | ||||||||
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Wardell is a small village in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia. It sits right by the Richmond River and the Pacific Highway. You can find it between the towns of Broadwater and Ballina.
Wardell is about 724 kilometers (450 miles) north of Sydney. It is also around 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of Brisbane. The village is part of the Ballina Shire local government area.
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People Living in Wardell
In 2021, a census showed that 662 people lived in Wardell. Slightly more than half, 50.7%, were males, and 49.3% were females. About 10.1% of the people in Wardell were Indigenous.
People in Wardell work in many different jobs. The most common jobs include:
- Technicians and trades workers (20.4%)
- Labourers (17.8%)
- Community and personal service workers (13.7%)
- Managers (10.2%)
- Professionals (9.9%)
History of Wardell
Wardell was once known by other names, like Bingall Creek. In the 1850s, it was called Blackwall. This was a settlement for people who cut down cedar trees. It became a river port on the Richmond River. For about 100 years, the river was a very important way to transport goods in the area.
Wardell grew into a key center for sawmills, which processed timber. Later, it became important for milling sugar cane. Today, the Pacific Highway and the Richmond River divide Wardell. A famous landmark is its lift span bridge. This bridge was built to replace the ferries and barges that used to carry Australian red cedar and sugar cane in the 1800s. A steamboat service also ran from Ballina to Lismore for many years.
Today, Wardell has a general store, a post office, and a pub. There is also a service station. The Wardell Public School has about 50 students. The river and its nearby areas are full of marine animals. People enjoy fishing and water sports there.
Some famous people have connections to Wardell:
- Alexander Stewart Jolly (1887–1957) was born in Wardell. He was an architect who designed many buildings. Some of his house designs in Sydney are now protected as heritage sites.
- Edwin Wilson (born 1942) is a poet and painter. He spent his first six years in a farmhouse in East Wardell. He wrote about this time in his book, 'The Mullumbimby Kid'.
Wardell Flooding Event (2022)
In February and March 2022, Wardell experienced a very serious flood. This flood was part of a much bigger natural disaster that affected the entire East Coast of Australia. The event had a huge impact on the local community.
Wardell and the areas around it were hit especially hard. This was because of a mix of heavy rain, flooding from upstream rivers, and extremely high tides.
What Happened During the Flood
- January 2022: The region had a lot of rain for several days. This made the ground very wet. People became worried about rivers overflowing and flash floods.
- February 2022: The rain got heavier, and local rivers started to swell. Authorities told people in low-lying parts of Wardell and nearby areas to leave their homes. The situation got worse when the Richmond River overflowed. This caused widespread flooding in both farms and homes. Like other towns upstream, such as Broadwater, Woodburn, and Coraki, Wardell's roads were completely underwater. This cut off Wardell from its neighboring towns.
- After the Flood: Wardell faced big challenges after the flood. Many homes and businesses were badly flooded. This meant many people had to leave their homes. Community members and local rescue teams worked very hard. They rescued people who were stuck and helped those affected by the flood.
Impact of the Flood
The 2022 flooding event has had a lasting effect on Wardell and the whole region.
- Property Damage: Many homes and businesses were severely damaged. This caused great financial and emotional difficulty for the people living there.
- Infrastructure Loss: The flood also showed that local roads and buildings were not strong enough to handle such extreme weather. It highlighted how climate change can affect towns.
- Community Strength: Even though it was a tough time, the flood brought the community closer. It showed how strong and supportive the people of Wardell are as they helped each other.
After the 2022 Northern Rivers floods, a charity organization called WardellCore was started. Its full name is the Wardell Community Organised Resilience Effort.
