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West Wyalong facts for kids

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For the painting, see West Wyalong (Drysdale).
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West Wyalong
New South Wales
West Wyalong Main Street 001.JPG
Main Street (Newell Highway) in West Wyalong
West Wyalong is located in New South Wales
West Wyalong
West Wyalong
Location in New South Wales
Postcode(s) 2671
Elevation 262 m (860 ft)
Location
LGA(s) Bland Shire
Region Riverina (New South Wales)
State electorate(s) Cootamundra
Federal Division(s) Riverina
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
23.5 °C
74 °F		 10.1 °C
50 °F		 485.8 mm
19.1 in

West Wyalong is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the main town of the Bland Shire. The town is about 467 kilometers (290 miles) west of Sydney. It sits 262 meters (860 feet) above sea level.

West Wyalong is located where two major highways meet. These are the Newell Highway, which connects Melbourne and Brisbane, and the Mid-Western Highway, which links Sydney and Adelaide.

This area is known for growing lots of cereals. It is the biggest cereal-growing center in New South Wales. Also, making Eucalyptus oil started here in 1907. West Wyalong became a major world exporter of this product.

A Glimpse into West Wyalong's Past

The first people to live in this area were the Wiradjuri people. They are an Aboriginal group known for their language and strong family ties. The Wiradjuri were skilled hunter-fisher-gatherers. They lived in family groups across central New South Wales.

Today, many Wiradjuri people live in towns like Condobolin and Narrandera. Smaller groups also live in West Wyalong.

The Gold Rush and Town Growth

Gold was found near here in September 1893 by Joseph Neeld. This led to the creation of the town of Wyalong. In 1895, West Wyalong started to grow about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away. It grew around an old bullock track. This is why some roads have unusual bends. They were built to avoid trees.

The goldfield here was very successful. In 1899, it was named the most productive in the colony. West Wyalong also had the important White Tank water supply. This spot is now McCann Park.

From Gold to Farming

As gold mining slowed down, West Wyalong became a service center for local farms. For many years, West Wyalong and Wyalong were rivals. Both towns wanted the new railway line. They agreed to have a station built in the middle, called Wyalong Central.

Since the 1970s, Wyalong has grown closer to West Wyalong. Several motels were built in Central Wyalong. In 1994, a path for bikes and walkers was built to connect the two towns.

The number of people living here has stayed steady recently. This is partly because of the Cowal Gold Mine. It is located near Lake Cowal, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) northeast. Also, Pace Farm's egg production facility helps the local economy.

West Wyalong's Weather

West Wyalong has long, hot, and dry summers. Its winters are cool, often with cloudy periods. The weather can change a lot between seasons.

For example, in March, there are usually many clear days. But in July, there are more cloudy days. The last time it snowed in the town was in 1929.

Climate data for Wyalong Post Office (1950–2015, rainfall 1895–2022); 245 m AMSL; 33.93° S, 147.24° E
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 45.3
(113.5)		 44.8
(112.6)		 40.6
(105.1)		 36.2
(97.2)		 28.3
(82.9)		 24.2
(75.6)		 25.5
(77.9)		 28.4
(83.1)		 34.4
(93.9)		 37.6
(99.7)		 42.2
(108.0)		 43.6
(110.5)		 45.3
(113.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 32.9
(91.2)		 31.9
(89.4)		 28.7
(83.7)		 23.7
(74.7)		 18.7
(65.7)		 14.9
(58.8)		 14.1
(57.4)		 16.0
(60.8)		 19.6
(67.3)		 23.5
(74.3)		 27.3
(81.1)		 30.7
(87.3)		 23.5
(74.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 17.6
(63.7)		 17.5
(63.5)		 14.5
(58.1)		 10.0
(50.0)		 6.8
(44.2)		 4.2
(39.6)		 3.0
(37.4)		 3.9
(39.0)		 6.2
(43.2)		 9.4
(48.9)		 12.6
(54.7)		 15.4
(59.7)		 10.1
(50.2)
Record low °C (°F) 6.7
(44.1)		 8.2
(46.8)		 5.0
(41.0)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 −4.5
(23.9)		 −5.0
(23.0)		 −4.5
(23.9)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 1.1
(34.0)		 2.5
(36.5)		 6.2
(43.2)		 −5.0
(23.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 42.7
(1.68)		 38.6
(1.52)		 39.7
(1.56)		 34.9
(1.37)		 39.1
(1.54)		 43.1
(1.70)		 41.8
(1.65)		 39.1
(1.54)		 37.5
(1.48)		 45.4
(1.79)		 38.3
(1.51)		 43.7
(1.72)		 485.8
(19.13)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 5.0 4.5 4.8 4.7 6.6 8.6 9.8 9.0 7.3 6.9 5.7 5.4 78.3
Average afternoon relative humidity (%) 32 35 37 43 51 61 62 53 46 39 35 34 44
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Wyalong Post Office
West Wyalong Anglican Church 001
West Wyalong Anglican Church

Fun Places to Visit

West Wyalong has several interesting spots:

  • The Poppet Head
  • Lions Park Dakota DC3 (an old airplane)
  • West Wyalong Museum
  • The Sister Kissing Booth
  • West Wyalong Airport
  • Easel sculpture of West Wyalong (Drysdale) (a famous painting)
  • Wyalong Wetlands (a natural area)
  • Tivoli Theatre (a historic cinema)

Schools in the Area

There are several schools for different age groups:

  • St Mary's War Memorial Catholic School (Kindergarten to Year 6)
    • This school started in 1901. The current building was built in 1961.
  • West Wyalong Primary School (Kindergarten to Year 6)
  • West Wyalong High School (Year 7 to Year 12)
  • Wyalong Public School (Kindergarten to Year 6)

Sports and Teams

The most popular sport in West Wyalong is rugby league. The Goldfields Rugby League started in 1911. It was one of the first leagues outside of major cities like Sydney.

The town has many sports clubs for both kids and adults:

  • West Wyalong Mallee Men – a rugby league team that plays in the Group 20 Rugby League competition.
  • West Wyalong-Girral Bulldogs – plays Australian rules football and netball. They compete in the Northern Riverina Football League.
  • West Wyalong Weevils – a senior rugby union team.
  • West Wyalong Pirates – a junior rugby union team.
  • West Wyalong Wildcats – a basketball team.
  • Alleena Cricket Club – a cricket team.
  • Tallimba Cricket Club – a cricket team.
  • White Tank Cricket Club – a cricket team.

Yearly Events and Shows

West Wyalong hosts many fun events throughout the year:

January

  • Australia Day Breakfast and Awards (January 26th)
  • David Earl Memorial Cricket Match

February

  • Pancake Breakfast
  • West Wyalong Rugby League Knockout (Last Friday/Saturday)
  • Dean Wood Big Gig

March

  • Barmedman Modified Tractor Pull (1st Saturday)
  • Candy Stripe Fair

April

  • Anzac Day Celebrations (April 25th)
  • Wellness West Wyalong Festival
  • Ladies Day Out

May

  • Mother's Day Luncheon (2nd Sunday)
  • Masonic Debutante Ball (2nd Saturday)

July

  • Catholic Debutante Ball

August

  • Weethalle Show (3rd Saturday)
  • West Wyalong Show Ball

September

  • Barmedman Show & Beaut-Ute Comp. (1st Saturday/Sunday)
  • West Wyalong Show (1st Wednesday)
  • Ungarie Show (2nd Friday)
  • West Wyalong Charity Campdraft

October

  • Mirrool Silo Kick Challenge (2nd Saturday)
  • 'in the West' Festival www.inthewest.com.au

November

  • Early Markets (1st Saturday)

December

  • Christmas Market/Carols by Candlelight
  • New Year Celebrations & Bi-annual Fireworks

Famous People from West Wyalong

Many notable people have come from the West Wyalong area:

  • Dymphna Cusack – a well-known author.
  • Reginald Roy Rattey – a brave soldier who received the Victoria Cross award.
  • Terry Gathercole – a champion swimmer.
  • Mark O'Meley – a professional rugby league player.
  • Anthony Gelling – another professional rugby league player.
  • Ron "Dookie" Crowe – an Australian rugby league player.
  • Col Ratcliff – a rugby league player.
  • Liam Martin – a rugby league player.
  • Scott Staniforth – a rugby union player.
  • Mat McLachlan – an author and historian.
  • Neale Daniher – a former AFL footballer and coach. He is also known for his work against motor neurone disease.
  • Terry Daniher – a former AFL footballer.
  • Anthony Daniher – a former AFL footballer.
  • Chris Daniher – a former AFL footballer.
  • Dal Stivens – an author who grew up in the town.
  • Danny Meagher – a Catholic bishop.

Media and News

  • The West Wyalong Advocate is a local newspaper. It is printed every Friday and also covers nearby towns.
  • 94.5 GOLD FM is West Wyalong's community radio station. It started in 2001 and is run by the community.
  • West Wyalong Movies is a project by Ross Harmer. It aims to record the history of West Wyalong and the Bland Shire.

Nearby Towns

Here are some towns close to West Wyalong:

Images for kids

  • West Wyalong Aboriginal Artifacts Store

    Aboriginal Artifacts Store

  • West Wyalong Ambulance Station

    Ambulance Station

  • West Wyalong Anglican Church 001

    West Wyalong Anglican Church

  • West Wyalong Bland Shire Council Offices

    Bland Shire Council Offices

  • West Wyalong Colonial Mutual Office 001

    Colonial Mutual

  • West Wyalong Commercial Bank of Australia 001

    Commercial Bank of Australia

  • West Wyalong Commercial Banking Company of Sydney

    Commercial Bank of Australia

  • West Wyalong Court House

    Court House

  • West Wyalong CWA Hall

    CWA Hall

  • West Wyalong Elders Office

    Elders Office

  • West Wyalong Federation House

    West Wyalong Federation House

  • West Wyalong Houses & Church

    Houses & Church

  • West Wyalong Leadbetter Motor Garage

    Leadbetter Motor Garage

  • West Wyalong Main Street 002

    Main Street

  • West Wyalong Medical Hall

    Medical Hall

  • West Wyalong Mentor Chambers

    Mentor Chambers

  • West Wyalong Police Station 001

    West Wyalong Police Station

  • West Wyalong Presbyterian Church

    West Wyalong Presbyterian Church

  • West Wyalong Presbyterian Manse

    West Wyalong Presbyterian Manse

  • West Wyalong RAAF Plane

    RAAF Plane

  • West Wyalong Roman Catholic Church 001

    West Wyalong Roman Catholic Church

  • West Wyalong Post Office 003

    West Wyalong Post Office

  • West Wyalong Rural Bank 001

    West Wyalong Rural Bank

  • West Wyalong Rural Bank Detail

    West Wyalong Rural Bank

  • West Wyalong Tailor Shop

    Main Street

  • West Wyalong Thom's Corner 001

    Thom's Corner

  • West Wyalong Memorial Literary Institute 001

    Memorial Literary Institute

  • West Wyalong Tattersalls Hotel 001

    Tattersalls Hotel

  • West Wyalong White Tank Hotel 001

    White Tank Hotel

  • West Wyalong Royal Hotel 001

    Royal Hotel

  • West Wyalong Post Office Hotel 001

    Post Office Hotel

  • West Wyalong Metropolitan Hotel 001

    Metropolitan Hotel

  • West Wyalong Globe Hotel 001

    Globe Hotel

  • West Wyalong Empire Hotel 001

    Empire Hotel

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