Wingham, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WinghamNew South Wales |
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Wingham Library and Post Office
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 Wingham
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 5,395 (2021 census) |
| Established | 1844 |
| Postcode(s) | 2429 |
| Elevation | 17 m (56 ft) |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Mid-Coast Council |
| State electorate(s) | Myall Lakes |
| Federal Division(s) | Lyne |
Wingham is a friendly town located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Mid-Coast Council area. Wingham is about 329 kilometers (204 miles) north of Sydney. In 2021, about 5,395 people lived in Wingham.
Contents
A Look at Wingham's Past
Wingham was chosen as a government settlement in 1844. This was because boats couldn't go any further up the Manning River. It was also on the main road from Raymond Terrace to Port Macquarie. The town was named after Wingham in Kent, England.
Land was first given out in 1841. By 1866, Wingham had about 90 people. Nearby Taree had 150 people. Wingham became its own municipality (a local government area) in 1889. By 1909, Wingham had 900 people. However, many government services had moved to Taree. In 1981, Wingham and Taree joined with the Manning Valley Shire to form the City of Greater Taree.
Historic Places to See
Wingham has several buildings that are important to its history. These are called heritage-listed sites.
- 52 Farquhar Street: Wingham Memorial Town Hall
- Wynter Street: Wingham Post Office
Wingham's Climate
Wingham has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, wet summers and mild winters. Like most places on the coast of New South Wales, it gets rain fairly evenly throughout the year. There's only a short dry season from July to October. Wingham is also home to a small and rare subtropical rainforest.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.9 (84.0) |
28.4 (83.1) |
26.9 (80.4) |
24.3 (75.7) |
21.5 (70.7) |
19.0 (66.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
20.1 (68.2) |
23.0 (73.4) |
24.8 (76.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
27.7 (81.9) |
20.1 (68.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
16.7 (62.1) |
13.7 (56.7) |
10.1 (50.2) |
8.1 (46.6) |
6.8 (44.2) |
6.8 (44.2) |
9.4 (48.9) |
11.8 (53.2) |
15.2 (59.4) |
16.7 (62.1) |
12.6 (54.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 97.3 (3.832) |
135.0 (5.314) |
158.9 (6.255) |
104.7 (4.123) |
93.1 (3.665) |
101.7 (4.002) |
60.6 (2.387) |
54.6 (2.148) |
51.1 (2.011) |
74.4 (2.930) |
115.0 (4.526) |
79.1 (3.114) |
1,125.5 (44.307) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1in) | 9.1 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 7.1 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 91.8 |
Exploring Wingham Town
Wingham's main street, Isabella Street, runs east to west. It faces the town's main park, Central Park, which looks like a traditional English town square. Around the park, you'll find many important buildings. These include the Wingham Brush Public School and the old School of Arts building, which is now a council building with a library. The historic Post Office, built in 1884, is also there.
Along the south side of Central Park, on Farquhar Street, you can see the Courthouse (built in 1934) and the police station (from 1909). There's also St. Joseph's Catholic School and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church. The Manning Valley Historical Society rooms and Museum are also on this street.
Bent Street runs along the west side of Central Park. Here you'll find the Australian Hotel, known as the "Top Pub." The Wingham District Memorial Services Club is also on this street. Many shops are located around the park, making it a busy area.
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1921 | 1,172 | — |
| 1933 | 1,600 | +36.5% |
| 1947 | 2,097 | +31.1% |
| 1954 | 2,591 | +23.6% |
| 1961 | 2,887 | +11.4% |
| 1966 | 2,827 | −2.1% |
| 1971 | 2,919 | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 3,435 | +17.7% |
| 1981 | 3,937 | +14.6% |
| 1986 | 4,297 | +9.1% |
| 1991 | 4,407 | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 4,446 | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 4,660 | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 4,812 | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 4,518 | −6.1% |
| 2016 | 4,532 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 4,556 | +0.5% |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data. | ||
Central Park itself has some interesting features. You can see "The Log," a huge log that reminds everyone of the area's timber and dairy history. There's also a de Havilland Vampire fighter plane on display. Kids can enjoy the playground equipment.
Education in Wingham
Wingham has five schools for students.
- Wingham Public School is on Murray Road.
- St Joseph's Catholic School is near the Catholic Church.
- Wingham Special Education primary school helps young children with special needs.
- Wingham Brush Public School is close to Central Park.
Wingham High School is a few blocks northeast of Central Park. It has a large agricultural science department. The school owns three properties and a feedlot for animals. The WHS Agricultural Show Team raises its own cattle. They are very good at raising commercial beef animals. They have won many awards at big shows like the Royal Sydney Show.
Fun Things to Do in Wingham
Near the Manning River is Wingham Brush. This is a special area of tropical rainforest. It has amazing Moreton Bay Fig trees and is home to a colony of Grey Headed flying foxes. For many years, people tried to get rid of the flying foxes. But now, they are protected and have become a popular tourist attraction. Visitors come from all over the world to see the rainforest and watch the flying foxes fly out over the Manning River at sunset.
Wingham is also the starting point for trips to Ellenborough Falls. This waterfall is on the Bulga Plateau and is the second longest single-drop waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere.
Famous People and Local News
Wingham has its own local newspaper, the Wingham Chronicle. It also has a radio station called Rhema FM Manning Great Lakes.
Di Morrissey, a very successful Australian novelist, was born in Wingham in 1948. She has written many best-selling books.
Getting Around Wingham
Wingham is served by NSW TrainLink XPT train services. These trains connect Wingham to places like Grafton, Casino, and Brisbane. Bus services also connect to other towns and cities. Six XPT trains stop at Wingham station each day. Wingham station opened in 1913.
Wingham's Community
In 2021, Wingham had a population of 5,395 people. The community is generally older, with a median age of 47 years. Most people (86.4%) were born in Australia. The next most common birthplaces are England (2.2%) and New Zealand (0.8%). About 7.3% of the population identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Yearly Events in Wingham
Wingham hosts several exciting events throughout the year:
- Wingham Summertime Rodeo: Held in the first week of January. You can watch rodeo events like bucking horses and bull riding.
- Wingham Show: An annual show held at the Wingham Showground.
- Wingham Beef Week: This show is for schools and cattle breeders. It includes competitions like junior judging and steer competitions. It's one of the biggest shows of its kind in New South Wales. It usually starts the day after Mother's Day in mid-May.
- Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival: Usually held on the first weekend in June.
- Wingham Campdraft: Held at Wingham Showgrounds in the first week of November.
- Wingham Music Festival: This festival, formerly called Wingham Akoostik Festival, is held every third weekend in October at Wingham Showground. It features different types of music, including acoustic, rock, country, and reggae. Famous artists like Kasey Chambers and Shannon Noll have performed here.
