Wodonga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WodongaVictoria |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Looking down High Street in the CBD of Wodonga
|
|||||||||||||||
 Wodonga
Location in City of Wodonga
|
|||||||||||||||
| Population | 38,949 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 1,049.8/km2 (2,719/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1852 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3690 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 152 m (499 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 37.1 km2 (14.3 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
|
||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Wodonga | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Hume | ||||||||||||||
| County | Bogong | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Benambra | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Indi | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Wodonga (pronounced "wuh-DONG-guh") is a city in Victoria. It sits right on the border with New South Wales. It's about 324 kilometers (201 miles) north-east of Melbourne.
Wodonga is part of a "twin city" called Albury-Wodonga. It is separated from its twin city, Albury, by the Murray River. In 2021, Wodonga and its nearby areas had about 38,949 people. When combined with Albury, the total population of the twin cities was 97,793. Some of Wodonga's suburbs include Bandiana, Baranduda, Barnawartha, Bonegilla, and Leneva.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Wodonga started as a customs post in 1852. It was built with its twin city, Albury, on the other side of the Murray River. The town grew bigger after the first bridge over the Murray River opened in 1860.
The town was first called Wodonga. Then its name changed to Belvoir. Later, it changed back to Wodonga. The Post Office opened in 1856. It was known as Belvoir until 1869.
For a long time, Wodonga was seen as smaller than Albury. But now, both cities have grown a lot. This has made them more equal.
The local Indigenous Waywurru people have a name for this area: "Wordonga." This name refers to an edible plant or nut found in lagoons.
Culture and Community
Many art and theater events in the region happen across the border. For example, HotHouse Theatre is located between Wodonga and Albury.
Wodonga has several community service clubs. These include the Apex Club of Wodonga, the Wodonga Lions Club, and two Rotary Clubs. These clubs help with many city events. They support things like Australia Day celebrations and Christmas Carols.
Sports and Activities
Wodonga has a strong love for sports. There are many sports fields in the area. People often use them for fun or for organized games.
There are three Australian rules football clubs in Wodonga:
- The Wodonga Football Club
- The Wodonga Raiders Football Club
- The Wodonga Saints Football Club
The Wodonga and Wodonga Raiders teams play in the Ovens & Murray Football League. The Wodonga Saints play in the Tallangatta & District Football League. Famous players like Daniel Bradshaw and Fraser Gehrig are from Wodonga.
Wodonga also has several cricket clubs. They play in the Cricket Albury Wodonga (CAW) competition. These clubs include the Belvoir Eagles, Wodonga Bulldogs, and Wodonga Raiders.
If you like cycling, the Albury Wodonga Cycling Club is for you. They hold races most weekends. They also host the yearly John Woodman Memorial Wagga to Albury Cycling Classic. Golfers can play at the SS&A Wodonga course.
Wodonga has two rugby league clubs: the Wodonga Wombats and Bonegilla Gorillas. They play in the Murray Cup.
Famous Australian soccer players Archie Thompson and Joshua Kennedy played for Twin City Wanderers as kids. Other soccer clubs are Wodonga Diamonds Football Club and Wodonga Heart Football Club. They all play in the Albury Wodonga Football Association.
Wodonga's Tennis Centre is the biggest inland tennis complex in Australia. It has tennis, croquet, and lawn bowls. There are 32 grass courts, 8 synthetic courts, and 10 plexicushion courts. Many courts have lights for night games.
The Wodonga & District Turf Club holds horse races. They have about seven race meetings each year. This includes the Wodonga Cup in November.
The Albury-Wodonga Motorcycle Club is at Diamond Park. They organize motorcycle events. Their motorcycle speedway track has hosted big events, like the 2024 Australian Speedway Championship.
Wodonga also has a BMX club. It is located near the Wodonga Raiders' football ground. There's also a radio-controlled car site with tracks for both on-road and off-road cars.
Weather in Wodonga
Wodonga usually has about 125 clear days each year. These sunny days happen mostly in summer and early autumn. Winters are often rainy and cloudy. But there are sunny breaks when high-pressure systems move in.
| Climate data for Wodonga (1954–1968, rainfall 1898–2023); 156 m AMSL; 36.12° S, 146.91° E | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 44.1 (111.4) |
45.4 (113.7) |
38.8 (101.8) |
31.6 (88.9) |
25.4 (77.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.1 (71.8) |
21.9 (71.4) |
28.3 (82.9) |
32.8 (91.0) |
39.4 (102.9) |
41.1 (106.0) |
45.4 (113.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.8 (89.2) |
31.2 (88.2) |
28.1 (82.6) |
22.9 (73.2) |
16.8 (62.2) |
14.1 (57.4) |
12.6 (54.7) |
14.7 (58.5) |
18.0 (64.4) |
21.5 (70.7) |
25.5 (77.9) |
28.6 (83.5) |
22.2 (72.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.2 (59.4) |
15.3 (59.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
9.0 (48.2) |
5.6 (42.1) |
4.1 (39.4) |
3.1 (37.6) |
4.2 (39.6) |
5.7 (42.3) |
8.5 (47.3) |
10.4 (50.7) |
13.2 (55.8) |
8.9 (48.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
3.5 (38.3) |
1.9 (35.4) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
0.6 (33.1) |
1.6 (34.9) |
5.3 (41.5) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 43.4 (1.71) |
39.3 (1.55) |
51.1 (2.01) |
50.3 (1.98) |
64.9 (2.56) |
78.5 (3.09) |
81.7 (3.22) |
77.8 (3.06) |
62.3 (2.45) |
68.4 (2.69) |
49.0 (1.93) |
48.3 (1.90) |
714.6 (28.13) |
| Average precipitation days | 4.7 | 4.2 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 9.1 | 11.5 | 12.8 | 12.3 | 9.7 | 8.9 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 97.3 |
| Average afternoon relative humidity (%) | 30 | 32 | 37 | 44 | 58 | 64 | 65 | 59 | 51 | 48 | 39 | 34 | 47 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 313.1 | 282.5 | 272.8 | 228.0 | 161.2 | 120.0 | 127.1 | 173.6 | 207.0 | 260.4 | 276.0 | 288.3 | 2,710 |
| Source 1: Wodonga (temperature, rainfall and humidity) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Rutherglen Research (sunshine hours) | |||||||||||||
Economy and Jobs
Wodonga has many important industries. These include:
- A large logistics hub (LOGIC)
- A big cattle market
- A pet food factory (Mars Petcare)
- Factories for cans (Visy), cardboard boxes (Opal and Visy Board)
- A company that makes hydraulic hoses (Parker Hannifin)
- An abattoir (meat processing plant)
- A foundry (Bradken)
- A factory for plastic film (Taghleef Industries)
- A concrete pipe and pole maker (Rocla)
- A transformer manufacturer (Wilson Transformer Company)
Wodonga is also a key spot for government services in the area. The twin cities of Albury Wodonga are a major transport hub. They connect Melbourne and Sydney. Over 20 transport companies operate here. These include HumeTransport, Dawsons Haulage, and Border Express.
Mars has its Australian main office in Wodonga. The city also has an Australian Army logistics base. It's a training center for Army technical apprentices. This is the Army Logistic Training Centre. It is based at Latchford Barracks and Gaza Ridge Barracks.
Media and News
Print News
The Border Mail is a daily newspaper. It is printed in Wodonga. It has offices in both Albury and Wodonga.
Television
Wodonga gets all the major TV networks. These include:
- Channel 7
- WIN Television (part of the Nine Network)
- Southern Cross 10 (part of Network 10)
- The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
- The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)
Many of these networks also have extra digital channels. These include ABC TV Plus, ABC Me, 7two, 7mate, 10 Bold, 9Gem, and more.
Two TV news shows have local content for the Albury–Wodonga area. The Seven Network broadcasts its news live at 6:00 PM. WIN Television's news is made in Ballarat. But it includes news from the Albury–Wodonga region.
Radio
There are three main commercial radio stations in Wodonga. They are based in Albury. These are 2AY, Triple M The Border, and Hit104.9 The Border.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has local radio programs. These are from the studios of ABC Goulburn Murray in Wodonga on 106.5FM. Other ABC stations like Radio National and Triple J are also available.
There is also a community radio station called 2REM 107.3 FM. It plays many special programs. These include shows for older people, different ethnic groups, and Aboriginal communities.
Getting Around
Wodonga railway station is on the North East railway line. A new train line opened in 2010. It goes around the Wodonga city center. This removed all the train crossings in town. A new station was built, and the line now goes north of town to Albury.
Wodonga is where the Hume Highway meets the Murray Valley Highway. The Hume Highway is the main road between Melbourne and Sydney. The Murray Valley Highway follows the southern bank of the Murray River.
Local buses are run by Dysons. They have routes within Wodonga and to Albury. There are also long-distance bus services to bigger cities.
Wodonga has many bicycle paths. One path goes across the Lincoln Causeway to Albury.
Albury Airport is close to Wodonga. It has flights to Melbourne and Sydney.
Education and Learning
Since 2006, the three government high schools have joined together. They formed two new schools:
- Wodonga Senior Secondary College: For students in Years 10, 11, and 12.
- Wodonga Middle Years College: For students in Years 7, 8, and 9. This school has two campuses: Felltimber and Huon.
Before this, the high schools were Wodonga High School, Mitchell Secondary College, and Wodonga West Secondary College.
Private schools in Wodonga include:
- Catholic College Wodonga
- Trinity Anglican College
- Victory Lutheran College
- Mount Carmel Christian School
- St Augustines Primary School
- St Monicas Primary School
- St Francis of Assisi Primary School
For higher education, there is the Wodonga Institute of TAFE and La Trobe University. The Albury–Wodonga campus of La Trobe University opened in 1991. It offers courses in education, health sciences, biology, and business. Other universities like Charles Stuart University are also nearby in Albury.
Wodonga is also home to the Flying Fruit Fly Circus School. This school teaches regular subjects but also focuses on performing arts and circus training.
See also
In Spanish: Wodonga para niños
