Gulargambone, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Gulargambone is a village in the central west plains of New South Wales
, Australia
, on the banks of the Castlereagh River, in Coonamble Shire
. It is 526 kilometres north west of Sydney. At the 2006 census
, Gulargambone had a population of 395.
Its name is derived from the local Wiradjuri
people's word for "Watering place of many birds" or 'Gillahgambone' for 'place of galahs'. Gulargambone was first occupied by Europeans in the mid nineteenth century and gazette
d as a village in 1883. The town came to national attention in 2000 when it opened the first community owned
post office
in Australia, which has been followed by a number of other community led initiatives. These include the improvement of the local hospital
, opening of a new cinema
. This has led to Gulargambone becoming the model for self-sufficiency
for other small towns in Australia.
Gulargambone has won several awards since its revival and most importantly was awarded the 2005 NSW Tidy Towns State winner.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, on the banks of the Castlereagh River, in Coonamble Shire
Coonamble Shire Council
Coonamble Shire is a local government area in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Castlereagh Highway and the Castlereagh River.Coonamble Shire includes Coonamble, Gulargambone and Quambone.- Council :...
. It is 526 kilometres north west of Sydney. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Gulargambone had a population of 395.
Its name is derived from the local Wiradjuri
Wiradjuri
The Wiradjuri are an Indigenous Australian group of central New South Wales.In the 21st century, major Wiradjuri groups live in Condobolin, Peak Hill, Narrandera and Griffith...
people's word for "Watering place of many birds" or 'Gillahgambone' for 'place of galahs'. Gulargambone was first occupied by Europeans in the mid nineteenth century and gazette
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
d as a village in 1883. The town came to national attention in 2000 when it opened the first community owned
Community ownership
Community owned assets or organisations are those that are owned and controlled through some representative mechanism that allows a community to influence their operation or use and to enjoy the benefits arising....
post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
in Australia, which has been followed by a number of other community led initiatives. These include the improvement of the local hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, opening of a new cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
. This has led to Gulargambone becoming the model for self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency
Self-sufficiency refers to the state of not requiring any outside aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective autonomy...
for other small towns in Australia.
Gulargambone has won several awards since its revival and most importantly was awarded the 2005 NSW Tidy Towns State winner.
Notable Gulargambonians
- Peter AndrenPeter AndrenPeter James Andren AM was an Australian politician. He was an independent member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 until October 2007, representing the electorate of Calare, New South Wales....
– independent parliamentarian - Alexander Henry BuckleyAlexander Henry BuckleyAlexander Henry Buckley VC was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Biography:...
– First World War Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
recipient