Carrathool Shire

{{About|the local government area|the regional town|Carrathool, New South Wales}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}}

{{Infobox Australian place | type = lga

| name = Carrathool Shire

| state = nsw

| image = Carrathool LGA NSW.png

| caption = Location in New South Wales

| pop = 2719

| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}}

| pop_footnotes = {{Census 2016 AUS|id=LGA11600 |name=Carrathool (A) |accessdate=7 July 2017 |quick=on}}

| area = 18932.61

| area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=Carrathool Regional Profile |url=http://www.rrdb.com.au/rivprofile/carrathool.htm |publisher=Riverina Regional Development Board |access-date=28 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720033041/http://www.rrdb.com.au/rivprofile/carrathool.htm |archive-date=20 July 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}

| pop2 = 2,802

| pop2_year = 2018 est.

| pop2_footnotes = {{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3218.02017-18|title=3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=27 March 2019|access-date=27 March 2019}} Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.

| est =

| coordinates = {{coord|33|58|S|145|42|E|region:AU-NSW_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}

| seat = Goolgowi{{cite web|title=Carrathool Shire Council |publisher=New South Wales Division of Local Government |url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_CouncilContactDetails.asp?slacode=1600 |access-date=28 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080729214529/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_CouncilContactDetails.asp?slacode=1600 |archive-date=29 July 2008 }}

| mayor =

| region = Riverina and Far West

| logo = Carrathool Shire Council Logo.png

| url = http://www.carrathool.nsw.gov.au

| stategov = Murray

| fedgov = Farrer{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/profiles/nsw/farrer.htm |title=Profile of the electoral division of Farrer (NSW) |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |date=25 February 2016 |access-date=12 July 2016}}

| near-nw = Central Darling

| near-n = Cobar

| near-ne = Lachlan

| near-w = Balranald

| near-e = Bland

| near-sw = Hay

| near-s = Hay

| near-se = Griffith

}}

The Carrathool Shire is a local government area that borders both the Riverina and Far West regions of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire comprises {{convert|18933|km2}} and is located adjacent to the Mid-Western Highway and north of the Sturt Highway.

The largest town in the Shire is Hillston and the council seat is Goolgowi. The Shire also includes the villages of Merriwagga, Rankins Springs and Carrathool.

Where once regular droughts made life almost untenable, the area now has irrigated crops, gardens, greened sporting facilities and village verges. Over {{convert|15000|km2}} are now used in rural pursuits, including more than {{convert|600|km2}} in wheat, rice, vineyards, cotton, potatoes, vegetables and orchard trees. Most of the change was made possible by the widespread use of river and underground water.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}