Gunning, New South Wales

The Gunning region was originally home to two Australian Aboriginal language groups, the Gundungurra people in the north and the Ngunnawal people in the south.

The region (specifically Gundaroo) was first explored by Europeans in 1820, and settled the next year by Hamilton Hume. In 1824, Hume and William Hovell left here to discover the overland route to Port Phillip Bay where Melbourne is sited. Land sales began in 1838. The nearby town of Dalton, now best known as the earthquake centre, was settled in 1847.

In 1865, Bushranger Ben Hall and his gang held up Kimberley's Inn, and a constable was shot dead.

In 1886 the town was described as

Wheat, maize, barley, and Oats are produced in the district Natural grass is plentiful and affords good pasture for flocks and herds. The Great Southern Railway Line passes near this town. The population is 409.John Sands, The New atlas of Australia [Sydney, 1886] page 49.

Gunning has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Main Southern railway line: Gunning railway station {{cite NSW SHR|5012047|Gunning Railway Station and yard group|hr=01162|access-date=18 May 2018}}

In the 2016 Census, there were 659 people in Gunning. 86.9% of people were born in Australia and 91.4% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were Anglican 30.4%, No Religion 25.8% and Catholic 22.6%.

Gunning was originally a coach stop, and service centre for the surrounding farms mainly growing Merino sheep. It has a police station and court house, post office, and school.

The Main Southern railway line from Sydney arrived in 1875 and was completed through to Albury in 1882. Gunning railway station is served by two daily NSW TrainLink XPT services in each direction operating between Sydney and Melbourne, and two weekly Xplorer service operating between Sydney and Griffith.{{Cite New South Wales transport timetables|Southern Region}}

Its main streets were built very wide, for the time of horse and bullock-drawn wagons. This served the town well when the main highway between Sydney and Melbourne carried cars and trucks through, until the Hume Highway by-pass was completed on 5 April 1993. The town has been able to resume a more rural pace of life, and develop something of an industry in providing bed and breakfast accommodation.

The establishment of the main trunk telegraph line is remembered by the Telegraph Hotel.

File:Holden wall, Gunning.jpg

A feature of the town is Bailey's Garage, once a very busy Holden dealership. One long exterior wall carries large images of nine notable Holden models.{{cite news|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6056948/gang-gang-baileys-garage-stands-intact-long-after-holden-and-hume-highway-leave-gunning/ |newspaper=Canberra Times |title=Bailey's Garage stands intact |date=24 April 2018 |access-date=15 February 2023}}

Rainfall records have been kept since 1886 at the Gunning Rural Supplies, elevation {{convert|578|m|}}. It is generally wetter than Goulburn, particularly in the winter and early spring, though not as pronounced as that in Yass.

{{Weather box

|location = Gunning Rural Supplies (1886–2024); 578 m AMSL; 34.78° S, 149.27° E

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 57.1

|Feb rain mm = 45.9

|Mar rain mm = 51.5

|Apr rain mm = 47.1

|May rain mm = 48.7

|Jun rain mm = 56.7

|Jul rain mm = 53.6

|Aug rain mm = 56.2

|Sep rain mm = 55.7

|Oct rain mm = 60.9

|Nov rain mm = 58.8

|Dec rain mm = 57.5

|year rain mm = 658.3

|source 1 = [http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_nccObsCode=139&p_display_type=dataFile&p_startYear=&p_c=&p_stn_num=070043 Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Gunning Rural Supplies]

}}

• Millicent Armstrong was a playwright and farmer in Gunning, New South Wales, who wrote primarily about the experiences of country life in early 20th century Australia. The plays she wrote while living in Gunning were well received and prize-winning.

{{mapbox|from=Gunning, NSW.map|zoom=16|text=Interactive map of the town}}

Gunning Uniting Church.JPG|Uniting Church, Gunning

Gunning public building.JPG|Old Gunning Court House

Telegraph Hotel - Gunning.JPG|Telegraph Hotel, Gunning

St Francis Xavier church Gunning.jpg|old St Francis Xavier church building

Gunning Holden wall detail.jpg|Holden Wall of Fame 1948 model 215 "FX"

Gunning Holden wall detail 2.jpg|Holden Wall of Fame 1965 HD and 1968 HK

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141125203052/http://upperlachlan.local-e.nsw.gov.au/ Gunning info]
• [https://pbase.com/creakingbones/gunning_holden_wall_of_fame Gunning's Holden Wall of Fame]

{{Localities in Upper Lachlan Shire}}

{{LGAs Southern Tablelands}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Southern Tablelands

Category:Towns in New South Wales

Category:1821 establishments in Australia

Category:Upper Lachlan Shire