Narrabri
{{This|the town|the local government area|Narrabri Shire}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = town
| name = Narrabri
| state = nsw
| image = 2005 12 21 1369 Narrabri Post Office.jpg
| caption = Post Office
| lga = Narrabri Shire
| county = Nandewar
| postcode = 2390
| est = 1860Narrabri Shire, Courier Print, Narrabri
| pop = 5,499
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = {{Census 2021 AUS|id=UCL114023 |name=Narrabri (Urban Centre) |accessdate=3 December 2017 |quick=on}}
| elevation= 212
| elevation_footnotes = {{BoM Aust stats|site_ref=cw_053030_All|site_name=Narrabri West Post Office|access-date=13 April 2013|date=April 2013}}
| coordinates = {{coord|30|19|0|S|149|46|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| maxtemp = 26.5
| mintemp = 11.7
| rainfall = 661.9
| stategov = Barwon
| fedgov = Parkes
| dist1 = 521
| dir1 = NW
| location1= Sydney
| dist2 = 575
| dir2 = SW
| location2= Brisbane
| dist3 = 280
| dir3 = NE
| location3= Dubbo
| dist4 = 172
| dir4 = NW
| location4= Tamworth
| dist5 = 101
| dir5 = S
| location5= Moree
}}
Narrabri ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|ær|ə|b|r|aɪ}} {{respell|NARR|ə|bry}})Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. {{ISBN|1-876429-14-3}} is a locality and seat of Narrabri Shire local government area in the North West Slopes, New South Wales, Australia[http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/nsw-forecast-map.shtml NSW Forecast Areas] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112022439/http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/nsw-forecast-map.shtml |date=12 November 2009 }} Retrieved 30 October 2009 on the Namoi River, {{convert|521|km|mi|0}} northwest of Sydney. It sits on the junction of the Kamilaroi Highway and the Newell Highway. At the 2021 census, the town of Narrabri had a population of 5,499.
Because of the geography of Narrabri and the surrounding areas, Narrabri township was quite prone to flooding and fire. Recently, changes have been made to the river flow to improve overall safety.
It is the centre of a major cotton-growing industry. Other agricultural industries in the area include wheat, beef, and lamb. Nearby attractions are Mount Kaputar National Park, the Australia Telescope Compact Array at the Paul Wild Observatory (administered by the CSIRO), and a number of agricultural centres. Just to the south of town is the Pilliga Forest, the largest remnant temperate forest in Eastern Australia. Narrabri also has The Crossing Theatre, a 1,000-seat auditorium and cinema complex.
History
Before the arrival of the Europeans in the early 19th century, Narrabri was the home of the Gamilaroi people, who still constitute a significant part of the local population. Narrabri derives its name from an early property in the district called the Narrabri Run. The name Narrabri is Aboriginal in origin and has several possible meanings which include 'snake place', 'big creek', or 'Forked Sticks'. It is possibly means "with a knot"{{cite web |last1=Giacon |first1=John |last2=Nathan |first2=David |title=Gaman guladha Gamilaraay, Yuwaalaraay, Yuwaalayaay |url=https://dnathan.com/gaman/browse.php?GR=Y&YR=Y&YY=Y&view=max&fl=N&submit=Go#m1695 |access-date=9 November 2024}}{{NSW GNR|id=ujKqoeZTMn|title=Narrabri|access-date=13 April 2013}}
In 1860, Narrabri was proclaimed a town and a year later, on 1 June 1861, Narrabri Post Office opened.{{cite web|title=Australian Heritage – Narrabri|url=http://www.heritageaustralia.com.au/search.php?state=NSW®ion=101&view=559|work=Historical Towns Directory|publisher=Heritage Australia Publishing|access-date=13 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213551/http://www.heritageaustralia.com.au/search.php?state=NSW®ion=101&view=559|archive-date=4 October 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | publisher = Premier Postal Auctions | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=NSW&country= | access-date = 5 May 2011 }} Other buildings followed, with the hospital and the first courthouse (1864–65), the school (1868), the police station (1878–79) and post office (1879). During the 1880s the gaol and the second courthouse were built.
Heritage listings
Narrabri has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Bowen Street: Narrabri Gaol and Residence{{cite NSW SHR|5045707|Narrabri Gaol and Residence|hr=00344|fn=S90/03726/001 & HC 33172|access-date=18 May 2018}}
- 138–140 Maitland Street: Narrabri Post Office{{cite AHD|105495|Narrabri Post Office and former Telegraph Office|fn=1/02/194/0004|access-date=15 September 2018}}
Population
{{Historical populations
|type= Australia
|1921|2382
|1933|3946
|1947|3329
|1954|3722
|1961|5423
|1966|6037
|1971|6893
|1976|6951
|1981|7926
|1986|7246
|1991|6694
|1996|6419
|2001|6234
|2006|6102
|2011|5890
|2016|5903
|2021|5499
|source=Australian Bureau of Statistics data.{{cite web |title=Statistics by Catalogue Number |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/ViewContent?readform&view=ProductsbyCatalogue&Action=Expand&Num=2.2 |access-date=8 January 2024}}{{cite web |title=Search Census data |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/search-by-area |access-date=8 January 2024}}
}}
According to the 2021 Australian census, there were 12,703 people in Narrabri Shire and 5,499 people in Narrabri itself.
Climate
=Narrabri West Post Office (1962–2002)=
{{Weather box
|location= Narrabri West Post Office (1962–2002)
|metric first=yes
|single line= yes
|Jan record high C= 43.4
|Feb record high C= 42.3
|Mar record high C= 40.6
|Apr record high C= 37.9
|May record high C= 31.3
|Jun record high C= 26.9
|Jul record high C= 26.7
|Aug record high C= 32.1
|Sep record high C= 36.6
|Oct record high C= 40.7
|Nov record high C= 43.0
|Dec record high C= 43.3
|year record high C= 43.4
|Jan high C= 33.8
|Feb high C= 33.2
|Mar high C= 31.2
|Apr high C= 27.3
|May high C= 22.5
|Jun high C= 18.7
|Jul high C= 18.0
|Aug high C= 19.8
|Sep high C= 23.4
|Oct high C= 27.1
|Nov high C= 30.1
|Dec high C= 33.0
|year high C= 26.5
|Jan low C= 19.3
|Feb low C= 19.1
|Mar low C= 16.4
|Apr low C= 11.9
|May low C= 8.3
|Jun low C= 5.2
|Jul low C= 3.7
|Aug low C= 4.6
|Sep low C= 7.6
|Oct low C= 11.7
|Nov low C= 14.8
|Dec low C= 17.7
|year low C= 11.7
|Jan record low C= 10.6
|Feb record low C= 7.8
|Mar record low C= 5.6
|Apr record low C= 0.7
|May record low C= -3.3
|Jun record low C= -5.6
|Jul record low C= -4.4
|Aug record low C= -3.9
|Sep record low C= -1.7
|Oct record low C= -0.6
|Nov record low C= 3.9
|Dec record low C= 6.0
|year record low C= -5.6
|rain colour= green
|Jan rain mm= 84.2
|Feb rain mm= 63.6
|Mar rain mm= 57.0
|Apr rain mm= 39.1
|May rain mm= 48.0
|Jun rain mm= 48.1
|Jul rain mm= 46.8
|Aug rain mm= 40.7
|Sep rain mm= 42.1
|Oct rain mm= 52.5
|Nov rain mm= 61.2
|Dec rain mm= 77.8
|year rain mm= 661.9
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 5.9
|Feb rain days = 5.3
|Mar rain days = 4.9
|Apr rain days = 3.7
|May rain days = 4.5
|Jun rain days = 5.6
|Jul rain days = 5.3
|Aug rain days = 5.0
|Sep rain days = 4.9
|Oct rain days = 5.8
|Nov rain days = 6.2
|Dec rain days = 6.6
|year rain days =
|source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology{{BoM Aust stats|site_ref=cw_053030_All|site_name=Narrabri West Post Office|access-date=13 April 2013|date=April 2013}}
}}
=Narrabri Airport AWS (2001–2024)=
{{Weather box
|location= Narrabri Airport AWS (2001–2024)
|metric first=yes
|single line= yes
|Jan record high C= 47.8
|Feb record high C= 46.5
|Mar record high C= 40.2
|Apr record high C= 34.8
|May record high C= 29.7
|Jun record high C= 26.0
|Jul record high C= 26.5
|Aug record high C= 31.7
|Sep record high C= 34.9
|Oct record high C= 40.8
|Nov record high C= 44.0
|Dec record high C= 44.4
|year record high C=
|Jan high C= 34.9
|Feb high C= 33.7
|Mar high C= 31.0
|Apr high C= 27.0
|May high C= 22.4
|Jun high C= 18.5
|Jul high C= 18.1
|Aug high C= 20.0
|Sep high C= 24.2
|Oct high C= 28.3
|Nov high C= 31.3
|Dec high C= 33.2
|year high C= 26.9
|Jan low C= 20.5
|Feb low C= 19.6
|Mar low C= 16.8
|Apr low C= 12.5
|May low C= 7.5
|Jun low C= 5.8
|Jul low C= 4.0
|Aug low C= 4.5
|Sep low C= 8.1
|Oct low C= 12.3
|Nov low C= 16.1
|Dec low C= 18.6
|year low C= 12.2
|Jan record low C= 8.4
|Feb record low C= 9.2
|Mar record low C= 4.1
|Apr record low C= 0.3
|May record low C= -3.3
|Jun record low C= -4.6
|Jul record low C= -6.0
|Aug record low C= -3.6
|Sep record low C= -1.2
|Oct record low C= 2.1
|Nov record low C= 4.3
|Dec record low C= 5.6
|year record low C=
|rain colour= green
|Jan rain mm = 67.3
|Feb rain mm= 58.3
|Mar rain mm= 60.5
|Apr rain mm= 28.2
|May rain mm= 23.9
|Jun rain mm= 48.4
|Jul rain mm= 28.2
|Aug rain mm= 29.4
|Sep rain mm= 30.9
|Oct rain mm= 39.2
|Nov rain mm= 67.7
|Dec rain mm= 69.7
|year rain mm= 552.7
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|Jan rain days = 6.9
|Feb rain days = 7.4
|Mar rain days = 7.4
|Apr rain days = 5.0
|May rain days = 4.5
|Jun rain days = 8.2
|Jul rain days = 6.6
|Aug rain days = 5.0
|Sep rain days = 5.6
|Oct rain days = 6.8
|Nov rain days = 7.9
|Dec rain days = 8.7
|year rain days = 80.0
|source 1 = [http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_054038_All.shtml Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Narrabri Airport AWS]
}}
Over the years, Narrabri has had a number of weather stations run by the Bureau of Meteorology or other government agencies. Narrabri West Post Office made rainfall observations from the late 1800s. From June 1960 until August 2002, it observed and reported other weather elements such as temperature and wind speed. Since then it only reports rainfall.{{cite web|title=Climatological Station Metadata – Narrabri West Post Office|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/clim_data/cdio/metadata/pdf/siteinfo/IDCJMD0040.053030.SiteInfo.pdf|publisher=Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=13 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220305/http://www.bom.gov.au/clim_data/cdio/metadata/pdf/siteinfo/IDCJMD0040.053030.SiteInfo.pdf|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} The current weather station for Narrabri is Narrabri Airport Automatic Weather Station (AWS), which began observations in 2001.{{cite web|title=Climatological Station Metadata – Narrabri Airport AWS|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/clim_data/cdio/metadata/pdf/siteinfo/IDCJMD0040.054038.SiteInfo.pdf|publisher=Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=13 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220316/http://www.bom.gov.au/clim_data/cdio/metadata/pdf/siteinfo/IDCJMD0040.054038.SiteInfo.pdf|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}
=Significant weather events=
On 4 January 1902 a severe thunderstorm, with large hail and destructive winds, struck the town, with many buildings either damaged or destroyed.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14432449 |title=A TERRIFIC CYCLONE. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=6 January 1902 |access-date=13 April 2013 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} The storm, which lasted only five minutes, was described as a 'cyclone'. One man died after being struck by lightning and another two people were injured by the storm. Damage caused by the storm was estimated to be around £3,000.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14463205 |title=THE NARRABRI CYCLONE. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=7 January 1902 |access-date=13 April 2013 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}
Media
Narrabri has a twice-weekly published newspaper, The Courier, one of the few remaining independent regional newspapers in Australia.
A local volunteer-run community radio station, 2MAX FM services the area, broadcasting on 91.3 MHz FM, from the nearby Mt Dowe, and is able to cover a very large area due to this altitude. The station started in 2006. 2MAX FM has a focus on country music and older listeners.
Transport
Regional airline Link Airways operates scheduled flights to and from Brisbane and Sydney on Tuesdays and Thursdays.{{Cite news|url=https://flycorporate.com.au/booking/schedules/narrabri/|title=Narrabri {{!}} Fly Corporate|newspaper=Fly Corporate|language=en-US|access-date=2016-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101103806/https://flycorporate.com.au/booking/schedules/narrabri/|archive-date=1 November 2016|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}} The town is also served by charter flights. It is almost equidistant from Brisbane and Sydney.
=Railway station=
Narrabri railway station is on the Mungindi line, {{convert|569|km|mi}} from Sydney.[http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Narrabri&line=NSW:mungindi:0 Narrabri Railway Station] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731010820/http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Narrabri&line=NSW:mungindi:0 |date=31 July 2008 }}. NSWrail.net. Accessed 1 April 2008. The station opened in 1897 and is served by a single daily Xplorer diesel railmotor between Sydney and Moree.{{Cite New South Wales transport timetables|North West Region}}
Narrabri is an important centre for rail freight, with considerable infrastructure improvements since the mid-1990s.Rail Traffic Resurgence at Narrabri Clark, Allan J. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, March 2000 pp83-91
Sports Teams
The most popular sport in Narrabri by a considerable margin is Rugby league. The local team, the Narrabri Blues, were founded in 1921 and play at Collins Park. They currently compete in the Group 4 Rugby League competition, in which they have won five premierships, the last of which came in 1990.
Other sports teams include the Narrabri Eagles AFC and Narrabri Blue Boars RUFC.
Coal seam gas proposal
In 2019, a coal seam gas field was proposed for the Narrabri area.{{Cite web|url=https://narrabrigasproject.com.au/about/narrabri-gas-project/ |title=Narrabri Gas Project|publisher=Santos|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304103359/https://narrabrigasproject.com.au/about/narrabri-gas-project/ |archive-date=4 March 2019|url-status=live|access-date=15 May 2019|df=dmy-all}} {{Asof|2019}} It will extend west to Yarrie Lake, which will be surrounded by 450 gas well pads with 850 gas wells over the following 20 years if the project goes ahead.{{cite web |last1=Mazengarb |first1=Michael |title=Narrabri gas planning assessment slammed for being 'riddled with errors' |url=https://reneweconomy.com.au/narrabri-gas-planning-assessment-slammed-for-being-riddled-with-errors-63521/ |website=RenewEconomy |language=en-AU |date=10 August 2020}} The project was opposed by a coalition of rural residents and urban environmentalists.{{Cite web |last=Gulliver |first=Robyn |date=2022-05-23 |title=How Emotions Mobilise and Sustain the Anti-Coal Seam Gas Movement |url=https://commonslibrary.org/how-emotions-mobilise-and-sustain-the-anti-coal-seam-gas-movement/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=The Commons Social Change Library |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |last1=Teske |first1=Sven |last2=Morris |first2=Tom |last3=Nagrath |first3=Kriti |last4=Institute for Sustainable Futures |last5=Lock the Gate Alliance |date=2018 |title=Renewable Narrabri : solar and wind versus gas in North-West New south Wales |url=https://www.lockthegate.org.au/narrabri_renewables_report |url-status=live |archive-url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/252419361 |archive-date=12 December 2022 |access-date=24 January 2023 |website=Lock the Gate Alliance}}{{Cite web |last=Lock the Gate Alliance |date=1 August 2022 |title=Gorman North Strategic Release mapping and analysis |url=https://www.lockthegate.org.au/gorman_north_mapping |url-status=live |archive-url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/252323550 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |access-date=24 January 2023 |website=Lock the Gate Alliance}}{{Cite web |last=Lock the Gate Alliance |date=1 August 2021 |title=Salt in the wound : an assessment of the scale of the NSW government's planned expansion of Santos' Narrabri coal seam gas field |url=https://www.lockthegate.org.au/salt_in_the_wound_report_august_21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/252336075 |archive-date=4 December 2022 |access-date=24 January 2023 |website=Lock the Gate Alliance}}{{Cite web |last1=Davey |first1=Alistair |last2=Fisher |first2=Roger |last3=Pegasus Economics |last4=Lock the Gate Alliance |date=1 August 2019 |title=Report of the Narrabri gas project |url=https://www.lockthegate.org.au/pegasus_economics_report_on_the_narrabri_gas_project |url-status=live |archive-url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/252398500 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |access-date=24 January 2023 |website=Lock the Gate Alliance}}
Popular culture
Narrabri is referenced in the song Tucker's Daughter, by Australian rock singer Ian Moss, where the action takes place on a cotton farm on the plains of Narrabri. Music lyrics: https://genius.com/Ian-moss-tuckers-daughter-lyrics
Notable residents
- Peter Hall, architect who led the completion of the Sydney Opera House after the resignation of Utzon.
- Jeff Hardy, Australian Paralympic swimmer{{cite web|title=Australians at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics|url=http://www.ausport.gov.au/olym96/paraswim.html|publisher=Australian Sports Commission|access-date=24 April 2013|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20000119130000/http://www.ausport.gov.au/olym96/paraswim.html|archive-date=19 January 2000}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- Chris Latham, former Australian Wallaby rugby union player
- Sam Naismith, Australian rules footballer
- Ernest Riddle, former Governor of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia
- Jason Stoltenberg, former international tennis player. World #1 junior player in 1987
- Jamie Lyon, former National Rugby League player for the Manly Sea Eagles and New South Wales Origin.
- Darrell Trindall, rugby league footballer of the 1990s
- Andrew Curry, Former Australian Olympic javelin athlete and the nation's leading javelin specialist in the 1990s. locals know him as Narrabri's most treasured local sports star
- Dorothy Jenner (Andrea) (1891–1985) Actor, Art Director, Journalist, Scriptwriter, War Correspondent {{cite book | chapter-url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/jenner-dorothy-hetty-fosbury-andrea-12697 | title=Australian Dictionary of Biography | chapter=Dorothy Hetty Fosbury (Andrea) Jenner (1891–1985) | publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline|Narrabri}}
{{wikivoyage}}
{{portal|New South Wales}}
- [http://www.narrabri.nsw.gov.au Narrabri Shire Council]
- [http://www.visitnarrabri.com.au Narrabri Region Tourism]
- [http://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/moree-and-narrabri-area/narrabri VisitNSW.com – Narrabi]
- [https://narrabrigasproject.com.au Narrabri Gas Project]
- [http://narrabri.net/ Narrabri.net]
{{Narrabri Shire}}
{{authority control}}