Narrandera

Narrandera Post Office

Charles Sturt memorial on the Murrumbidgee River

Narrandera is a river town with a rich heritage. It stands on the land of the Wiradjuri nation and was once home to the Nharrangura Clan.

Captain Charles Sturt is credited with being the first European to observe the area that later was to become known as Narrandera. However Sturt, who passed through the district on 12 December 1829, was not the first explorer to cast eyes on the Murrumbidgee River. The upper Murrumbidgee, the "Big Water", was first discovered in April 1821, by Charles Throsby. The name Narrandera is probably derived from Wiradjuri nharrang, meaning "frill-necked lizard".[4] and the name of the local Nharrungura Clan.

The local indigenous people of the Wiradjuri Nation, as noted were all but destroyed by settlement, disease brought by European settlers, and clashes with the settlers. The last major battle between the indigenous people and European settlers took place near Massacre Island, and is said to have left only one survivor.[5] The people of the Wiradjuri nation who now reside in Narrandera make up ten percent of the population of the town, and predominantly came from the regions south and west of Narrandera, but were dis-located by colonial expansion.

Narrandera had its first recorded mention as a pastoral station or "run" (Narrandera Run) in 1848, at which time the property held by Mr Edward Flood comprised approximately 31,100 hectares (76,800 acres).

The township developed in the early 1860s. Gillenbah post office opened nearby on 1 March 1859 and was replaced by the Narrandera office in 1861. A Gillenbah office was open from 1881 to 1892 and from 1906 to 1941.[6]

The Borough of Narrandera was constituted by proclamation dated 17 March 1885, and gazetted the following day. The centenary of Local Government in Narrandera was celebrated in 1985.

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

• Elizabeth Street: Narrandera Showground Industrial Hall[9]
• Junee-Hay railway: Murrumbidgee River railway bridge[10]
• Murrumbidgee River: Berembed Weir[11]
• 30-32 Twynam Street: Derrendi[12]
• Whitton Street (Newell Highway): Narrandera railway station[13]
• Murrumbidgee River near: Gogeldrie Weir[14]

The town of Narrandera is located adjacent to the Murrumbidgee River, at the intersection of the Newell Highway and the Sturt Highway at the centre of a diversely productive agricultural region. Its attractive tree-lined streets contrast with the open plains that surround it.

The Narrandera Memorial Gardens include the unusual Hankinson Fountain.[15] Manufactured by the Royal Doulton Company of England, the ceramic fountain is one of only two known to be in existence, the other located in Pakistan. It was given to the people of Narrandera by Alderman and Mrs Hankinson in 1922 in honour of locals who served in World War I. A feature of the Hankinson Fountain was smashed by an act of vandalism in 1971 and was restored by Charles Pearce.

Narrandera now marks the transition between an extensive dry-land area devoted to cereal crops and sheep and wool production to the east, and, to the west, the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) fed by water from the Burrinjuck Dam. The MIA is a region where irrigation has opened the way to a diversity of enterprise, from the growing of rice and other cereals under irrigation to the production of citrus, wine grapes, potatoes, and increasingly, cotton.

The town also has number of historic attractions, such as the Royal Doulton Fountain, located in the Memorial Gardens; a fig tree on the corner of King and Cadell Streets, which is thought to be 150 years old; and the Mon Repos, a residence built in a Queen Anne-style, which was built in the 1890s. The Oakbank Brewery Tower located beside the Murrumbidgee on Oakbank Road is a prominent feature, one owned by Lincolns brewers, then Oakbank Brewery. Its last productive days were as a cordial (soft drink) factory owned by the Webster family of Narrandera.[16]

Narrandera's immediate surrounds feature a number of waterways, the major waterway being the Murrumbidgee River. Others include Lake Talbot, the Narrandera Wetlands, Bundidgerry Creek, and the ephemeral Lake Coolah.

The Irrigation Canal, which carries water to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area to Narrandera's west, flows through the town. It originates 34 kilometres (21 mi) east at Berembed Weir where water is diverted from the Murrumbidgee River. The canal follows the natural bed of Bundidgerry Creek and in places spreads wide and has no levee banks. Lake Talbot was formed in 1924 when the bank of the Irrigation Canal gave way, flooding the river flat between the canal and Bundidgerry Hill. The shallow body of water was allowed to remain and became an important recreational feature of the town. The eastern end of the lake is commonly used by water skiers while the western end forms a wetland habitat for native fauna. A wetland has been created off Lizard Drive, only 300 metres (980 ft) from the Murrumbidgee River. The Narrandera Wetland is a collection point for storm water run-off from the town.

Like many rural localities in the area, the population level has progressively declined over a number of years, evidenced as follows:

Narrandera has a semi-arid climate, with precipitation being just below a humid subtropical climate under the formula used the Köppen climate classification.

Narrandera railway station

Narrandera railway station

Narrandera is well served for transport. The Sturt Highway and the Newell Highway cross just south of Narrandera. The Narrandera Airport is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) west of the town, and is serviced by Regional Express (REX), operating return services daily to Sydney, approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes' flying time away.

Narrandera is a served by weekly NSW TrainLink Xplorer service operating between Sydney and Griffith. NSW TrainLink also operate a road coach service from Wagga Wagga to Griffith via Coolamon.[21]

• Dame Marie Bashir, a former Governor of New South Wales[22]
• Daniel Christian, a former Australian ODI/T20 International cricketer [23]
• Creswell Eastman AM, endocrinologist, professor of medicine, known for Iodine Deficiency Disorders research.
• Kathleen Gorham, a prima ballerina[24]
• Sam Groth, a professional tour tennis player
• Patrick Hartigan, a Catholic priest, poet and author who used the pen name, "John O'Brien": the bush ethos celebrated by Hartigan in his writings is commemorated in the annual John O'Brien Bush Festival held in the town[25]
• Cliff Lyons, a former professional rugby league footballer who represented Manly Sea Eagles, the NSW and Australian teams
• Tim Ruffles, an Australian Rules footballer, who plays for the Fremantle Football Club[26]
• Zac Williams, an Australian Rules footballer, who plays for the GWS Giants[27]

The novel Jessica, by Bryce Courtenay, mentions Narrandera several times as the main town near the place where the book is set.

• 
  Aerial view of Narrandera
• 
  Lake Talbot Swimming Complex

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Narrandera.

• Narrandera Tourism Information
• Narrandera Rail Station
• Narrandera -VisitNSW.com