Coonabarabran

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title: "Coonabarabran" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["towns-in-new-south-wales", "newell-highway", "warrumbungle-shire", "coonabarabran,-new-south-wales"] topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coonabarabran" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox Australian place"]

Field	Value
type	town
name	Coonabarabran
state	nsw
image	CountryTown0002.jpg
caption	Town centre/Imperial Hotel
coordinates
pushpin_label_position	right
pop	2387
pop_year
pop_footnotes
postcode	2357
elevation	505
dist1	451
dir1	NW
location1	Sydney
dist2	161
dir2	NE
location2	Dubbo
dist3	182
dir3	W
location3	Tamworth
dist4	120
dir4	SW
location4	Narrabri
dist5	84
dir5	NE
county	Gowen
location5	Gilgandra
lga	Warrumbungle Shire
stategov	Barwon
fedgov	Parkes
maxtemp	23.7
mintemp	7.4
rainfall	748.4
::

Etymology

The origin of the name Coonabarabran is unconfirmed. It may derive from a person's name or from the Kamilaroi language word 'gunbaraaybaa' meaning 'excrement', translated earlier as meaning, 'peculiar odour', this is possibly a bowdlerisation.

Another possible meaning is derived from the Wiradjuri word for an inquisitive person, ‘gunabaraburan’. 'Coolabarabran' was the name of a station owned by James Weston in 1848.

History

The area around Coonabarabran and the Warrumbungles has been occupied by the Kamilaroi people for approximately 7,500 years. In 1818, the area was opened up for European settlement, when the surveyor-general for the Colony of New South Wales, John Oxley, made an expedition through the north-west areas of the colony. Oxley surveyed the area around the Warrumbungles mountain range, which he named the "Arbuthnot Range".

The former convict, James Weston (1800–1883), who was assigned to the Cassilis area in the Upper Hunter Region before being granted his freedom in 1843, acquired the agricultural area known as "Coolabarbyan" in the district in 1843. In 1859, the town was first surveyed by Lewis Gordon, with the first sale of land recorded in 1859. After construction of a new stone courthouse in 1878 the original courthouse was demolished and a post and telegraph office constructed on its site in 1879.

The Coonabarabran Shire was proclaimed on 7 March 1906, with the enactment of the Local Government (Shires) Act 1905. With incorporation, the town continued to grow with the construction of the railway line through Binnaway to Coonabarabran in 1917 (extended to Baradine and Gwabegar in 1923) and the establishment of the Forestry Commission in 1916, both of which facilitated the growth of agriculture and forestry as the primary industries of the region.

In 1926–1928, a local committee organised the development of the town memorial to the First World War in the form of the Coonabarabran Memorial Clock Tower at the central town intersection of John Street and Dalgarno Street. Built from local sandstone by Edmund Pye of Gunnedah at a cost of £1,300, the clock tower was officially dedicated on 23 August 1928 by Major General Charles Frederick Cox.

Heritage listings

Coonabarabran has a number of heritage-listed sites, including those listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register (SHR), State Government Agency Section 170 Registers (s.170), and the Warrumbungle Local Environmental Plan (LEP). The first heritage listings occurred under the now-defunct national Register of the National Estate in 1978, and the Coonabarabran Local Environmental Plan 1990, but no further local level studies have been undertaken since.

Coonabarabran Railway Precinct (s.170)
Dalgarno Street: Coonabarabran General Cemetery (LEP)
John and Dalgarno streets: Coonabarabran Clock Tower (LEP)
John and Dalgarno streets: Coonabarabran Courthouse (LEP & s.170)
Main Road, 55: Flags Inn Site (LEP; Archaeological)
Oxley Highway: Burra Bee Dee Mission and Cemetery (SHR & LEP)
4 km west of Bulgaldie: Chalk Mountain Area (LEP)

Demographics

|type= Australia |1954|2210 |1961|2547 |1966|2793 |1971|3055 |1976|3068 |1981|3001 |1986|3033 |1991|2959 |1996|3012 |2001|2736 |2006|2609 |2011|2576 |2016|2537 |2021|2387 |source=Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

According to the 2021 Census, there were 2,387 people in Coonabarabran.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 15.8% of the population.
77.9% of people were born in Australia and 80.2% of people spoke only English at home.
The most common responses for religion were No Religion 27.1%, Catholic 20.8% and Anglican 20.0%.

Astronomy

Coonabarabran is the closest town to the Siding Spring Observatory, which is home to the 3.9-metre Anglo-Australian Telescope, the largest optical telescope in Australia. It is operated by the Australian Astronomical Observatory (formerly the Anglo-Australian Observatory). A dozen other telescopes are on Siding Spring Mountain, a number of which are operated by the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Australian National University. Siding Spring is also home to the Uppsala Telescope where Robert H. McNaught discovered his now famous daylight comet C/2006 P1 in August 2006. The Mopra Observatory, which is home to a 22-metre radio telescope owned and operated by the CSIRO is also near the Siding Spring Observatory, but is operated remotely from Narrabri. A recent addition to the town was the construction of the world's largest virtual Solar System drive on the roads leading to the observatory. Coonabarabran markets itself as the "astronomy capital of Australia", many of the businesses and government buildings in the town feature astronomically themed information plaques.

Recreation

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Coonabarabran_post_office_exterior.jpg" caption="The Coonabarabran Post Office" alt="The exterior of the Coonabarabran post office from the street. It is red brick with white detailing."] ::

Coonabarabran Unicorns rugby league team play in the Castlereagh Cup.

Recreation in Coonabarabran, the "Astronomy Capital of Australia," is dominated by outdoor activities centered around the Warrumbungle National Park, which is also Australia's only Dark Sky Park. Visitors flock to the area for stargazing at sites like the Siding Spring Observatory and Milroy Observatory, taking advantage of the region's clear, dark skies, high altitude, and low light pollution. Daytime recreation focuses on bushwalking and hiking through the spectacular volcanic landscape of the Warrumbungles, with popular tracks including the Breadknife and Grand High Tops walk and the Burbie Canyon walking track, alongside exploring local attractions like the Crystal Kingdom mineral exhibition and the Australian Museum Diprotodon Exhibition.

Churches

The Anglican Christ Church at 94 Dalgarno Street was opened in 1939 by Bishop Arnold Wylde to a design by Lindsay Gordon Scott.

Other Churches include St. Lawrence's Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church, Uniting Church and Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Climate

Coonabarabran has a subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with hot summers and cool winters. On average, 56.6 mornings (including 16.3 in July) fall below 0 C; and in July 2002 the monthly mean minimum was as low as −3.5 C. Rainfall is greatest from December to February with summer thunderstorms. Temperature extremes have historically ranged from 44.0 °C to −9.0 °C.

|location = Coonabarabran (Showgrounds, 1991–2020, extremes to 1957); 520 m AMSL; 31.28° S, 149.28° E |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |humidity colour = green |Jan record high C = 44.0 |Feb record high C = 42.9 |Mar record high C = 37.5 |Apr record high C = 32.7 |May record high C = 26.7 |Jun record high C = 24.6 |Jul record high C = 24.2 |Aug record high C = 29.0 |Sep record high C = 33.6 |Oct record high C = 36.2 |Nov record high C = 41.6 |Dec record high C = 41.5 |Jan high C = 32.0 |Feb high C = 30.6 |Mar high C = 28.0 |Apr high C = 24.1 |May high C = 19.6 |Jun high C = 16.1 |Jul high C = 15.5 |Aug high C = 17.4 |Sep high C = 21.0 |Oct high C = 24.5 |Nov high C = 27.6 |Dec high C = 30.1 |year high C = |Jan low C = 15.8 |Feb low C = 15.2 |Mar low C = 11.7 |Apr low C = 6.9 |May low C = 3.3 |Jun low C = 1.4 |Jul low C = 0.3 |Aug low C = 0.4 |Sep low C = 3.7 |Oct low C = 7.2 |Nov low C = 11.0 |Dec low C = 13.5 |year low C = |Jan record low C = 3.6 |Feb record low C = 3.6 |Mar record low C = 0.6 |Apr record low C = −3.6 |May record low C = −6.1 |Jun record low C = −7.2 |Jul record low C = -9.0 |Aug record low C = −7.6 |Sep record low C = -5.0 |Oct record low C = −2.2 |Nov record low C = −0.8 |Dec record low C = 2.7 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 91.4 |Feb rain mm = 83.2 |Mar rain mm = 64.6 |Apr rain mm = 38.7 |May rain mm = 44.3 |Jun rain mm = 55.9 |Jul rain mm = 56.0 |Aug rain mm = 42.6 |Sep rain mm = 56.3 |Oct rain mm = 58.2 |Nov rain mm = 79.1 |Dec rain mm = 95.6 |year rain mm = 765.0 |Jan rain days = 8.3 |Feb rain days = 6.7 |Mar rain days = 6.7 |Apr rain days = 4.2 |May rain days = 5.8 |Jun rain days = 8.2 |Jul rain days = 8.5 |Aug rain days = 6.8 |Sep rain days = 7.0 |Oct rain days = 7.7 |Nov rain days = 9.2 |Dec rain days = 8.6 |unit rain days = 0.2 mm | Jan afthumidity = 40 | Feb afthumidity = 44 | Mar afthumidity = 41 | Apr afthumidity = 41 | May afthumidity = 48 | Jun afthumidity = 55 | Jul afthumidity = 52 | Aug afthumidity = 44 | Sep afthumidity = 42 | Oct afthumidity = 39 | Nov afthumidity = 39 | Dec afthumidity = 39 |source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology{{cite web | url = http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/cvg/av?p_stn_num=064008&p_prim_element_index=0&p_comp_element_index=0&redraw=null&p_display_type=full_statistics_table&normals_years=1991-2020&tablesizebutt=normal | title = COONABARABRAN (SHOWGROUNDS) | publisher = Bureau of Meteorology | access-date = March 5, 2021

Media

Independently owned and operated, the Coonabarabran Times newspaper circulates throughout the Warrumbungle Shire area. Approximately 2700 copies are distributed each Thursday across the townships of Coonabarabran, Binnaway, Baradine, Coolah, Dunedoo, Mendooran and Mullaley. The Coonabarabran Times was founded in 1927 as an amalgamation of The Bligh Watchman (1877–1927) and The Clarion (1910–1927). It continues to be a solid publication, consisting of local news and issues facing the community, sport, events and advertisements.

Coonabarabran registered Coonabarabran.com in 1999 and creating a website in 2001. Coonabarabran.org began in 2013 and it hosts Coonabarabran News, an online curation of local news and interest stories.

Coonabarabran also has a Facebook page and Twitter account under the Coonabarabran name.

Coonabarabran can receive television from both Northern NSW and Southern NSW television markets via Mount Dowe (Northern NSW) and Mount Cenn Cruaich (Southern NSW).

The area is currently served by a small community radio station, 2WCR FM. This station broadcasts on 99.5 FM. It has a good broadcasting range but it can be a bit scratchy due to the hill-like terrain. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/CountryTown0001.jpg" caption="Old Coonabarabran Court House"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/CoonabarabranWarMemorial.JPG" caption="War memorial at Coonabarabran"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Castlereagh_River_at_Coonabarabran.jpg" caption="[[Castlereagh River"] ::

Schools

In Coonabarabran are three schools:

Coonabarabran Public School

Coonabarabran Public School (established 1870) is on John Street, on the Oxley Highway and is Government funded. It has approximately 330 students from kindergarten to Year 6.

Coonabarabran High School

Coonabarabran High School (established 1962) is on the Oxley Highway and is Government funded providing secondary education to the surrounding area. It has approximately 380 students.

St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School

St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School is on Dalgarno Street, founded in 1888 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. It caters for kindergarten to Year Six and has approximately 110 students. Education is based around the Catholic faith and is across the road from St Lawrence's Catholic Church. The high school part of the school closed at the end of 2009.

Notable residents

Ros Bower (1923–1980), was a TV producer and a leader in community arts. She was born here.
Elizabeth Bryan, chair of Insurance Australia Group
Mary Jane Cain, indigenous Australian who was instrumental in the 1912 establishment of the "Burra Bee Dee" Aboriginal Reserve
Gerard Sutton, rugby league referee
Kylea Tink, politician
Kyle Turner, rugby league player 2014 premiership winner with South Sydney
Will Robinson, rugby league player

Transport

The township is on the Newell Highway and the Oxley Highway, approximately halfway between Melbourne and Brisbane and can be reached in about six hours by car from Sydney. It is on the main inland truck route between Queensland and Victoria.

The Gwabegar railway line passes through the town. Passenger rail services were replaced by coaches in the 1970s. The section of the Gwabegar line between Binnaway and Gwabegar is booked out of use, from 28 October 2005 for safety reasons.

Coonabarabran Airport is 12 km south of the town.

References

''[[Macquarie Dictionary. Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition]]'' (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. {{ISBN. 1-876429-14-3
{{Census 2021 AUS. 50px]] Material was copied from this source, which is available under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License] {{Webarchive. link. (16 October 2017 .)
"2021 Coonabarabran, Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics".
"Coonabarabran".
(2006). "Thematic history of the former Coonabarabran Shire". Warrumbungle Shire Council.
(7 March 1906). "PROCLAMATION". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales.
(2006). "Report on the Community Based Heritage Study of the former Coonabarabran Shire". Warrumbungle Shire Council.
(16 February 1928). "LOCAL NEWS". Mudgee Guardian And North-western Representative.
(24 August 1928). "COONABARABRAN SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL.". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
(25 January 1991). "ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT ACT 1979 – Coonabarabran Local Environmental Plan 1990". Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales.
"Coonabarabran Railway Precinct". Heritage NSW.
"Coonabarabran General Cemetery". Heritage NSW.
"General Cemetery". Heritage NSW.
"Coonabarabran Clock Tower". Heritage NSW.
"Coonabarabran Courthouse". Heritage NSW.
"Courthouse". Heritage NSW.
"Flags Inn Site". Heritage NSW.
{{cite NSW SHR. 5054965. Burra Bee Dee Mission
"Burra Bee Dee Aboriginal Mission Cemetery". Heritage NSW.
"Burra Bee Dee Cemetery". Heritage NSW.
"Burra Bee Dee Mission". Heritage NSW.
"Chalk Mountain Area". Heritage NSW.
"Statistics by Catalogue Number". Australian Bureau of Statistics.
"Search Census data". Australian Bureau of Statistics.
"World's Largest Virtual Solar System Drive".
(2023-07-30). "Coonabarabran, Warrumbungle area – Accommodation, things to do & more {{!}} Visit NSW".
(25 March 1937). "C. of E. Notes". The North-western Watchman.
(28 September 1939). "Christ Church". The North-western Watchman.
(24 August 1939). "New Church Overcrowded". The North-western Watchman.
"Coonabarabran.com".
"Coonabarabran News".
"Coonabarabran Public School". NSW Department of Education.
"Coonabarabran High School". NSW Department of Education.
"St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School Coonabarabran". Catholic Education, Diocese of Bathurst.
(15 May 2009). "Parents lose battle to save Coonabarabran high school".
Hull, Andrea. "Helen Rosalie (Ros) Bower (1923–1980)". National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
(2007-05-25). "Gulgong-Kandos rail line to be suspended from use". [[ABC News (Australia).

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