Home | Accommodation | Art & Craft | Business | Community | District Map |
Education | Entertainment | Events | Eateries | History | Information |
Local News | Photo Gallery | Real Estate | Sport | Tourism | Local Weather |
National Parks |
MORE INFORMATION |
AIRLINE SERVICE: Air Link
Local councils do have some information about communities located within their boundaries. You can access this information through the Local Council site through the link found on Local Information Section of this site. |
The Coonamble district is a rich and diverse, agricultural based community. The township has a population of around 3000 people. It lies in a rich natural tourism area with just short drives to a number of features contained within the Coonamble Shire boundaries. To the southeast lies the Warrumbungle National Park, to the north east the well known Macquarie Marshes. These three natural wonders are a must visit during any visitor's stay in the township and district.
Little is know of its pre-white settler history although the large numbers of aboriginal middens, burial grounds, fish traps, carvings, artefacts and paintings suggest a rich aboriginal culture thrived in the district. According to historian Norman Trindle, the district was home to three major tribes, the Kamilaroi, the Kawambarai and the Weilwan, with the boundaries of these three being determind by natural land forms.
Explorer's first recorded access to the area was in 1818 when George Evans encountered the flooded Castlereagh River near the present township. James Walker leased land in the district on a run he called the "Koonamble Run" and the official proclamation came on the 5th July, 1855. The area was developed soon after this date.
Artesian water, which was discovered in the 1890's, was a major factor behind the development and the ongoing survival of the area.
Local Government came to the district on 3rd May, 1880 with the formation of the Coonamble Municipal District. The railway finally arrived in the town from Dubbo in February, 1903.
Tragedy struck the township on the 6th February, 1929 when fire swept through Castlereagh Street and, in just 4 hours, destroyed most buildings in the area, leaving over 200 people homeless and destroying many hitoric records of Coonamble's early history
If you know of a local tourist site that is located in this community but is not listed here, please Email us (using the button at the bottom of this page) and let us know the details, including the community to which you are referring.