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Dubbo

Coordinates: 32°15′25″S 148°36′4″E / 32.25694°S 148.60111°E / -32.25694; 148.60111
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For the seat in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, see Electoral district of Dubbo.
For the Local Government Area of Dubbo, see City of Dubbo.
Dubbo
New South Wales
The main commercial area of Dubbo
Dubbo is located in New South Wales
Dubbo
Dubbo
Coordinates32°15′25″S 148°36′4″E / 32.25694°S 148.60111°E / -32.25694; 148.60111
Population30,574[1] (37)
Established1849
Postcode(s)2830
Elevation275 m (902 ft)[2]
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST)AEDT (UTC+11)
Location408 km (254 mi) WNW of Sydney
LGA(s)City of Dubbo
RegionCentral West
CountyLincoln
State electorate(s)Dubbo
Federal division(s)Parkes
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
24.3 °C
76 °F		 10.1 °C
50 °F		 551.7 mm
21.7 in
Japanese garden in Dubbo

Dubbo (Template:PronEng)[3] is a city in the Central West Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre in the Orana region with a population of 30,574 at the time of the 2006 census, and serves an estimated catchment of 130,000.[4] It is located at the intersection of the Mitchell, Newell and Golden highways. Dubbo is located approximately 275 m (902 ft) above sea level, 416 km (258 mi) west-north-west of the state capital Sydney and is a major road and rail freight hub to other parts of New South Wales. Dubbo is considered the cross-roads of New South Wales. It is linked by national highways north to Brisbane, south to Melbourne, east to Sydney and Newcastle, and west to Broken Hill and Adelaide.

History

Evidence of habitation by Indigenous Australians dates back approximately 40,000 years.

John Oxley was the first European to report on the area now known as Dubbo in 1818. [5] The first permanent settler in the area was Robert Dulhunty, described as one of the wealthiest citizens in the Australian colony at the time. There are records of squatters being given permission to set up large sheep and cattle stations in the area in 1824 but these were not maintained.[citation needed] Dulhunty occupied a property, known as Dubbo station, from the early 1830s on a squatting basis. With the passing of the Squatting Act in 1836 he took out a licence on the property. [6]

Dulhunty showed an affinity with Indigenous Australians, his party included some 40 Aborigines and he favoured using Aboriginal names for properties, including Dubbo. Dubbo is now thought to be a mispronunciation of the local Wiradjuri word "Thubbo" but because of a lack of precise records from Dulhunty at the time and an incomplete knowledge of the Wiradjuri language today there is some conjecture over the word's meaning. A popular current theory is the word means "red earth," consistent with the local landscape. It is also possible that Thubbo is Wiradjuri for "head covering" - a theory put forward to support this name is that the shape of Dulhunty's house may have looked like a hat to the local people. [citation needed]

Dundullimal Homestead is a farmhouse from that period, built around 1840 by John Maugham on his 26,000-acre (11,000 ha) sheep station. The building is one of the oldest homesteads still standing in western NSW and today is open to visitors.

In 1846, due to the number of settlers in the area, the government decided to establish a courthouse, police station and lock-up in the Dubbo area. A constables residence was completed in 1847 and a wooden slab construction courthouse and lock-up in early 1848. By this time the settlement had only four buildings; the constables residence, courthouse and lock-up, a store and an inn. Due to the lack of title for the land, in 1848 the storekeeper, Jean Emile Serisier, organised a petition asking for a land sale of town allotments. The plan was presented to the colony's Surveyor General in May 1849 by surveyor G. Boyle White.[6] The settlement was gazetted as a village in November 1849 with the first land sales taking place in 1850. [5] Population growth was slow until the Victorian gold rush of the 1860s brought an increase in north-south trade. The first bank was opened in 1867. Steady population growth saw the town proclaimed a municipality in 1872, when its population was 850. The coming of the railway in 1881 resulted in another boom period and by 1897 Dubbo had a general store, Carrier Arms, a slab courthouse, a gaol and a police hut. Dubbo was officially proclaimed a city in 1966.[7]

Economy

The city's largest employer is the Fletcher International Exports, which exports lamb to the world.[8] Other local industries reflect the city's status as a regional base in an area whose economic backbone is agricultural.

A large employer is the Dubbo Base Hospital, and "health services" are the local area's largest employer [citation needed], as the town provides medical services to the surrounding region.

Retail

Dubbo is also considered a major shopping centre for the surrounding regional areas in the Central and Far Western districts of New South Wales. Dubbo has many shopping districts including, but not limited to, the large Orana Mall (East Dubbo), Macquarie and Talbragar Streets (City Centre), Centro Dubbo, Riverdale and Tamworth Street local stores (South Dubbo). Dubbo also has many boutiques and unique stores as well as major national stores including Target, Coles, Woolworths, Mitre 10 Home & Trade, Bunnings, Myer, Harris Scarfe, Big W and Harvey Norman.

Planning is currently underway for a new suburban shopping centre in West Dubbo. The centre will contain a new Woolworths supermarket (Dubbo's third) and 15 smaller retail shops. [9]

Tourism

Tourism is also a significant local industry. Dubbo features the open-range Taronga Western Plains Zoo, which is home to various species of endangered animals, including the White, Black and Indian Rhinoceros', and runs a successful breeding program for a number of endangered species. The zoo is home to numerous specimens from around the world in spacious open-range moat enclosures, grouped according to their continent of origin. Other town attractions include the historic Dundullimal Homestead and the historic Old Dubbo Gaol in the middle of the commercial centre of Macquarie Street. The recently opened Western Plains Cultural Centre includes four gallery exhibition spaces, two Museum exhibition spaces and a Community Arts Centre.

Education

There are 20 schools and secondary colleges including the Dubbo school of distance education. Dubbo is home to one of the four main campuses of Charles Sturt University which is located next to the Dubbo College Senior Campus.

Geography

The Macquarie River runs through Dubbo, as does Troy Creek. The City of Dubbo lies within a transition zone between the ranges and tablelands of the Great Dividing Range to the east and the Darling Basin plains to the west.

Notable people

  • Jean Emile Serisier was Dubbo's first businessman and the leader. He held many important positions including Post Master, Justice to the Gaol and was Magistrate from 1862.[10] He is also credited with works to advance the town including schools, Catholic Church, bridge (named after him) and Hospital. [11] [12][13]
  • Suzanne Grae, founder of the fashion label bearing her name, was born in Dubbo in 1968. [14]
  • Andrew Ryan - Rugby League player
  • David Peachey - Former NRL Rugby League player
  • Geoffrey Lancaster - International concert pianist
  • Thirsty Merc - Australian Rock Band
  • Glenn McGrath - Former Australian Test Cricketer
  • Dean Pay - Former Rugby League International, grew up and retired in Dubbo
  • Kirsty Lee Allan - Actress in Australian drama series Sea Patrol
  • Matt Logue - Rugby League Week journalist
  • Kyle Noke - International MMA fighter

Architecture

Dubbo has several fine examples of Victorian civic architecture including the (second) Courthouse (1887), the Lands Office with its use of timber and corrugated iron cladding, and the railway station (1881).[15] Towards the centre of the city the older residential areas contain numerous examples of red brick houses built in the "California Bungalow" style of the early 20th century, together with Victorian terraced houses (Mostly in the Darling Street area) and a few Edwardian semi-detached homes.

Courthouse Lands Building California Bungalow Victorian Terraces Edwardian 'Semis'

Transport

Dubbo railway station lies on the Main Western railway line between Sydney and Bourke and opened in 1881.[16] The station is the terminus of a daily CountryLink XPT train service which operates to and from Sydney. Dubbo also has its own recently upgraded airport, Dubbo Airport, with daily flights to Sydney (Qantas, REX, Airlink), Broken Hill (REX and Airlink), and other small out-back New South Wales towns (Airlink). Buses also service Dubbo, with major runs to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Media

Local print media include:

  • The Daily Liberal
  • The Weekly Dubbo Photo News
  • The Weekly Mailbox Shopper

Dubbo is home to the Rural Press Central West Regional Hub, which prints many of Rural Press' local newspapers from across the state in the city. Regional Business magazine is also printed locally.

Radio is served well in the city boasting 3 commercially licensed radio stations:

  • Star FM - Pop/Hit Music Station which broadcasts on FM 93.5
  • 2DU - Local heritage station which broadcasts on AM 1251.
  • Zoo FM - Rock Music Station which broadcasts on FM 92.7


The National Broadcaster also has a studio in the city:

  • ABC Western Plains - Local News and talk on 95.9FM

Dubbo has 5 ABC Radio stations; ABC Local, ABC Radio National, Triple J, ABC Classic FM, and News Radio.

The city also has narrowcast stations on 90.3 FM Racing Radio, a tourist radio station and a country music station. The city has a sole community station, Rhema FM which broadcasts Christian music.

Dubbo has 5 Television Stations:

Sport and Recreation

Sport plays a big role in Dubbo's community life.

Rugby League is popular in Dubbo. Two teams compete in the Group 11 Rugby League - the Dubbo CYMS and Dubbo Macquarie Raiders.

The city also has an Australian Rules football team, the Dubbo Demons who were premiers in the Central West Australian Football League in 2007.

There are also two rugby union teams, the Dubbo Kangaroos (Roos) and the Dubbo Rhinos, which compete in the Central West Rugby competition.

Dubbo has a turf club, which incorporates a Pony Club, horse racing and organises shows and gymkhana.

Ultimate Frisbee is a new sport to the town and is rapidly growing in popularity. The Dubbo Meerkats have been Champions of Western NSW for the years 2005-2007 and are hosting the inaugural National Country Ultimate Championships in 2008.

Dubbo has an excellent basketball association. The 'Dubbo Rams' compete in the men's and women's NSW State Basketball Leagues.

Netball is also popular in Dubbo with competitions every weekend for all age groups during Netball season at the Nita McGrath netball courts near the Macquarie River in Central Dubbo.

Dubbo has a large Junior and Senior Hockey Association with over 1500 registered members, playing on one of the best synthetic hockey fields in the central west.

Soccer is very popular particularly among children. Dubbo has its own All-Age men's and women's competition and has three teams - Dubbo FC Bulls, Westside Panthers and Orana Spurs - who compete in the Western Premier League.

In 2007 Dubbo hosted the Junior World Orienteering Championships with most of the events held in the granite outcrops of the nearby Sappa Bulga Range. From this event the orienteering club Western Plains Orienteers was born.

Other sports popular in Dubbo include cricket, lawn bowls, golf and indoor sports at Dubbo Sports World.

Annual events

Dubbo Show

The annual agricultural "Show", held around April/May of each year, is a major event for Dubbo and surrounding areas.

Dubbo National Steer Show

This event is the annual domestic steer and heifer (cattle) hoof and hook show. Each year over 100 beef carcase cattle are judged live (hoof) as led or un-led and dead (hook). It is also the annual young judges, auctioneers and paraders competition. These events are very popular among the schools and colleges of the New South Wales area. [citation needed]

Dubbo City Eisteddfod

The Dubbo Eisteddfod is held annually at Dubbo Civic Centre, with students from Dubbo as well as surrounding regions including Wellington, Orange, Gulgong, Narromine and Bathurst competing in the various sections.This involves Speech, Drama, Instrumental & Dance. The Eisteddfod runs from May until July each year.

See also


References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Dubbo (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  2. ^ "DCC Annual Report" (PDF). Dubbo City Council. published 2005. Retrieved 2007-12-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) (refer page 7)
  3. ^ Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3
  4. ^ "Dubbo City - Moving online and moving ahead". Australian Government. Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-04-19..
  5. ^ a b Australian Heritage - Historical Towns Directory
  6. ^ a b Hornage, Bill (1974). Old Dubbo Gaol. Gaol Restoration Committee of the Dubbo Museum and Historical Society. pp. 4–5. ISBN 0959843604.
  7. ^ "Geographical Names register Extract: Dubbo". Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  8. ^ "Program aims to cut Dubbo unemployment". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2005-06-24. Retrieved 2008-04-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help).
  9. ^ "Application lodged for west Dubbo shopping centre". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2005-03-11. Retrieved 2009-07-07. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help).
  10. ^ "Serisier, Jean Emile (1824 - 1881)". Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online. Retrieved 2008-04-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help).
  11. ^ "Shoyoen Sister City Garden & Jurian Ceremonial Tea House Points of Interest" (PDF). Dubbo City Council. Retrieved 2008-04-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help).
  12. ^ Dubbo The City and its History by Bill Hornage
  13. ^ Dubbo City on the Plains by Marion Dormer
  14. ^ "Suzanne Grae, About Us". Retrieved 2008-06-07. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help).
  15. ^ "Dubbo". WalkAbout. Retrieved 2008-04-19. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Text "work" ignored (help).
  16. ^ "Dubbo railway station". www.nswrail.net. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
Preceding station   NSW Main lines   Following station
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Preceding station   CountryLink Services   Following station
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Dubbo XPT
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