Wingham, New South Wales
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Wingham New South Wales |
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Wingham Library and Post Office
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 Wingham
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| Coordinates | 31°52′S 152°22′E / 31.867°S 152.367°ECoordinates: 31°52′S 152°22′E / 31.867°S 152.367°E |
| Population | 5,313 (2011 census) |
| Established | 1844 |
| Postcode(s) | 2429 |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Mid-Coast Council |
| State electorate(s) | Myall Lakes |
| Federal Division(s) | Lyne |
Wingham is a town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia in the Mid-Coast Council area 335 kilometres (208 mi) north of Sydney. According to the 2011 census, Wingham had a population of 5,313.
The first land grant in the area was made at The Bight to George Rowley in 1841. Wingham was chosen as a location for a government settlement because supply boats could not proceed any further up the Manning River and was also located on the road from Raymond Terrace to Port Maquarie. Named after Wingham in Kent, England, Wingham was proclaimed a village in 1844 but allotments were not made until 1854, the same year that Henry Flett laid out Taree as a private settlement. In the meantime, Tinonee had also been established as a government settlement and in 1866 had a population of 100, compared to 90 at Wingham and 150 at Taree.
Wingham was proclaimed a municipality in 1889. By 1909, Wingham consisted of 285 houses and had a population of 900, but government services had been transferred to Taree, which had a population of 1300 in 269 houses. The municipalities were merged with each other and the Manning Valley Shire in 1981 to form the City of Greater Taree.
Wingham's main street, Isabella Street runs east west and fronts the typically English town square, Central Park. Around the eastern end Central Park are the Wingham Brush Public School, the Victorian style School of Arts, built in 1907 and now a council building with Library at the rear, the state heritage listed Post Office, built in 1884, and a telephone exchange. Along the southern side of the park runs Farquhar Street which has a private residence, the Georgian Revival style Courthouse, built in 1934, the 1909 Federation style police station, Catholic Presbytery, St. Joseph's Catholic School, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church, the Manning Valley Historical Society rooms and Museum and a dental surgery. On the corner of Bent and Farquhar Streets stands the old Gibson and Skinner Butchery, built in 1911. Bent Street runs along the western side of Central Park and is home to the Australian Hotel (the Top Pub to the locals), the Wingham District Memorial Services Club, formerly a Returned Services League Social Club and various shops. Shops also dominate the northern side of the park. The Northeast corner was occupied by the Wingham Hotel or Bottom Pub from 1926 until it burned down on 5 July 2010.
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Wikipedia