| Woolgoolga New South Wales |
|
 Looking down to Woolgoolga from the headland. |
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| Population: | 4,356 (2006 Census) |
| Postcode: | 2456 |
| Coordinates: | 30°07′S 153°12′E / 30.117°S 153.2°ECoordinates: 30°07′S 153°12′E / 30.117°S 153.2°E |
| Time zone:
• Summer (DST) |
AEST (UTC+10) |
| Location: | |
| LGA: | City of Coffs Harbour |
| County: | Fitzroy |
| State District: | Coffs Harbour |
| Federal Division: | Cowper |
Woolgoolga, or 'Woopi' as it is known to locals, is a town on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the Pacific Highway, approximately 550km north of Sydney and 400km south of Brisbane. The closest city to Woolgoolga is Coffs Harbour, which lies 20km to the south. Woolgoolga has two beaches on the Pacific Ocean. The area has long been a centre of banana growing in New South Wales, but this industry has declined in the face of competition from Queensland and overseas. Timbergetting and sawmilling was established in 1883. A Government Jetty was constructed 1892 upon which tramways were laid. These led to saw mills in the town which in turn were connected by light railway to the Jesse Simpson Range forrest areas. The jetty was demolished over a prolonged period from 1952 to 1956.[1]
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Demographics
Woolgoolga had a population of 4,356 persons in 2006, including 159 indigenous persons and 4197 Australian-born persons. The median age of all persons in 47 years. Notably, from the Census data, 421 persons (9.7%) speak Punjabi at home, 423 persons practice Sikhism, and 221 persons (5.1%) were born in India.[2]
History
Permanent European settlement occurred in the 1870s. Prior to this, the area was inhabited by the Gumbaingirr Aboriginal tribe. It is believed that the name of the town derives from the word "Weelgoolga", which was used by the local Aborigines to describe the area, and the lilly-pilly trees that grew there. The name "Woogoolga" was gazetted in 1888, and changed to the current name of Woolgoolga in 1966.[3]
Woolgoolga was an early centre of Sikh migration to Australia. Sikhs had migrated to New South Wales and Queensland prior to the imposition of the prohibition of non-European migration under the White Australia Policy in 1901 and many of them then led a marginalised life on the North Coast of New South Wales and in southeastern Queensland. Some Sikhs began to settle in Woolgoolga during World War II, because war-time labour shortages led to a relaxation of the previous prohibition of non-European labour in the banana industry. After the war they were able to acquire leasehold and freehold banana plantations. Woolgoolga has the largest regional Sikh/Punjabi population in Australia,[4] and they are now said to own 90% of the banana farms.[5][6]
Woolgoolga has two Gurdwaras (temples):[5]
- The Sikh Temple Woolgoolga (the first purpose built Gurdwara in Australia)
- The Guru Nanak Gurdwara ('The Temple on the Hill')
See Also: Gurdwaras in Australia
Food and Wine
There are a number of establishments in Woolgoolga, which provide a wide range of affordable food and drinks.
The Seaview Tavern (Cnr of Clarence and River St), also known as The Foutain on the Mountain, is the only pub. There is usually live music there on friday and saturday nights, as well as having a recently rennovated function room upstairs where more anticipated gigs take place.
Bluebottles (Cnr of Beach St and Lake Rd) is one of the many cafes situated in Woolgoolga. It also serves as a more upmarket establishment for lunch and dinners. Thursday night is jazz night with live jazz music played throughout the evening.
Other Cafes include but are not limited to Bennettoes and The Beach Hut.
There are four asian food eatries in Woolgoolga with two Chinese, one Thai and one Indian Restaurants.
Sporting Clubs
- Woolgoolga White Pointers, a Rugby Union club whose home ground is Centennial Oval.
- Woolgoolga Seahorses (The Mighty Seahorses), a Rugby League club whose home ground is situated at the local high school's fields. They play in Group 2 Rugby League.
- Woolgoolga United Football Club, a Soccer club situated at High St. They have the most players in the Mid North Coast region.
- Woolgoolga Australian Football Club (The Blues), an Australian Rules Football club who team up with the Grafton Tigers to contest the North Coast AFL competition. The junior competition sides have changed their name to Northern Beaches. The Northern Beaches play a Centennial Oval while the Blues play a minority of their games in Woolgoolga, the majority are played at Ellem Oval in Grafton.
- Woolgoolga District Netball Association, a Netball association formed in 2006. It ranges from ages 5+ and has sent states teams to the Sate championships. The clubhouse and courts are located on the corners of Nightingale and Scarborough Sts.
- WASP (Woolgoolga Area Surfing Posse), a local boardriders club that holds annual competitions around the area.
- Woolgoolga Surf Life Saving Club, as the name states, a Surf Lifesaving club that has been around since the 1930s, which patrols Woolgoolga Beach. It caters from ages 5-14 in Nippers, and can take part in carnivals held around the area. Ages 15+ can patrol the main beach, if they have a Surf Rescue Certificate or Bronze Medallion.
- Northern Beaches Hockey Club, a Hockey club that plays in Coffs Harbour near the BCU International Stadium.
Notable residents
- Well regarded Australian actor, Jack Thompson. Thompson has played a vital role in the organisation and running of community events both in Woolgoolga and surrounding regions.[1]
Education
There are three schools present in the town itself:
- Woolgoolga High School (opened 1981) is a public high school for Year 7 through to
Year 12. Website - Woolgoolga Primary School (opened 1884) is a public school catering for kindergarten through to Year 6.
- St Francis Xavier Primary School (opened 1994) is a Catholic primary school for kindergarten to Year 6.
Tourism
Woolgoolga's coastal location and temperate climate make it a popular tourist destination, especially in summer. The town is bisected by the Pacific Highway, and many travelers stop off there on their way through. It is serviced by both the north and south Greyhound bus route.
The Sydney 2000 Olympics torch relay passed through Woolgoolga, as did the 2006 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay.
Curryfest
The annual Woolgoolga "Curryfest" was inaugurated in 2006 (with the help of local celebrity Jack Thompson), to celebrate the local Sikh community. It has proved very popular for locals and visitors alike, with an attendance of 8,000 people at the 2007 event.[4] Attendance has continued to be strong with reports of 10,000 people attending in 2008, and crowd estimates ranging between 10,000 and 12,000 people during 2009 (The Coffs Coast Advocate, 15th of April 2009)
The festival was originally run and organised by the Woolgoolga Chamber of Commerce. This occurred in the initial two years of 2007 and 2008, however the festivial became incorporated into its own identity for 2009. The event still uses the name and backing of the Chamber of Commerce but now partially pays for the event itself, including through the introduction of a two dollar entry fee in 2009 (Star FM 105.5 interview 09/04/2009).
References
- ^ Longworth, Jim. "The Jetty and Sawmill Tramways of Woolgoolga", Australian Railway History, February 2007, pp.58-76
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Woolgoolga (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=UCL185800&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
- ^ Hayes, Matt. "Woolgoolga-Local History". http://www.nnsw.com.au/woolgoolga/history.html. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
- ^ a b "Woolgoolga Curryfest-Sikh Indians-Celebrate the Cultural Diversity". http://www.curryfest.com.au. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
- ^ a b More, Dr A; Singh, Mon. "Sikh Community at Woolgoolga". http://www.sikh.com.au/inaus/wool.html. Retrieved 2006-11-20.
- ^ Kohn, Rachael. "The Sikhs in Australia". The Ark. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ark/stories/2004/1193299.htm#. Retrieved 2006-11-20.
- ^ Vuillermin, David (ed.) (2007, 2008). Who's Who in Australia 2008. North Melbourne: Crown Content. p. 1766. ISBN 1740951603.
External links
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