Narromine

Narromine (/næroʊmaɪn/) is a rural Australian town located approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Dubbo in the Orana region of New South Wales.

[1]  Narromine holds strong historical ties to the Australian Military, as it was the location of RAAF No.19 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD) during World War II.

[4] The town and its district was formed on traditional Wiradjuri country, one of the largest Indigenous populations in central New South Wales.

[8] The town's rural history has organically bought tourism to the area, with the Narromine Aviation Museum, Aero Club and Mungery Picnic Races being highlight attractions.

[15] The village of Narramine was proclaimed in July 1883, and numerous buildings followed, including the police station built in 1890, the store (1890) and the Royal Hotel (1890).

[18][19] Early history reports that British explorer and surveyor of Australia John Oxley, was the first man to pass by the site of the town of Narromine in June 1818.

[20] From a study of the map showing his route, Oxley set out with boats and horses to trace the course of the Macquarie River, that ran directly through the Narromine district during the early 1800s.

However, in Narromine during 1844, squatters began to take possession of extensive areas of Crown land that lead to a list of licence holders of property (known as the Government Gazette of 1848).

The town of Narromine is featured in the famous work of Banjo Patterson, The City of Dreadful Thirst published originally in 1889.

[21] During World War II, Narromine was the location of RAAF No.19 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD), completed in 1942 and closed on 14 June 1944.

The outbreak of war in Europe, 1939, saw the RAAF headquarters in Melbourne, Australia launch a plan to provide basic training to 28,000 aircrew over a three-year agreement.

[4] Wiradjuri country is one of the largest Indigenous populations in central New South Wales and are traditional owners of the land in the Narromine district.

The main four neighbouring towns include: Due to its proximity to the Macquarie River, the Narromine township has parts which are flood liable.

Like many towns of the Central West region of New South Wales, traditionally the area is known to have adopted hybrid farming systems to integrate both cropping and livestock.

Narromine is one of the main growing regions for cotton in the Central West district of New South Wales, Australia, with irrigation agricultural activities remaining a major contributor to the area's economy.

The Burrendong Dam was built between 1946 and 1967, which facilitated irrigation schemes that have greatly aided local agriculture in the town and its surrounding districts.

Agriculture, including sheep, cattle, wool, cereal and cotton production, has long been a central feature of the local economy.

[35] The introduction of a small airline was celebrated at the time, with records showing the first fifty passengers published in newspapers weeks later to gain traction on the occasion.

[35] It has developed to international standards of flying, with planes transporting rural citizens daily to main Australian cities and towns.

The plans to build the Narromine Aviation Museum begun in the early 1990s, with a committee forming and a National Tourism Development Program grant secured.

It exhibits long standing and related artefacts, photographs, documents and records to the history of the towns influence in World War II.

The town of Narromine has produced several success stories, most recently sports personalities Glenn McGrath (Australian cricket team: Fast bowler) and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor (Sprinter: Commonwealth Games medallist), Disney animator Adam Phillips and North Queensland Cowboys rugby league player Justin Smith.

Prior to this recent success the first grade side won the 2009 Blowes Cup defeating the Bathurst Bulldogs in the grand final, and also registered three straight minor premierships from 2009 to 2011.

Entrance to Narromine Shire via the Mitchell Highway
Flying Officer M. A. Hough RAAF of Narromine, NSW, on the wing about to climb into one of No. 5 (Tactical Reconnaissance) Squadron 's CAC Wirraway aircraft.
Poster celebrating the RAAF Centenary in 2021
Barking Owl, found in Central Australia.
Small sized Murray Cod
“Weemabah Station cotton stem from the Narromine harvest of 2022”
A statue of Glenn McGrath in Tom Terry Park, Narromine. Erected in 2009.