Narrandera

Narrandera until around 1949 also spelled "Narandera", is a town located in the Riverina region of southern New South Wales, Australia.

Narrandera until around 1949 also spelled "Narandera", is a town located in the Riverina region of southern New South Wales, Australia.The town lies on the junction of the Newell and Sturt highways, adjacent to the Murrumbidgee River, and it is considered the gateway to the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. At the 2016 census, Narrandera had a population of 3,746 people.

Narrandera is a river town with a rich heritage. Captain Charles Sturt is credited with being the first European to observe the area that later was to become known as Narrandera. However Sturt, who passed through the district on 12 December 1829, was not the first explorer to cast eyes on the Murrumbidgee River. The upper Murrumbidgee, the "Big Water", was first noted in April 1821 by Charles Throsby. The name Narrandera is derived from Wiradjuri nharrang, meaning "frill-necked lizard". and the name of the local Narrungderah Clan.

The local indigenous people of the Wiradjuri Nation, as noted were all but destroyed by settlement, disease brought by European settlers, and clashes with the settlers. The last blow was a massacre of the remainder of the Narrungderah Clan by a small group of European settlers near what is now referred to as Massacre, or Murdering Island, and is known to have left only one survivor. The people of the Wiradjuri nation who now reside in Narrandera make up ten percent of the population of the town, and predominantly came from the regions south and west of Narrandera, but were dis-located by colonial expansion.

Narrandera had its first recorded mention as a pastoral station or "run" in 1848, at which time the property held by Mr Edward Flood comprised approximately 31,100 hectares (76,800 acres).

In 1850, surveyor James Larmer reserved a site for what would later become Narrandera. The township developed in the early 1860s. Gillenbah post office opened nearby on 1 March 1859 and was replaced by the Narrandera office in 1861. A Gillenbah office was open from 1881 to 1892 and from 1906 to 1941.The Borough of Narrandera was constituted by proclamation dated 17 March 1885, and gazetted the following day. The centenary of Local Government in Narrandera was celebrated in 1985.

On 3 September 1945, a Royal Australian Air Force Bristol Beaufighter assigned to No. 92 Squadron crashed into the canal at the western end of the town during a joy flight, killing all seven people on board.

A celebratory weekend event to mark Narrandera's sesquicentenary, named Back to Narrandera 1863 to 2013, was held in early October 2013. The Governor of New South Wales, Marie Bashir , who was born in Narrandera, opened the celebrations at a luncheon. During her speech of proclamation she acknowledged the indigenous custodians of the land, and noted that the name Narrandera is a Wiradjuri word for "the place of lizard or goanna."Bashir informed the luncheon guests that 150 years ago 'on this site on the Murrumbidgee River, the beautiful place was officially proclaimed as a town named Narrandera'. Included on the program of events and activities for the celebrations were the Parkside Cottage Museum was open for most of the weekend and displayed many historical artefacts, including archival resources about the P.S. Wagga Wagga; the Murrumbidgee Sheepdog Championships were held; there were Narrandera Cemeteries Heritage Walks; a cocktail party; and a Chinese exhibition. There was also a Railway Memorabilia Display with Vintage Train Rides and the John O'Brien Heritage House was opened to the public; there was a vintage film evening; a classic ball; a Back to the 60's Dance; the Lions Club held a recovery breakfast; and a Ye Olde Town Picnic followed; with other events, including a CWA Devonshire Tea; a farmers' market; and a time capsule was sealed and placed under the Narrandera Clock Tower.The new Rocky Waterholes Bridge was also opened.

Narrandera has a semi-arid climate, with precipitation being just below a humid subtropical climate under the formula used the Köppen climate classification.