Wingham (and Tinonee)
Attractive township on the upper reaches of the Manning River
Located 331 km north-east of Sydney and 13 km north-west of Taree, Wingham is a charming and peaceful 'old world' country town which has remained largely unchanged by the tourism which has affected the townships of the nearby coastline. In fact Wingham is the oldest town in the Manning Valley. It is situated 20 m above sea-level on the Manning River and currently boasts a citizenry of some 4600. The riverside location makes Wingham a popular venue for boating, canoeing, swimming, fishing and waterskiing.
Timbergetting has long been the mainstay of the local economy but it is now on the decline. Dairying and beef cattle are presently the area's major industries. Within the town, which functions as the district's commercial centre, are a horseshoe factory, a hydraulic engineering works, a sawmill and an abattoir.
Prior to European occupation the area was occupied by the Kattang Aborigines. The first European settlement in the area was the Bungay estate, established by George Rowley upstream of the present townsite. Cedar-getters moved into the Manning Valley in the late 1820s and a wharf for timber collection was established at the head of navigation for the Manning River. Wingham was laid out on this spot by the government in 1843 and proclaimed the following year. It was named after a village in Kent, England. The first land sale didn't occur until 1854 and the village's development was generally very slow. Nonetheless, until it was surpassed by Taree, Wingham was the main centre of the Manning Valley.
A post office and police hut were opened at Bungay in 1853 but were moved to Wingham in 1856 and a school was established in 1864. Selectors began to move into the area after the 1861 Robertson Land Act, establishing agriculture and dairying. By 1866 the village was said to have about 90 inhabitants.
River transportation intensified with the need to ship the new forms of local produce and, in the 1880s, the town really began to expand. Between 1880 and 1889 the first bank opened its doors, the two present hotels were built, a post office was established and businesses such as a butcher's and general store were opened. Wingham was declared a town in 1885 and it became a municipality in 1889.
In October 1900, Aboriginal outlaw Jimmy Governor was captured by a group of farmers or bush workers north of Wingham. Earlier that year he and his brother Joe had brutally murdered Sarah Mawbey, three of her daughters and schoolteacher Helena Kurz with clubs and a tomahawk at Breelong near Gilgandra.
They then went on a three-month, 3200-km rampage, during which they murdered five more people, committed seven armed hold-ups and robbed 33 homes. A massive manhunt involving hundreds of policemen and trackers and 2000 volunteers initially failed to capture the men who ridiculed their pursuers by advertising their whereabouts and sending satiric letters to the police.
In October a 1000-pound reward was offered and later in the month they were outlawed, meaning they could be shot on sight by anybody. Jimmy Governor was shot in the mouth to the north of Wingham by a friend of Helena Kurz and was then separated from his brother. Unable to eat due to his injury he was caught when weakened by near-starvation at Bobin Creek. Jimmy and Joe were hung in January of the following year.
Distinguished poet Les Murray is a native of the district and has touched on Wingham in such poems as 'Flying Fox Dreaming' and 'The Bulahdelah-Taree Holiday Song Cycle'.
The Wingham Show and Rodeo is held in March, Manning Valley Beef Week in April or May, the Akoostic Festival in October and a street carnival in December.
Things to see:
Central Park
The town's great appeal lies in Central Park and the interesting and attractive buildings which surround it. Within the park itself, which is really a combination of a huge playing field and a village green, is a 31-ton, 400-year-old brush box log (known laconically as 'The Log') which is a fitting symbol of the timber industry upon which the town's economy was based for such a long time. Also in the park is a Vampire Jet which was installed in 1971 to commemorate the fiftieth birthday of the RAAF and a plaque declaring that this was a vital site leading to the formation of the code of rugby league.
Heritage Walk Pt I
At the south-eastern corner of the park, on Farquhar St, are the courthouse (1938), which now houses the community centre, and the police station (1900s). Adjacent these buildings, and opposite 'The Log', is the Catholic Church (1953).
Heritage Walk Pt II: Museum
At the corner of Farquhar and Bent Sts is the Manning Valley Historical Society Museum, located in a building that started out as a general store in the 1880s. It is open from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. daily and retains items relating to the area's early farming, commercial and timber days, tel: (02) 6553 5823.
Heritage Walk Pt III
Just along Bent St, to the left, is the Anglican Church (1902 with 1970s additions).
Return along Bent St. On the south-western corner of Bent and Farquhar Sts, opposite the museum, is a wonderful old butcher's shop which dates back to 1911 and which stands in splendid isolation on a narrow street corner.
On the other side of Farquhar St is the Australian Hotel (1889) or 'Top Pub' as it is known locally.
Walk north along Bent St and turn right into Isabella St. On the left-hand side is the National Bank which, when built in 1880 as the Commercial Bank, was Wingham's first such institution.
Continue east along Isabella St. To the right is the 'Brush School' which was established in 1864, serving as both primary and secondary school.
Return along Isabella St and turn left into Wynter St. To the left is the School of Arts building (1907), which now houses the library and council offices, and adjacent is the post office (1884).
Wingham Brush and Wharf
250 m east of Central Park, along Farquhar St, is the start of the famous and quite remarkable Wingham Brush (7 hectares) which is one of the last surviving pockets of subtropical flood-plain rainforest in NSW. In the last couple of years excellent new boardwalks have allowed easy access. This dense riverside reserve is home to thousands of flying foxes which migrate here annually from September to May when the 'Brush' is replete with ferns, orchids, giant Moreton Bay fig trees, bougainvillea, other subtropical plants and 100 species of birds, including a number of brush turkeys. An Aboriginal corroboree ground was located within the reserve and the remains of two cedar sawpits can still be seen in the northern section of the Brush. There are picnic and boat-launching facilities, a designated walkway and a specified swimming area.
On the riverside is the wharf which was first used by timber-carrying vessels in the 1830s. By the end of the century, agricultural and dairying produce were picked up at the wharf. It is now used by waterskiers and is a popular picnic area.
Forest Drive
To the north of town are scenic state forest areas which are best explored by close reference to state forest maps which are available from the Taree office of the State Forestry Commission, tel: (02) 6551 0074. The major forest roads are unsealed but are usually navigable in a 2WD. However, side roads may be accessible by 4WD only. In wet weather check with the Forestry Office before departing.
Ellenborough Falls
Ellenborough Falls is located on the Bulga Plateau. Proceed north-west out of town along Murray Rd. After 6 km there is an intersection. Keep to the right, following Elands Rd northwards for about 30 km (half of it unsealed). En route is Marlee where St Mark's Anglican Church (1874), built of pit-sawn timber, is still standing.
Once you get to Elands, continue north along Glenwarrin Rd for 3 km and you will come to a turnoff on the right to the falls which drop160 m, making them one of the longest single-drop falls in the Southern Hemisphere. There are barbecue facilities and toilets, a lookout near the top of the falls and a good footpath which leads a few hundred metres to a full view of the drop. If you continue along the less well defined track it leads to an even better vantage point.
Tirrill Creek and Maxwells Flat
If you return to, and continue northwards along, Glenwarrin Rd which leads into Blue Knob Rd. A large sign marks the entrance to Bulga State Forest. After 8 km Blue Knob Rd intersects with Knodingbul Rd. A right turn into the latter leads by two side roads: Blue Mountain Creek Rd heads off to the left to Tirrill Creek Flora Reserve where short walking trails commence from the picnic area, and Causeway Rd heads off to the right to Maxwells Flat where an area has been set aside for camping.
Blue Knob Lookout
If you are disinclined to explore either of the places mentioned above, turn left off Blue Knob Rd into Knodingbul Rd. You will soon come to a turnoff on the right which leads to Blue Knob Lookout. At 1014 metres, it offers panoramic views which occasionally embrace Taree to the south-east. There is a picnic site.
Rowleys Reserve and Lookout
As you continue south along Knodingbul Rd you will pass through tallowwood and blue gum forest. Rowleys Forest Rd heads off to the left through Rowleys Rock Flora Reserve (consisting of rainforest and sclerophyll forest). You will soon come to Lookout Rd on the right (4WD only). If you lack a 4WD it is a one kilometre walk to the summit which is 1018 metres above sea-level.
Dingo Tops Forest Park
Return to Knodingbul Rd and continue south to Dingo Tops Forest Park which boasts a picnic site and two walking trails which lead through rainforest and virgin hardwood.
Trestle Bridge and Wingham
From this point you can head south-east along Dingo Tops Rd to Wherrol Flat and on to Wingham, which is the shortest route (42 km), or you can continue south along Knodingbul Rd, returning to Wingham via Mount George (60 km). If you take the latter route watch for the signposts 29 km from Dingo Tops Forest Park which indicate a short walk to a 25-metre trestle bridge built in the 1920s as part of the logging industry.
Tinonee
10 km south along the Wingham-Tinonee Rd is the small village of Tinonee which was proclaimed in 1854. The John Knox Free Presbyterian Church (1880), where services were held in Gaelic until the turn of the century, is still standing on a hilltop.
Tinonee Craft and Flowers, Tearoom and Lollyshop is located at 6 Manchester St. It is open Monday to Saturday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and every day in school holidays, tel: (02) 6553 1352.
Moondrook Arts and Crafts has been a finalist in the Excellence for Tourism Awards. There is a garden cafe and healing centre, tel: (02) 6553 1379. It is located at 699 Tinonee Rd, Moondrook, just north of Tinonee.
At Wenly Alpacas visitors can feed and pat the llamas and peruse the spuvenir and craft shop, llama and alpaca garments, fleece and knotting yarn. It is open Thursday to Saturday and Tuesdays from 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. or by appointment and is located at Hilville Rd, Tininee, tel: (02) 6553 1353.
Burrell Creek Pottery
West of Tinonee, along Bucketts Way, is Burrell Creek. At 257 Kimbriki Rd, which heads north-west off Bucketts Way, is Burrell Creek Pottery which makes and sells a range of kitchen and table ware. They specialise in the manufacture of antique-style wine bottles and bar accessories, kegs, beer steins etc. They are open from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily, tel: (02) 6550 6297.
Motels
Wingham Country Lodge Motel
Country Club Dve
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 0300
Facsimile: (02) 6553 0075
Wingham Motel
13 Bent St
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 4295
Rating: ***
Hotels
Australian Hotel
24 Bent St
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 4511
Wingham Hotel
33 Isabella St
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 4007
Farm & Eco Holidays
Tirrintippin Farm Cottage
Walcha Rd (Bulga Plateau via Elands)
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6550 4533
Rating: ***
Restaurants
Arjays Coffe Lounge & Restaurant
Wingham Plaza Cnr Primrose & Isabella Sts
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 5889
Australian Hotel Restaurant
24 Bent St
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 4511
Lotus Palace Chinese Restaurant
Wingham Plaza Cnr Primrose & Isabella Sts
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6557 0168
Torino's Pizza & Coffee Shop
51 Isabella St
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 5660
Wingham Services Club Restaurant
28 Bent St
Wingham NSW 2429
Telephone: (02) 6553 4948
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