Menindee, New South Wales
| Menindee New South Wales | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ah Chung's Bakehouse Gallery | |||||||
  Menindee | |||||||
| Coordinates | 32°24′0″S 142°26′0″E / 32.40000°S 142.43333°ECoordinates: 32°24′0″S 142°26′0″E / 32.40000°S 142.43333°E | ||||||
| Population | 449 (2011 census)[1] | ||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2879 | ||||||
| Elevation | 61.0 m (200 ft) | ||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Central Darling Shire | ||||||
| State electorate(s) | Barwon | ||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Farrer | ||||||
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Menindee, frequently but erroneously spelled "Menindie",[2] is a small town in the far west of New South Wales, Australia, in Central Darling Shire, on the banks of the Darling River, with a sign-posted population of 980 and a 2011 census population of 449.[1]
History
It is the oldest European settlement in western New South Wales, and the first town to be established on the Darling River. The first European to visit the area was the surveyor and explorer Major Thomas Mitchell in 1835. He was followed by Charles Sturt in 1844 and the town was the advance base for the Burke and Wills expedition in 1860.
Burke and Wills
The Burke and Wills expedition camped at Menindee on their journey to cross Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. They arrived here on 14 October 1860, crossed the Darling River at Kinchega Station and made Camp XXXIV (their thirty-fourth camp since leaving Melbourne). There was dissent within the party and the deputy-leader George Landells resigned. Robert O'Hara Burke split the party, heading north to Cooper Creek with half the men, stores and animals. The remaining men, stores and animals made a depot camp at Pamamaroo Creek and a sign and cairn mark the site of the camp. This camp was used for the remainder of 1860 and for most of 1861. While in Menindee, Burke stayed at the Maiden's Hotel, which was then owned by Thomas Pain and was known as Pain's Hotel.
Geography
Menindee is located where the transcontinental railway line crosses the Darling River. Menindee railway station is serviced by the NSW TrainLink Outback Xplorer passenger train from Sydney to Broken Hill on Monday, returning from Broken Hill to Sydney on Tuesday.[3] The GSR Indian Pacific also stops once-weekly [twice-weekly in September and October] in each direction on request. [4] The railway line is about 900 km west of Sydney and about 110 kilometres south-east of Broken Hill.
A weir on the Darling River near Menindee diverts water from the river into a series of shallow, otherwise dry, overflow lakes. The Menindee Lakes, also known as the Menindee Water Storage Scheme, regulate the river flow for irrigation downstream into South Australia. Situated on the western edge of town is the Kinchega National Park.
Climate
Menindee has a desert climate with an annual average rainfall of just 245.8 mm (9.6 in), however rainfall varies significantly from year to year, with the town often going without rainfall for months on end, but occasional severe rainstorms can cause falls of over 100 mm in a day, the last time this happened being January 2011. Menindee is tied with Bourke in recording the hottest temperature in New South Wales, with a temperature of 49.7 °C (121.5 °F) recorded on 10 January 1939.
| Climate data for Menindee (1876-2012) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 49.7 (121.5) |
47.2 (117) |
43.4 (110.1) |
41.7 (107.1) |
33.3 (91.9) |
28.9 (84) |
28.9 (84) |
32.3 (90.1) |
39.5 (103.1) |
42.8 (109) |
45.4 (113.7) |
48.9 (120) |
49.7 (121.5) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 34.4 (93.9) |
33.8 (92.8) |
30.7 (87.3) |
25.6 (78.1) |
20.7 (69.3) |
17.3 (63.1) |
17.0 (62.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
26.5 (79.7) |
30.0 (86) |
32.8 (91) |
25.9 (78.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 18.5 (65.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
15.2 (59.4) |
10.9 (51.6) |
7.5 (45.5) |
5.0 (41) |
4.1 (39.4) |
5.3 (41.5) |
8.0 (46.4) |
11.3 (52.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
16.8 (62.2) |
11.3 (52.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
3.9 (39) |
2.0 (35.6) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
−2.8 (27) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
0.2 (32.4) |
1.0 (33.8) |
1.7 (35.1) |
6.0 (42.8) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 24.0 (0.945) |
21.7 (0.854) |
18.8 (0.74) |
16.8 (0.661) |
22.7 (0.894) |
21.4 (0.843) |
18.3 (0.72) |
17.9 (0.705) |
18.4 (0.724) |
22.8 (0.898) |
21.2 (0.835) |
21.8 (0.858) |
245.8 (9.677) |
| Average precipitation days | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 43.1 |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology[5] | |||||||||||||
References
- 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Menindee (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ↑ "MENINDEE, NOT MENINDIE". The Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia). 12 December 1934. p. 4 Edition: HOME EDITION. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ↑ "Western timetable" (PDF). NSW Trainlink. 20 October 2013 [Updated 15 June 2013].
- ↑ "Indian Pacific timetable". Great Southern Rail. 2 August 2015.
- ↑ "MENINDEE POST OFFICE". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. March 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Menindee, New South Wales. |
- Burke & Wills Web A comprehensive website containing many of the historical documents relating to the Burke & Wills Expedition.
- The Burke & Wills Historical Society The Burke & Wills Historical Society.
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