Wilcannia is a small town located within the
Central Darling Shire in north western
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
, Australia. Located on the
Darling River
The Darling River (or River Darling; Paakantyi: ''Baaka'' or ''Barka''), is the third-longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth. Including its long ...
, the town was the third largest
inland port
An inland port is a port on an inland waterway, such as a river, lake, or canal, which may or may not be connected to the sea. The term "inland port" is also used to refer to a dry port.
Examples
The United States Army Corps of Engineers publ ...
in the country during the
river boat era of the mid-19th century.
At the , Wilcannia had a population of 735.
History
The area lies in the traditional lands of the
Barkindji
The Paakantyi, or Barkindji or Barkandji, are an Australian Aboriginal tribal group of the Darling River (known to them as the Baaka) basin in Far West New South Wales, Australia.
Name
The ethnonym Paakantyi means "River people", formed from ...
people, who call the river "Baaka".
The name Wilcannia is said to be derived from an
indigenous
Indigenous may refer to:
*Indigenous peoples
*Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often populari ...
term for either "gap in the bank where floodwaters escape" or "wild dog". Neither meaning has been linguistically verified.
In 1835, explorer Major
Thomas Mitchell was the first European to reach the region, when he traced the Darling River to what is now
Menindee
Menindee (derived from Minandichi, the original Indigenous name for Lake Menindee, and frequently but erroneously spelled "Menindie") is a small town in the far west of New South Wales, Australia, in Central Darling Shire, on the banks of the Da ...
.
In late January 1859, Captain
Francis Cadell, in charge of the river boat ''Albury'', entered the Darling River at its junction with the Murray and, after eight days travel, reached the Mount Murchison
pastoral station, held by Hugh and Bushby Jamieson. Flour and other stores were delivered to the station and one hundred bales of wool were loaded for the return journey. Cadell's pioneering journey was the beginning of river boat transport on the Darling River (when river conditions allowed). The site of the future township developed as the location for the unloading and loading of river-borne cargo. The settlement was initially known as Mount Murchison, taking its name from the nearby pastoral run. As economic activity increased, the location attracted business and trades providing services and amenities to the surrounding stations.
In June 1866, the New South Wales Department of Lands formally declared "portions of
Crown Lands
Crown land, also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. Today, in Commonwealth realm ...
" to be set apart as a site for the town of Wilcannia. Despite the official proclamation, the older name for the settlement persisted. In March 1867, a correspondent from the town wrote that: "the township of Mount Murchison is fast springing into importance, owing to the splendid country surrounding it, and which is fast being taken up for pastoral pursuits. We have public houses, stores, butchers' shops, boarding houses, a cordial manufactory in full operation, and a colonial ale brewery in course of erection".
The Post Office had opened as Mount Murchison on 1 January 1860. It was moved 5 km to the town and changed name to Wilcannia on 1 June 1868. There was, however, no telegraph office - "the want of which is sorely felt by the business people of the town, and in fact the whole district". The Telegraph line reached Wilcannia on 2 February 1878 and was combined with the Post Office on 16 March 1878 in a temporary location. The "handsome building" shown here was constructed from freestone in 1880 and was occupied on 27 June.
In 1871, the population of Wilcannia was 264, consisting of 176 males and 88 females.
In January 1874, the township's first newspaper, the ''Wilcannia Times'', began publication.
An account of Wilcannia in December 1874 described the buildings in the town as "on the whole being of a very poor description, principally small weatherboard places, many of them looking rather dilapidated". Three stores were operating in the township, as well as three public houses: the Mount Murchison Hotel, Wilcannia Hotel and Britannia Hotel. There were signs of increased commercial activity in the township: two banks, the Australian Joint Stock Bank and the Commercial Bank, had recently opened branches, and four stock and station agents had started businesses "within the last three months". Wilcannia had a public school, but no churches. There were two doctors, "but as it is a very rare thing to find them otherwise than drunk, they are worse than useless".
Early on Wilcannia had a significant Chinese community. "The Chinamen here are doing a very thriving trade, and they are extending themselves gradually, but very surely. They are taking root very firmly, especíally in the baking and refreshment line, and they seem to be patronised by everybody here. We have a China doctor, who is a "perfect cure," so people say that know all about it. Nearly all the cooks at the hotels are restaurants are Chinese; all the gardeners are Chinese to a man. We have another institution added to us in the shape of a Chinese laundry. He, the laundry man, performs his work very well, and gets paid very handsomely for it.” This same report claimed the population of Wilcania at the time to be around 1,000 people with 70 of these being Chinese.
In December 1880, a second local newspaper, the ''
Western Grazier
The ''Western Grazier'' was a newspaper published from 1880 until 1951, covering the central Darling River region of New South Wales. It was published in Wilcannia until 1940, when it moved to Broken Hill.
Newspaper history
Wilcannia's fir ...
'', began publication in Wilcannia. By early 1881 patients were being treated in the newly built local hospital. At the census of 1881 the population of Wilcannia was recorded as 1,424 (976 males and 448 females).
Wilcannia was incorporated as a municipality in February 1883, with Edmond O'Donnell elected its first mayor. The first major project of the municipality was the construction of water supply system for the township. A July 1884 report stated that Wilcannia had a population "of about 1200", and was described as a township "of well-laid-out streets and good buildings", situated "in the centre of a large sheep country". In addition to the well-constructed Post and Telegraph Office, several of the stores ("notably Frew, Wright, and Co., J. Palmer and Co., and Cramsie, Bowden, and Co.") were described as "not only extensive but of considerable architectural beauty". It was explained that a quarry of freestone "of excellent quality", within of the township "has been largely used for building purposes". The only local industry of note was a brewery.
Wilcannia was the location of a
customs
Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...
station on the Darling River. It was described as a "large and important centre of trade, where in 1881 £13,100 was collected as Customs revenue". The river trade during the 1880s was so extensive at Wilcannia that its Customs House was "probably the largest inland Customs Station in New South Wales".
When river conditions permitted travel by steamers Wilcannia was a major port on the Darling River. A visitor to the town described the river scene in 1890:
::There are several wharves (so-called) which were merely graduated slopes cut out of the river bank, and in the wool season the river, in their vicinity, is thronged with steamers and barges, waiting for or unloading the season's clip, for the bulk of it goes away either to
Bourke, for
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, or to
Wentworth, or
Goolwa. A barge, laden with from 1,200 to 2,000 bales of wool is a pretty sight; and a still more interesting spectacle is a string of 30 or 40 camels, each carrying two bales, proceeding into town from some far back
station
Station may refer to:
Agriculture
* Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production
* Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle
** Cattle statio ...
.
At the time of the 1891 census the municipality of Wilcannia had a non-Aboriginal population of 1,287 (775 males and 512 females).
In 1907, the number of Aboriginal people living at Wilcannia was 18.
Vehicles and stock were crossed over the Darling River at Wilcannia by a punt operated by Charles Smith until the mid-1890s. In 1895 a bridge was constructed at Wilcannia and opened to traffic in January 1896. The bridge consisted of five spans, a total length of 310 feet (94.5 metres) with a centre lift span "to permit of steamers passing when the river is high".
In January 1917 it was reported that the Wilcannia Hospital was "without a doctor". The hospital was "full of patients, some diphtheria cases among them, and the Matron is having a very hard and anxious time".
In December 1939 Wilcannia was described as "merely a shopping centre for the wide district, although people travelling into Queensland and lonely sections of New South Wales often rest there".
Geography
Wilcannia is located where the
Barrier Highway
Barrier Highway is a highway in South Australia and New South Wales, and is designated part of route A32. The name of the highway is derived from the Barrier Ranges, an area of moderately high ground in the far west of New South Wales, through ...
crosses the
Darling River
The Darling River (or River Darling; Paakantyi: ''Baaka'' or ''Barka''), is the third-longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth. Including its long ...
, from
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
. The environment is borderline
semi-arid
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a aridity, dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below Evapotranspiration#Potential evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration, but not as l ...
to
desert
A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
with an annual rainfall of . Wilcannia is located within the
Darling Riverine Plains
The Darling Riverine Plains is an interim Australian bioregion located in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. It has an area of . South Eastern Queensland bioregion is part of the Southeast Australia temperate savanna ecoregion.
...
Bioregion (IBRA classification, Department of Environment), consisting of landscapes adapted to flooding. Common species include
river red gum
''Eucalyptus camaldulensis'', commonly known as river red gum, is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to Australia. It is a tree with smooth white or cream-coloured bark, lance-shaped or curved adult leaves, flower buds in ...
,
yellow box,
oldman saltbush, and
lignum Lignum is Latin for wood and may refer to:
* ''Gmelina lignum-vitreum'', plant endemic to New Caledonia
* Lignum, common name of ''Muehlenbeckia florulenta'', plant native to inland Australia
* Lignum Crucis, remnants of the True Cross
* Lignum Ltd ...
.
The surrounding area is very sparsely settled by pastoralists who have large land holdings, used primarily to run
sheep
Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...
. These holdings fall in the
Western Division and the majority are held as 99-year
leases
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the Lessor (leasing), ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are l ...
.
Climate
Wilcannia has a
hot desert climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(''BWh'') under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, featuring long, very hot and dry summers and short, cool to mild winters. The annual average rainfall is which would make it a
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...
except that its high
evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration (ET) refers to the combined processes which move water from the Earth's surface (open water and ice surfaces, bare soil and vegetation) into the Atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere. It covers both water evaporation (movement of w ...
, or its barrenness, makes it a
desert
A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
climate.
Mean maximum daily temperature in summer is 35 °C and in winter is 18 °C. The highest temperature recorded in Wilcannia was on 11 January 1939.
This was during a severe statewide heatwave from which many towns still retain their highest temperature readings.
Significant weather
On 9 November 1950, a severe thunderstorm with damaging winds and large hail the size of cricket balls struck the town. Two people were injured, dozens of homes lost their roofs and nearly every house in town was damaged due to the large hail.
Facilities
Wilcannia Central School includes a
pre-school
A preschool (sometimes spelled as pre school or pre-school), also known as nursery school, pre-primary school, play school, is an educational establishment or learning space
Learning space or learning setting refers to a physical s ...
and caters for students up to Year 12 (with the last two years through
distance education
Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance; today, it usually involves online ...
). At the
2020 ARIA Music Awards
The 2020 ARIA Music Awards are the 34th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2020 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hal ...
, Wilcannia Central School's Sarah Donnelley won
Music Teacher of the Year.
Construction work began on the Baaka Cultural Centre in August 2023, on the main road through Wilcannia. Its shape resembles the foot of an
emu
The emu (; ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is a species of flightless bird endemism, endemic to Australia, where it is the Tallest extant birds, tallest native bird. It is the only extant taxon, extant member of the genus ''Dromaius'' and the ...
, and it will function as a tourist centre as well as a gallery for local art and artefacts. Local people are being employed, as well as specialists in
stonemason
Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with mortar and even the ancient lime mortar ...
ry and
rammed earth
Rammed earth is a technique for construction, constructing foundations, floors, and walls using compacted natural raw materials such as soil, earth, chalk, Lime (material), lime, or gravel. It is an ancient method that has been revived recently ...
construction from
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
and the NSW south coast.
''Baaka'' is the
Paakantyi
The Paakantyi, or Barkindji or Barkandji, are an Australian Aboriginal tribal group of the Darling River (known to them as the Baaka) basin in Far West New South Wales, Australia.
Name
The ethnonym Paakantyi means "River people", formed from ...
word for the
Darling River
The Darling River (or River Darling; Paakantyi: ''Baaka'' or ''Barka''), is the third-longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth. Including its long ...
.
The only local radio station is community radio station
Wilcannia River Radio, broadcasting on 103.1 MHz, which has provided factual information and aired discussions about matters such as
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
,
climate change
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
, and other matters. Other radio stations include
Outback Radio 2WEB
Outback Radio 2WEB is a community radio station broadcasting from Bourke, situated in far western New South Wales. Its broadcast area serves the communities of Bourke, Cobar, Nyngan, Coonamble, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Wilcannia and many ...
on 99.9 MHz,
ABC Radio National
ABC Radio National, more commonly known as Radio National or simply RN, is an Australian nationwide public service radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). From 1947 until 1985, the network was known as ABC Radio 2. ...
, and
ABC Western Plains.
Transport
Public transport
Wilcannia is served by
NSW TrainLink
NSW TrainLink is a regional train and coach operator in Australia, providing services throughout New South Wales and into Australian Capital Territory, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria (state), Victoria, Queensland and South Australia ...
coaches between
Dubbo railway station
Dubbo railway station is a heritage-listed railway station and bus interchange located on the Main Western line in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. The station serves the city of Dubbo and was opened on 1 February 1881. The station is also ...
and
Broken Hill
Broken Hill is a city in the Far West (New South Wales), far west region of outback New South Wales, Australia. An inland mining city, it is near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Hi ...
, which stop in town and at the Emmdale Roadhouse down the Barrier Highway. Bus route 595 also connects the town to Broken Hill.
Airport
Wilcannia Airport (
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is an airline trade association founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff conferences tha ...
: WIO,
ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international sch ...
: YWCA) is 9 kilometers (6 miles) from the centre of Wilcannia. The airport has an asphalt runway of 3,051 feet and a clay runway of 3,701 feet. It is located at the coordinates 31°31′10″S 143°22′50″E.
Demographics and disadvantage

From the
2021 Census, Wilcannia had a population of 539 with 333 (61.8%) people being of
Aboriginal or
Torres Strait Islander
Torres Strait Islanders ( ) are the Indigenous Melanesians, Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal peoples of the res ...
descent, mostly from the
Barkindji
The Paakantyi, or Barkindji or Barkandji, are an Australian Aboriginal tribal group of the Darling River (known to them as the Baaka) basin in Far West New South Wales, Australia.
Name
The ethnonym Paakantyi means "River people", formed from ...
nation. Wilcannia has 273 private dwellings. The town was listed as one of the most socially disadvantaged areas of New South Wales according to the 2015 ''Dropping Off The Edge'' report.
Predominantly populated by
Aboriginal Australians
Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands.
Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...
, Wilcannia has received national and international attention for government deprivation of its community's needs, and the low life expectancy of its residents. For Indigenous men, that figure is 37 years of age.
Residents have reported that
water quality
Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...
in Wilcannia is unsafe, leading locals to rely on boxed water transported from Broken Hill, nearly away. In 2021 the town was one of the worst hit by the
COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales
The COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales, Australia was part of the worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first confirmed case in New South Wales was identified ...
, and the government's refusal to ban tourists from the area to preserve the health of its struggling residents was criticised. In September 2021, the
New Matilda website published an investigation into allegations of discrimination against Wilcannia residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing leaked documents from
Central Darling Shire Council.
In the media
The town's social issues were highlighted in the first episode of a two-part BBC3 documentary made by
Reggie Yates
Reginald Yates (born 31 May 1983) is a British television presenter, actor, writer and director with a career spanning three decades on screen as an actor, television presenter and radio DJ. Yates played Leo Jones in ''Doctor Who'' and has wo ...
, ''Reggie Yates: Hidden Australia'', entitled "Episode 1: Black in the Outback", which was first broadcast online on 16 January 2017. In March 2017 the BBC, in response to complaints about the biased and misleading view portrayed, investigated the claims and suspended the production company pending the outcome of the review. The BBC apologised for allowing the programme to go to air.
In July 2017,
ABC Radio National
ABC Radio National, more commonly known as Radio National or simply RN, is an Australian nationwide public service radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). From 1947 until 1985, the network was known as ABC Radio 2. ...
highlighted Wilcannia's positive social aspects in a 6-part series called ''Positively Wilcannia'', produced by the podcast ''
The Real Thing''.
During the
COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia was a part of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first confirmed case in Aust ...
, multiple media outlets highlighted how poor living conditions and overcrowding in houses in Wilcannia resulted in the town having Australia's highest per-capita case rate, with one-sixth of residents testing positive to the virus; about 90% of them were Aboriginal. A parliamentary inquiry into New South Wales' handling of the pandemic was told that community leaders warned authorities a year earlier about how Wilcannia's overcrowding situation could lead to a crisis if the virus entered the town.
Notable people
*
Annie Moysey, known as Wilcannia's Grandmother
*
The Wilcannia Mob, a
hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
musical group of five Indigenous Australians
* Owen Whyman, initiator of political party
Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia
Gallery
Image:Wilcannia1.JPG, from the bed of the Darling River
The Darling River (or River Darling; Paakantyi: ''Baaka'' or ''Barka''), is the third-longest river in Australia, measuring from its source in northern New South Wales to its confluence with the Murray River at Wentworth. Including its long ...
Image:Wilcannia2.JPG, Street Scene
Image:Wilcannia3.JPG, Street Scene
Image:Wilcannia4.JPG, Former warehouse now Residence and Art Studio
Image:Wilcannia5.JPG, Wilcannia Police Station with Melia azedarach
''Melia azedarach'', commonly known as the chinaberry tree, pride of India, bead-tree, Cape lilac, syringa berrytree, Persian lilac, Indian lilac, or white cedar, is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family (biology), family, Meliace ...
Image:Wilcannia6.JPG, Now a Pharmacy and residence 2016
Image:Wilcannia7.JPG, Residence near the Anglican Church
Image:Old Wilcannia PO.JPG, Old Post Office
Image:Warehouse Wilcannia.JPG, Old warehouse
Image:BourkeWilcanniaHWY.jpg, The Bourke-Wilcannia road, near Bourke
Image:Wilcannia Athenaeum, 2017 (01).jpg, Wilcannia Athenaeum
See also
*
Wilcannia Athenaeum
*
List of extreme temperatures in Australia
The highest temperature ever recorded in Australia is , which was recorded on 2 January 1960 at Oodnadatta, South Australia, and 13 January 2022 at Onslow, Western Australia. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Australia is , at Charlotte P ...
Notes
References
External links
Visit NSW Wilcannia*
* – a Desert Pea Media community project with a group of young Indigenous people enrolled at Wilcannia High School, and a group of community leaders from Wilcannia and Broken Hill
{{authority control
Towns in New South Wales
Populated places on the Darling River
River ports of Australia
Central Darling Shire
Aboriginal communities in New South Wales