| Coleambally New South Wales | |
|---|---|
 Main street of Coleambally looking toward the distinctive water tower | |
  Coleambally | |
| Coordinates | 34°48′0″S145°53′0″E / 34.80000°S 145.88333°E /-34.80000; 145.88333 |
| Population | 1,331 (2016 census)[1] |
| Established | 1968 |
| Postcode(s) | 2707 |
| Location |
|
| LGA(s) | Murrumbidgee Council |
| County | Boyd |
| State electorate(s) | Murray |
| Federal division(s) | Farrer |
Coleambally (/ˌkɒliˈæmbəli/)[3] is a small town in theRiverina ofNew South Wales,Australia, inMurrumbidgee Local Government Area.
Coleambally is one of the newest towns in the state ofNew South Wales, officially opened in June 1968,[4] with the Post Office opening on 1 April 1970.[5]
Designed to act as the centre for the surrounding Coleambally Irrigation Area, at the2016 census, Coleambally had a population of 1331.[1]
Its name isAboriginal, probably meaning aswift in flight. The spine-tailed swift is one of the most powerful fliers known, wheeling and sweeping at high speed in search of flying insects.[4]
Coleambally can be accessed by road fromSydney andCanberra via theHume Highway andBurley Griffin Way and fromMelbourne via theHume Highway,Newell Highway and theKidman Way.
Coleambally is home to some of the most endangered species in Australia, the Bittern, Southern Bell Frog and it has many other species of native flora and fauna. Coleambally has many kangaroos and birds, galahs and noisy miners.
The Coleambally Irrigation Area scheme was started in the 1950s, with potential farmland being made available through a ballot system. Those who entered the ballot had to prove they had enough money to set up a farm in order to enter, as the land they acquired started off with no fencing or infrastructure whatsoever. The successful ballot winners were also required to give up any other primary interests they may have held. They were to give all or nothing to Coleambally.
In 2008, following the Federal Government's proposals to buy large amounts of water from irrigators – ostensibly to "save" theMurray-Darling Basin — the Coleambally Irrigation Area offered the entire area, including the farms, water rights and the entire town, for sale at a price of $3.5 billion.[6]
In the 2021 Census, there were 1,152 people in Coleambally. A total of 51.3% were males and 48.1% were female. The median age was 43. 86.7% of people were born in Australia and 89.3% of people spoke only English at home.[1]
Its main industry has been rice growing, with a major rice mill located one kilometre north of the town. However, the rice mill has been closed and converted to a ruminant feed mill in 2019.[7]
In 2018, theColeambally Solar Farm was commissioned a few kilometres north of the town. At the time of its commissioning, it was the largest solar farm in Australia.[8]
There are two schools in Coleambally:Coleambally Central School, a comprehensive government school catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 12, and St Peter's Primary School, a Roman Catholic school administered by the Diocese ofWagga Wagga.
Coleambally is situated in the AnglicanDiocese of Riverina. The Anglican Church is dedicated toSt Mark.
The Roman Catholic Church is dedicated toSt Peter.
The church of theUniting Church in Australia was formerly a shearer's quarters before being moved to its present location.
Coleambally's distinctive wine glass shaped water tower is located in the centre of town. A Bucyrus Class ErieDragline is located in the Lions Park at the entrance of the town. It is one of four machines imported from the United States in 1935 to excavate the main irrigation channels in the Murray Valley and the Coleambally Irrigation Area in the early 1960s.
TheDarlington Point-Coleambally Roosters compete in theGroup 20 Rugby League competition, and were founded via a merger between Darlington Point and the Coleambally Greens in 1973. The club has won 5 First Grade Premierships, in 1980, 1983, 1987, 1988 and 2019.
Prior to the merger Coleambally was represented by theColeambally Greens in theGroup 17 Rugby League competition.
Leagues
Premierships
The Coleambally FNC was established in 1965 and they have played in the following competitions -
Media related toColeambally at Wikimedia Commons
