Wellington

New South Wales, Australia

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Article History

Wellington, town, east-central New South Wales, Australia. It lies at the confluence of the Macquarie and Bell rivers.

The future site of the town was used by John Oxley as a base for exploration (1817–18); he named it for the duke of Wellington. A convict settlement from 1823 to 1831, it was proclaimed a town in 1846, a municipality in 1879, and a shire in 1947. In 1950 Wellington was merged with Macquarie and a portion of Cobar shires.

It serves a region producing sheep, cattle, fruits, vegetables, and cereal crops. Nearby attractions include Lake Burrendong, impounded by Burrendong Dam on the Macquarie River, and the Wellington limestone caves. Pop. (2006) local government area, 8,120; (2011) local government area, 8,493.

Graduation cap sitting over a speech bubble with an Australian flag on a blue background. (education)

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This article was most recently revised and updated by Lorraine Murray.