Warialda

Postcode: 2402

Warialda is a town in the Northwest Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, in Gwydir Shire. Situated on the banks of the Warialda Creek, the town’s name means “Place of Wild Honey.” At the 2001 census, Warialda had a population of 1,198.

The Gwydir Highway runs through town and, along with Stephen Street, is considered on of the town’s two main streets. Warialda used to be but is no longer serviced by rail at Warialda Rail, a town 5 or 10 km south of Warialda itself.

Warialda was the first town gazetted in the Northwest Slopes region, probably in the 1830s and was the headquarters of the Yallaroi Shire.

Warialda is the service centre for the local agricultural sector. Farms around Warialda produce wheat, sorghum, barley, sheep, beef cattle. Some of the locals also earn a dollar or two hunting wild pigs, which are exported, mainly to Germany, where there are demands for wild boar which are not present in the Australian market.

The rationalisation of NSW regional centres has impacted significantly on services with many previously local businesses closing as customers travel to adjacent larger centres - i.e. Inverell to the east and Moree to the west.

Warialda serves as an education precinct for local families having pre-school through to secondary education. This helps support some of the local businesses with a general store, cafe, service station, pubs and other small businesses continuing to trade.

Warialda Public School is one of the oldest public schools in New South Wales. It was established in 1851. Warialda is also home to Warialda High School and St John's Catholic School.

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