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 Walgett, an Aboriginal town in north west NSW, Australia
Walgett is located in Gamilaraay country where the Barwon and Namoi Rivers meet, 9 hrs drive north west of Sydney. It is three hours north of Dubbo, and two hours west of Narrabri. The Queensland border is 1.5 hrs drive to the north, past Lightning Ridge which is our closest neighbour at 45 minutes away. To the west is the Grawin/Glengarry/ Sheepyards opal fields, and the Ramsar-listed wetland and nature reserve, Narran Lakes. In our area there are a number of sites sacred to the local Aboriginal people, although some have been desecrated.
Walgett's population is officially around 3,000 and includes the small Aboriginal communities of Gingie village and Namoi Village which are near the town. We estimate that the population of Walgett is 60% Aboriginal but no-one has done a conclusive Aboriginal census and so we cannot be sure. Aboriginal people now living in Walgett are mostly of the Gamilaraay, Yuwaalaraay and Ngayiimbaa nations.
The town of Walgett was developed from a "run" named for the Aboriginal word for where two rivers meet. Sir Thomas Mitchell, NSW Surveyor General, first visited the district in 1832. By the time he returned in his second expedition in 1945 there were already "runs" in the area and non-Aboriginal occupation grew very quickly.
Walgett elders today had grandparents and parents who spoke their languages fluently. Dharriwaa Elders live with the stresses of enforced cultural assimilation, poverty and rapid change, and as they approach the later stages of their lives are trying to bring better health to their community.
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| Above left: Walgett debutantes 2003. Above right: Walgett legends, "The Simmos" performing at the Sheepyards opal fields, April 2004.
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