View source for Collarenebri

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type      = town
| name      = Collarenebri
| state     = nsw
| image     = Collarenebri.JPG
| caption   = Main street in 2008
| lga       = Walgett Shire
| postcode  = 2833
| est       = 
| pop       = 650
| pop_year  = {{CensusAU|2016}}
| pop_footnotes=<ref name="ABS"/>
| coordinates = {{coord|29|33|0|S|148|35|0|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label_position = 
| elevation = 146
| maxtemp   = 
| mintemp   = 
| rainfall  = 
| stategov  = [[Electoral district of Barwon|Barwon]]
| fedgov    = [[Division of Parkes|Parkes]]
| dist1     = 707
| dir1      = NW
| location1 = [[Sydney]]
| dist2     = 140
| dir2      = W
| location2 = [[Moree, New South Wales|Moree]]
| dist3     = 75
| dir3      = NE
| location3 = [[Walgett, New South Wales|Walgett]]
| dist4     = 90
| dir4      = SW
| location4 = [[Mungindi]]
}}

[[File:Collarenebri (3).JPG|thumb|200px|Sign on Rocky Ford Bridge over the Barwon River, Collarenebri, NSW]]

'''Collarenebri''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ɒ|l|ər|ɛ|n|ə|b|r|aɪ}} {{respell|COLL|ə|REN|ə|bry}}) is a town in north western [[New South Wales]], Australia. The town is in the [[Walgett Shire]] Local Government Area and is situated on the [[Barwon River (New South Wales)|Barwon River]] approximately {{convert|75|km|mi}} northeast of [[Walgett, New South Wales|Walgett]] and south west of [[Mungindi, New South Wales|Mungindi]] on the [[Gwydir Highway]]. It is {{convert|16|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Pokataroo, New South Wales|Pokataroo]] which was the nearest [[railway town]] prior to closure of the rail service there. The town is {{convert|146|m|ft}} above sea level. Collarenebri is one of three towns ending in 'BRI' in Northern New South Wales.

In the [[2021 Australian census|2021 census]], Collarenebri had a population of 638.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Collarenebri, Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL10969 |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=abs.gov.au}}</ref>

''Collarenebri'' is an indigenous word of the [[Gamilaraay language|Gamilaraay]] ''galariinbaraay'', meaning 'place of flowers' or 'eucalyptus blossoms'.<ref>History of the Collarenebri Region/Collarenebri Central School: {{cite web |url=http://www.collareneb-c.schools.nsw.edu.au/ccshistory.htm |title=Collarenebri Central School |access-date=2008-06-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718183338/http://www.collareneb-c.schools.nsw.edu.au/ccshistory.htm |archive-date=18 July 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{NSW GNR|id=JPIOlMZTJP|title=Collarenebri|accessdate=12 July 2009}}</ref>
Collarenebri is well known for its flowers

==History==
[[Yuwaalaraay-Gamilaraay|Yuwaalaraay]] (also known as ''Yuwalyai, Euahlayi, Yuwaaliyaay, Gamilaraay, Kamilaroi, Yuwaaliyaayi'') is an [[Australian Aboriginal languages|Australian Aboriginal language]] spoken on Yuwaalaraay country. The Yuwaalaraay language region includes the landscape within the local government boundaries of the [[Shire of Balonne]], including the town of [[Dirranbandi, Queensland|Dirranbandi]] as well as the border town of [[Hebel, Queensland|Hebel]] extending to [[Walgett, New South Wales|Walgett]] and Collarenebri in [[New South Wales]].''<ref>{{Cite SLQ-CC-BY|url=https://maps.slq.qld.gov.au/iyil/view/175|title=Yuwaalaraay|website=Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages map|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref>''<!--Despite the similarlity of the names, these two Indigenous languages are separately identified by AIATSIS-->

Originally spelt "Collarindabri", Collarenebri is located near a shallow rocky ford on the [[Barwon River (New South Wales)|Barwon River]], which provided a hard bottomed shallow river crossing for stock and pioneering travellers.

The Gamilaroi Nation of [[Indigenous Australians]] resided in this region prior to white settlement.

In 1860 William Earl settled near the Collarenebri crossing and established "The Squatters Arms" to capitalise on the increasing traffic through the area. Earl and his pub later became famous for having been held up by bushranger [[Captain Thunderbolt]]. Earl is credited with having established present day Collarenebri, with a prominent street and aged housing carrying his name. A number of his descendants still reside in the town.<ref name=newman>{{cite book |author=Newman, Charles |title=Collarindabri 1861–1886. The Years of Struggle |date=May 1985 }}</ref>{{rp|2}}

By the end of 1865, Collarenebri is described as having "two stores, a public house, with another nearly finished: the timber is also lying at Collarenebri for a Government punt; several small houses and a population of about 50 people stationary."<ref name=newman/>{{rp|3}}

The town of Collarenebri was later gazetted on 12 July 1867. By 1890 Collarenebri had become a growing town with a hospital, police station, school and a number of businesses. The cemetery at Collarenebri dates back to 1906.

Collarenebri has long been recorded as a significant site for [[Australian Aborigines|Aboriginal]] people living in the area. There are many artifacts and significant sites along the Barwon River. On Collymongle Station there are some very old aboriginal carved trees. There is a well maintained Aboriginal cemetery just outside the town which is unique to the area, with graves covered in crushed and melted glass and decorated with items that represent that person. Collarenebri continues to be a significant community for Aboriginal people.

Many of the buildings in Collarenebri today date back to {{circa|1910}}. Collarenebri was among the last places in Australia to be converted from a manual switchboard to an automatic [[telephone]] exchange (in 1986). Volunteers run Collarenebri's live, local radio station YAAMA-FM 95.9 specialising in indigenous programming.

Industries in the area include [[cotton]] and [[wheat]] farming, sheep and beef [[cattle]] breeding. Other activities include fossicking for gemstones such as [[topaz]], [[agate]] and [[petrified wood]].

The Barwon River area is regarded as one of the best inland fishing locations in Australia.

==Sport==
Collarenebri has a rugby league team, the Collarenebri Bulldogs, who compete in the [[Barwon Darling Rugby League]] competition.

== Heritage listings ==
Collarenebri has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* Gundabloui Road: [[Collarenebri Aboriginal Cemetery]]<ref name=nswshr-1934>{{cite NSW SHR|5061967|Collarenebri Aboriginal Cemetery|hr=01934|fn=EF14/9970|accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref>

==Population==

{{Historical populations
|type= Australia
|1966|581
|1971|608
|1976|599
|1981|602
|1986|623
|1991|617
|1996|544
|2001|495
|2006|478
|2011|386
|2016|435
|2021|425
|source=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] data.<ref name="ABS Census data">{{cite web |title=Statistics by Catalogue Number |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/ViewContent?readform&view=ProductsbyCatalogue&Action=Expand&Num=2.2 |access-date=19 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="ABS Census data recent">{{cite web |title=Search Census data |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/search-by-area |access-date=19 January 2024}}</ref>
}}


In the 2016 Census, there were 650 people in Collarenebri.
* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 42.1% of the population. 
* 90.4% of people were born in Australia and 89.9% of people spoke only English at home. 
* The most common responses for religion were Anglican 31.1%, No Religion 26.3% and Catholic 17.3%.<ref name="ABS">{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC10969|name=Collarenebri|quick=on|accessdate=1 November 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |publisher=Walgett Shire Council |title=Plains of Colour |author=Brown, Robert |location=Carina, QLD |year=1989 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Collarenebri, New South Wales}}
*[http://www.walgett.nsw.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=3775&Itemid=4300 Collarenebri] – Walgett Shire Council

{{Wikivoyage-inline|Collarenebri}}

{{Walgett Shire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Collarenebri, New South Wales| ]]
[[Category:Walgett Shire]]