AGY-7194 | Wingecarribee Shire Council

Full description

Wingecarribee Shire was established on 1 January 1981 following the amalgamation of three Southern Highlands local government areas: Mittagong Shire (previously Nattai Shire), Bowral Municipality and the former Wingecarribee Shire based in Moss Vale. (1) The name of Wingecarribee was retained principally because the Wingecarribee River was the one significant geographical feature common to all three areas. (2)

Wingecarribee Shire was located 75 kilometres from the south-western fringe of Sydney and 110 kilometres from Sydney’s central business district. The Shire had a total area of approximately 2,700 square kilometres, 56 per cent of which is north of the Wingecarribee River. It was comparable in size to that of urban Sydney, averaging 55 kilometres from east to west and 45 kilometres from north to south, with its geographic centre north-west of Berrima and its demographic centre to the south-east of Bowral. Much of the Shire was located at or above 640 metres above sea level. This area was known to tourists as the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. Wingecarribee is said to mean “a flight of birds”, or “waters to rest beside”. Governor Macquarie recorded it in 1816 as Winge Karribee. The current spelling was adopted by Surveyor Mitchell in 1838. (3)

Endnotes
1. NSW Government Gazette, [Issue No.152], 17 October 1980, p.5393.
2. Wingecarribee Shire Council website, History, https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/Council/Wingecarribee-Shire-History#section-1 (accessed 19 January, 2023).
3. Wingecarribee Shire Council website, About the Wingecarribee Shire, https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au/Council/About-the-Wingecarribee-Shire (accessed 19 January, 2023.