Woolgoolga, New South Wales
Woolgoolga is a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the Pacific Highway, approximately 550 km north of Sydney and 365 km south of Brisbane. The closest city to Woolgoolga is Coffs Harbour, which lies 25.8 km to the south. Woolgoolga has two beaches on the Pacific Ocean. The area has long been a centre of banana growing in New South Wales, but this industry has declined in the face of competition from Queensland. Recent times have seen many banana plantations replaced by blueberries after banana sales slumped in  the late 1990s. Demographics. Woolgoolga had a population of 5,290 people in 2016, including 229 indigenous persons and 3,662 Australian-born persons. The median age of all persons is 45 years. Notably, from the Census data, 804 persons (15%) speak Punjabi at home, 661 persons practise Sikhism and 666 persons (13%) were of Indian descent. History. Permanent European settlement occurred in the 1870s when the Hofmeier family moved to the area to make their selections. Prior to this, the area was inhabited by the Gumbaynggirr Aboriginal people. The name of the town derives from the word "Wiilgulga", which was used  by the local Aboriginal people to describe the area, and the Black Apple trees that grew there. The name "Woogoolga" was gazetted in 1888, and changed to the current name of Woolgoolga in 1966. Timbergetting and sawmilling was established in 1883. A government jetty was constructed in 1892 upon which tramways were laid. These tramways led to sawmills in the town which in turn were connected by light railway to the Jesse Simpson Range forest areas. The jetty was demolished over a prolonged period from 1952 to 1956. Woolgoolga was an early centre of Sikh migration to Australia. Sikhs had  migrated to New South Wales and Queensland prior to the imposition of the prohibition of non-European migration under the White Australia Policy in 1901 and many of them then led a marginalised life on the north coast of New South Wales and in southeastern Queensland. Some Sikhs began to settle in Woolgoolga during World War II, because war-time labour shortages led to a relaxation of the previous prohibition of non-European labour in the banana industry. After the war they were able to acquire leasehold and freehold banana plantations. Woolgoolga had the largest regional Sikh/Punjabi population in  Australia, and they are now said to own 90% of the banana farms and are also diversifying into blueberries. Tourism. Woolgoolga's coastal location and temperate climate make it a popular tourist destination. The town has less traffic as it was bypassed by the Pacific Highway. Many travellers break their journey in Woolgoolga. The headland at Woolgoolga is a great elevated platform for watching the migrating whales as they journey to warmer waters for calving. The Sydney 2000 Olympics torch relay passed through Woolgoolga, as did the 2006 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay. In 2011, the area hosted Rally  Australia, the 10th round of the World Rally Championship. It hosted stages 22 and 25 at Plum Pudding. Notable shipwreck. On 8 March 1893 a 39-metre vessel named "Buster" was driven ashore during a storm from the south-east. Buster's anchor cable snapped and its holding chains failed. The vessel eventually beached stern-first 200 metres down the beach just south of the Woolgoolga Lake mouth. The 310 ton vessel, became a total wreck at the mouth of Woolgoolga Lake. Buster was built in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1884. It arrived at Woolgoolga from Sydney in February 1893  to load timber bound for New Zealand. In May 2019 a group of people drove a stolen black Mitsubishi Pajero onto the beach and did irreparable damage to a century-old shipwreck. The perpetrators broke off the most prominent visible parts of "Buster". The car was found abandoned at a nearby village. Temples. Woolgoolga has two complete Gurdwaras (temples): As well as those there is another being constructed next to the First Sikh Temple. Curryfest. Curryfest is the largest single gathering for the Woolgoolga community. It is an annual celebration of Woolgoolga's Punjabi heritage. Inaugurated in 2006 (with the  help of local celebrity Jack Thompson and the Woolgoolga and Northern Beaches Chamber of Commerce), it is a celebration of the culture of the local Sikh community and is sponsored by the Regional Australian Bank. In 2009 it became incorporated into its own identity. It still uses the name and backing of the Chamber of Commerce but now partially pays for the event itself, including through the introduction of a two-dollar entry fee in 2009. Approximately 180 stalls are set up with around 16,000 attendants. Background. Woolgoolga is home to Australia's largest Sikh/Punjabi population and has two  Gurdwaras (temples). The festival seeks to promote culture and business interests from this demographic in Australia. It was used as a case study for how event management has changed in the 21st century. Events. Events include: cooking (in 2019 the celebrity chef was Justine Schofield) dancing, a kids' entertainment area, mindfulness/meditation space and a large stage for musical entertainment. Prior to the actual event there is an assortment of activities which encourage out-of-towners to make a vacation out of the festival. The scheduled 26 September 2020 festivity was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic and restricted 20 -person outdoor gatherings. For the 25 September 2021 event, the plan is to offer the Bollywood Express which travels from Sydney through New South Wales East Coast and ends up in Woolgoolga, Coffs Coast. En route, travelers will be able to enjoy a Dholi drummer performance while sitting in Indian-garland decorated carriages. Food and wine. Woolgoolga has a pub and a number of cafes and restaurants. These include: The Seaview Tavern (corner of Clarence and River Streets), also known as The Fountain on the Mountain, which is the only pub. There is usually live music on Friday and Saturday  nights and a function room upstairs where larger gigs take place. then there is Bluebottles Brasserie (corner of Beach Street and Lake Road) cafe which serves as a more upmarket establishment for lunch and dinner. Thursday night is jazz night with live jazz music played throughout the evening. Other cafes are: Taffys, Audrey G's, Ground Earth, and The Beach House. Restaurants include: The Spice Rack, Thai Chai Yo Thai, Singhan Da Dhaba Indian and The Box Factory Burgers. There are two pizzerias: Woolgoolga Pizza Place and Riptide Pizzeria. Woolgoolga also has a Woolworths supermarket which is located right on  Solitary Islands Way which was previously the Old Pacific Highway. Education. Woolgoolga has three schools: Library and cultural facilities. Library Museums Transport. Taxis. Woolgoolga Taxi Service services the local area. Train. The nearest station is Coffs Harbour railway station. Air travel. The nearest airport is Coffs Harbour Regional Airport.