Coonamble - NSW

Coonamble is a town with over 3000 people and is situated on the Castlereagh River, around 93km north of Gilgandra. Coonamble is a service centre to the largest shire in New South Wales - a land area covering of almost 10,000 square kilometres. Prime industries within the shire include: wheat, sheep and cattle farming. There are a significant horse industry and a number of famous stud farms in the precinct too.

The original habitants of the region include the Kamilaroi, Kawambarai and Weilwan tribes. The town's name derives from an Aboriginal term 'gunambil', which is said to mean 'full of dirt'. This seems to reference the arid nature of the terrain, especially during drought and the fact the Castlereagh River bed is - for the most part - dry, flowing underground when rains are absent.