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State:

New South Wales

Name Derivation:

Named after the Gwydir River which was named by Allan Cunningham in 1827 after Lord Gwydir.  Coincidentally 'Gwydir' is also an Aboriginal name meaning 'river with red banks'.

Area and Location Description:

It covers an area of approximately 185 604 sq km from the Queensland border in the north to Kandos in the south and Bourke in the west.

The main towns include Aberdeen, Baradine, Boggabri, Bourke, Brelarrina, Coolah, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Gulgong, Gunnedah, Kandos, Mendooran, Moree, Mudgee, Narrabri, Quirindi, Rylstone, Scone, Walgett, Warialda, Wee Waa and Wellington.

Products/Industries of the area:

Wool, beef, pork, wheat, cotton, oil seed crops, lucerne, fruit, vegetables, dairy cattle, horse, sheep and cattle studs, timber, coal and opal mining and wine growing.

First Proclaimed

1901

Members

John Anderson (NP) 1989-

R J Hunt (CP/NCP/NP) 1969-89

A I Allan (CP) 1953-69

T J Treloar (CP) 1949-53

W J Scully (ALP) 1937-49

C L Abbott (CP) 1931-37

L L Cunningham (ALP) 1929-31

C L Abbott (CP) 1925-29

L L Cunningham (ALP) 1919-25

W Webster (ALP) 1903-19

G A Cruickshank (PROT) 1901-03

For Current Members information, browse the Parliament of Australia Members page.

AEC - Divisional Office Contact Numbers and Addresses

Demographic Rating

Rural

3 October 1998 Election	6 November 1999 Referendum	10 November 2001 Election
Enrolment: 72 930 Informal Vote: 3.95% Turnout: 95.37% Seat Status: Safe National Two Party Preferred: ALP: 36.42% NP: 63.58%	Enrolment: 73 637 Informal Vote: Republic Question 0.60% Preamble Question 0.63% Turnout: Republic Question 94.75% Preamble Question 94.74%	Enrolment: 84 602 Informal Vote: 4.53% Turnout: 95.12% Seat Status: Safe National Two Party Preferred: ALP: 35.12% NP: 64.88%