Dorrigo, New South Wales

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Dorrigo New South Wales
Dangar Falls at Dorrigo
Population:	2400
Postcode:	2453
Elevation:	760 m (2,493 ft)
Location:	580 km (360 mi) N of Sydney

Dorrigo is a small town located on the Waterfall Way in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately 580 kilometres north of the state capital, Sydney via the Pacific Highway, and 60 kilometres from the coastal city of Coffs Harbour. The town is situated on the Dorrigo Plateau near the New England Escarpment,^[1] which is part of the Great Dividing Range, and has a population of 2400. Dorrigo is 760 metres above sea level.

Before European settlement the area that is now Dorrigo was inhabited by the Kumbangerie Aborigines. European settlement of the area followed on from the early timber cutters in the 1860's. The first official European in the district was Land Commissioner Oakes who sited the mouth of the Bellinger River. By 1841 timber cutters had entered the Bellinger River searching for red cedar (Toona australis). They set up camps and moved from one stand of trees to the next.^[1] It was not until the 1860s that permanent settlement occurred in the district. The dairy industry became a mainstay of the area, and today, tourism is becoming more important. The nearby World Heritage listed Dorrigo National Park and New England National Park cater for persons interested in natural sights. The Dorrigo Steam Railway is currently being set up in the town as a museum and working exhibit.

On 31 October 2005, sixty-eight dairy cows, all in full milk, died on a farm at Fernbrook on the Waterfall Way near Dorrigo after being struck by lightning. Three others were paralysed for several hours but they later made a full recovery. The cows were sheltering under a tree when it was struck by lightning and the electricity spread onto the surrounding soil killing the animals.

Engines and carriages on display outside the Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum.

Dorrigo is also home to the Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum which houses the largest collection of preserved railway vehicles and memorabilia from the various Government and private railways of New South Wales. It is one of the most comprehensive railway collections in the world, with exhibits ranging from 1855 to the present day. The museum is not yet open to the public however the larger exhibits such as steam engines and carriages can be viewed from outside the property.

Coordinates: 30°20′24″S 152°42′43″E / -30.34, 152.71194 (Dorrigo)