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Bellata

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Overview

Bellata (postcode 2397) is a small village in north-central New South Wales, Australia, in Narrabri Shire. At the 2021 census, Bellata had a population of 266. The place name Bellata could be derived from the local Aboriginal word meaning "kangaroo" or possibly "home of belar trees".

Facts

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia399 words

WBP editorial3

Rural rhythms on the Newell Highway

Bellata sits quietly on the stretch of the Newell Highway that links Sydney with the far west. While the highway is a conduit for long‑haul freight, the village offers a chance to pause and watch the world of grain trucks and livestock carriers pass by. Early mornings bring a soft amber light that highlights the flat, wheat‑streaked landscape, and the occasional bird‑call from a nearby dry sclerophyll woodland. For drivers, a quick stop at the local roadhouse for a strong flat‑white and a chat with locals provides insight into the logistics that sustain the agriculture belt of northern New South Wales.

Beyond the hall: community craft and basketry

While the Bellata Memorial Hall hosts the usual town meetings, a small collective of Aboriginal artisans gathers nearby to keep traditional weaving techniques alive. They use locally sourced river reeds and native grasses, producing baskets and decorative items that echo the region's flora. Visitors with an eye for craft can arrange a brief workshop through the Narrabri Shire cultural office, learning both the practical skills and the stories embedded in each pattern. The experience offers a tangible link to the area's Indigenous heritage that seldom appears in standard travel guides.

More in cities0

The village's modest size makes it an unobtrusive launch point for cyclists and walkers seeking to traverse the expansive plains between Narrabri and Moree. The low traffic volume on adjacent backroads allows for multi‑day bike tours that blend far‑mlike solitude with occasional stops at historic homesteads. Carrying a lightweight tent is advisable, as accommodation options are limited, but the open sky offers spectacular stargazing opportunities; the region's low light pollution reveals the Milky Way in crisp detail, a rewarding payoff for those willing to venture a few kilometres off the main road.

Introduction

Town in New South Wales, AustraliaTown in New South Wales, AustraliaBellataTownBellata Memorial HallBellataCoordinates: 29°55′S 149°47′E / 29.917°S 149.783°E / -29.917; 149.783CountryAustraliaStateNew South WalesLGANarrabri ShireLocation 563 km (350 mi) NW of Sydney 535 km (332 mi) SW of Brisbane 47 km (29 mi) N of Narrabri 54 km (34 mi) S of Moree Government • State electorateBarwon • Federal divisionParkesPopulation • Total266 (SAL 2021)Postcode2397 Bellata (postcode 2397) is a small village in north-central New South Wales, Australia, in Narrabri Shire. At the 2021 census, Bellata had a population of 266. The place name Bellata could be derived from the local Aboriginal word meaning "kangaroo" or possibly "home of belar trees".

Overview

[edit] It is 47 kilometres (29 mi) north of Narrabri, around halfway between Narrabri and Moree when travelling along the Newell Highway. The village's area is known for its array of mineral deposits, and fossickers will find high quality agate, jasper, carnelian, petrified opal and petrified wood in the vicinity. Located on the rich black soil basalt plains of north western New South Wales, it is an important agricultural region and the area is known for some of the best "primehard" wheat production in Australia. There is a large array of grain storage and handling facilities in the town.

Buildings

[edit] A turn-of-the-century, two-storey colonial style hotel, the Nandewar Inn Hotel, constructed in 1902, was a well-loved local landmark until it was destroyed by fire in April 2006. Once a thriving rural centre, Bellata, in the early to mid-20th century, boasted a post office, two general stores, two stock and station agencies, two garages, a café, a telephone exchange, a fully operational railway station with a station master and a doctor. Bellata still has a road house, a police station, primary school, nine-hole sand green golf course and Golf Club, tennis courts, Anglican and Catholic churches, a memorial hall where movies were once shown, caravan park and several community groups. Woolabra Post Office opened on 1 September 1899 and was renamed Bellata in 1909. Railway station[edit] Bellata railway station is situated on the Mungindi line, 615 kilometres (382 mi) from Sydney. The station opened in 1897 as Woolabra however was renamed Bellata in 1909. It consists of a platform and unstaffed basic passenger waiting shed, and is currently served by a single daily Xplorer diesel railmotor between Moree and Sydney in the morning and by another Xplorer heading in the opposite direction to Moree in the evening. The station is optional, and sometimes trains do not stop at it.

Bellata

Rural rhythms on the Newell Highway

Beyond the hall: community craft and basketry

A base for exploring the surrounding plains