Warialda ‘Place of Wild Honey’, is an attractive small town with a population of 1300, it is one of the major towns of the Gwydir Shire in north-western NSW. It is situated 602 km north of Sydney and 320 m above sea-level on a tributary creek of the Gwydir River. Warialda is 190 km north of Tamworth along the Fossickers Way, and 62 km north-west of Inverell or 82km east of Moree via the Gwydir Highway.
The town’s name is said to mean ‘place of wild honey’ and presumably derives from the tongue of the original inhabitants, the Weraerai Aborigines. The name is thought to be related to the honey that is produced from the abundant pollen of the Smooth Barked Apples or as they are locally known, the Tumbledown Gum (Angophora Leiocarpa). Bees collect large to huge volumes of the pollen which provides a good surplus of honey.
Steeped in history and surrounded by lush bushland, natural wonders and boasting interesting personalities, It is nestled amid hills, majestic trees and bush scrubland that are a delight to residents, visitors and nature lovers alike.
The majority of land surrounding Warialda was held by a few prominent landholders on large sheep stations such as Yallaroi, Croppa and Gournama. These stations have been subdivided and local farmers are now involved in mixed farming of stock and cropping.
