Bingara, New South Wales

Bingara (Aboriginal for 'creek') is a small town on the Gwydir River in Murchison County in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. In 2011, Bingara had a population of 1,093 people. and is currently the administrative centre for the Gwydir Shire that was created in 2003. It has a culturally homogeneous population as residents are mostly of Anglo-Celtic background. Only 9.4% of the population is born overseas and 3.3% is of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background. It is a popular site for retirement and hence has an old population, with 53.8% aged 55 years and over, compared to the national average of 26.4%. Bingara's socioeconomic status is comparatively lower than that of Australia. Bingara is one of the few places in Australia where diamonds have been found. The Gwydir River being a main highlight of the town is a main catchment of the Murray-Darling System.