Dungog, New South Wales

The traditional owners of the area now known as Dungog are the Gringai clan of the Wonnarua people, a group of Aboriginal Australian people. By 1825 Robert Dawson had named the Barrington area, while surveyor Thomas Florance named the Chichester River in 1827. Lord Streett, as were Dowling, Mackay, Chapman, Hooke, Brown and Myles, were all named after landowners at the time surveyor Francis Rusden drew up his generous 1838 grid plan of Dungog's streets. The descendants of some of these, notably the Dowlings, Mackays and Hookes, still live in and around Dungog. Others, such as John Lord, went bankrupt or, as did Myles, sold out early and moved to Sydney. Since the 1950s, few new public buildings and shops have been erected but homes have continued to be built in weatherboard, brick, fibro or concrete; following the fashions of the time. While dairying has declined, the beef industry has remained, and although most timber is now locked up in national parks, many visitors come these days to enjoy the area's natural beauty. This trend has also meant that numerous older homes have been saved from deterioration by 'tree-changers', who have increasingly bought and renovated older homes in Dungog and its surrounding countryside. == Heritage listings ==

Dungog has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: • 101 Main Road: Cooreei Bridge over Williams River • Lord Street: Dungog Courthouse and Residence • 6 Brown Street: Dungog Picture Theatre (James Theatre) ==Climate==

Dungog has a mild humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with warm summers and cool winters. ==Demographics==

According to the , there were people in Dungog. • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 9.5% of the population. • 90.8% of people were born in Australia; the next most common countries of birth included England 1.6%, Germany 0.4%, Scotland 0.4%, New Zealand 0.3%, and the United States of America 0.3%. • 95.1% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages spoken at home included Afrikaans 0.1%, and Mandarin 0.1%. • The most common responses for religion included No Religion 33.2%, Anglican 23.7%, Catholic 17.5%, and Presbyterian and Reformed 6.1; a further 6.4% of respondents for this area elected not to disclose their religious status. == Culture ==

Popular Dungog events are the Dungog Film Festival hosted at the James Theatre, the Dungog Agricultural Show, Pedalfest, the Dungog Rodeo, and the Thunderbolt Rally. Each of these events showcase local produce and talent and bring tourists to the region. James Theatre Dungog is the home of the James Theatre, the oldest fully enclosed purpose-built cinema continuously operating in Australia, located at 6 Brown Street. It receives new movie releases soon after cinemas in more populated areas. The Dungog Film Society has been operating from the cinema since 1992 and screens fine films monthly to locals as well as bringing Flickerfest to Dungog and an AGOG weekend of foreign films in September. The theatre is the venue for the Dungog Film Festival, which is held annually. The theatre was first opened on land of James Stuart in December 1912. Originally an open-air theatre, it was roofed by 1914 and in 1918 an enclosed hall built. In order to accommodate "talkie" movies and to provide improved dance facilities, Stuart commissioned major reconstruction works that commenced in 1930. These works were designed by the Newcastle architect, William Jeater. The reconstruction works included construction of a stage, remodelling the street façade into the Spanish Mission Style, a new dance floor, new northern entrance, a projection room above the foyer and seating arrangement for 400. It used to be held annually in May and was open to Australian filmmakers only. It did not operate in 2013 and in 2014 was replaced by the broader festival of the arts, the Dungog Festival, which is now held on the October Long Weekend. In 2014, the State Government announced a three year investment to keep the Dungog Film Festival running. As of 2024 the Dungog Film Festival is no longer active. The screenings were shown in local venues including the James Theatre and the RSL auditorium. Gentlemen of the Road Dungog hosted the 'Gentlemen of the Road' music festival on 20 October 2012. The Gentlemen of the Road is a single performance special event organised by band Mumford and Sons, for which they select a remote town in the country they are touring and hold a day-long music festival featuring local artists and bands with which they are friends. The "Dungog Stopover" featured Husky, Matt Corby, Willy Mason, Sarah Blasko, Yacht Club DJs, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and headline act Mumford and Sons. Over 13,000 people attended the event held in the town's showground. Attendees were accommodated on campgrounds at the edge of the town, while the band members and entourages stayed at motels and pubs in Dungog. == Education ==

Dungog High School has approximately 680 students, Children from nearly all of the surrounding towns (e.g.: Clarence Town, Gresford, Paterson, Vacy, Wallarobba, Martins Creek, East Gresford, and Glen Martin) attend. == Historical Society and museum ==

Founded in 1963, Dungog Historical Society is located in the former School of Arts building which also houses the Dungog Museum. The wide collection showcases Dungog's history and heritage, including information and material about local aboriginal people and family history. The core of the display is Dungog: The Making of a Community, telling the story of Dungog via different themes. The colourful panels were produced with a grant from the NSW Ministry of the Arts. Temporary exhibitions are also held. == Rail transport ==

The town's railway station has been served by the North Coast railway line since 1911. The Great White Train visit in August 1926 was attended by a large crowd. There are three to five intercity Hunter Line and four long-distance NSW TrainLink XPT services from Dungog each day. == Sport ==

Dungog Soccer Club – "The Boomerangs" Dungog is the home of Dungog Soccer Club. Nicknamed the "Boomerangs", Dungog compete in the Zone League competitions in the Northern NSW Football Federation. The Club has a strongly established juniors-base with 10 teams competing in competitions across the Hunter Valley. Other sports Dungog also has a Rugby League club called the Dungog Warriors which has teams competing in junior and senior competitions. Additionally, Dungog has a Pony Club, a Cricket Club and a Netball Association who play a Port Stephens Netball Association in Raymond Terrace. The town has 6 tennis courts which serve for children's tennis coaching in addition to primary and high school competitions. Many residents ride horses and compete in local rodeos. == Notable persons ==

• Kevin Bacon – Olympic equestrian • Alyson Best – Actress • Tallis Duncan – Rugby league player • Reginald Golledge – Geographer • Patrick Kenniff – Bushranger • Henry Porter – Rugby league player and coach • Dave Sands – One of Australia's well known boxers, was killed near Dungog in 1952 aged 26. • Tony Townsend – Rugby league player • Doug Walters – Cricketer == References ==