Cobar Shire is located in the Orana Region of central northern New South Wales, about 700 kilometres north-west of Sydney. Cobar Shire is bounded by Bourke Shire in the north, Bogan Shire in the north-east, Lachlan Shire in the south-east, Carrathool Shire in the south, and Central Darling Shire in the west.
Cobar Shire includes the townships and localities of Bulla, Byrock (part), Canbelego (part), Cobar, Cubba, Eremerang, Euabalong (part), Euabalong West, Gilgunnia, Irymple, Kerrigundi, Kulwin, Mount Hope, Murrin Bridge, Noona, Nymagee, Sandy Creek, Tilpa (part) and Tindarey.
Cobar Shire is a predominantly rural area. The main township is Cobar, with small villages at Euabalong, Mount Hope and Nymagee. The Shire encompasses a total land area of about 44,000 square kilometres. Rural land is used mainly for agriculture, particularly sheep grazing, and for copper, lead, silver, zinc and gold mining.
Cobar is named from an Aboriginal word meaning "red ochre".
| Cobar Shire: | Land Area: 4,560,884 hectares | Density: 0.00 people per hectare (2006) |
The original inhabitants of the Cobar area were the Ngemba and Wongaibon Aboriginal people. European settlement dates primarily from the 1860s, with land used mainly for grazing. Population was minimal until 1870 when copper was discovered and the township of Cobar was established. Growth took place from the late 1800s into the early 1900s, spurred by copper mining. The population declined significantly following WWI, due to the closure of the Great Cobar Mine. The population gradually increased from the 1930s, aided by the establishment of gold mining. Copper mining recommenced in the 1960s. The population increased during the 1980s, boosted by the opening of a silver, lead and zinc mine. The population fluctuated slightly during the 1990s, and then was relatively stable between 2001 and 2006 at about 5,100 persons.
Major features of the Shire include Paroo-Darling National Park, Mount Grenfell Historic Site, Nombinnie Nature Reserve, Round Hill Nature Reserve, Yathong Nature Reserve, Cobar Town Centre, TAFE NSW - Western Institute (Cobar College), Cobar Arts Council, Cobar District Hospital, Commonwealth Meteorological Station, Great Cobar Heritage Centre, Far West Academy of Sport, Cobar Aerodrome, Fort Bourke Lookout, Cobar Golf Course, Dalton Park Racecourse, various mines, the Lachlan River, Alisa Fitzsimmons Memorial Oval and Bathurst Street Reserve. The Shire is served by the Barrier Highway.