Fast facts
- Busy rural service town with a large Sikh population
- Coastal setting surrounded by banana farms and forested hills
- 585 km north of Sydney, population 3,800
Why go there
Woolgoolga – Woopi to the locals - is known for its large Sikh population, whose ancestors came here around the time of Federation. The landmark Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, a huge and imposing white structure, is the town's main attraction.
History
Prior to European settlement, this area was the northern extremity of lands occupied by the Gumbaingirr Aboriginal people. Timber cutters came to the region in the 1830s but the town itself developed much later, at a time when Sikh migrants from the Punjab region of India arrived to farm here.
Things to do
- Take your shoes off, and have a look inside the impressive Guru Nanak Sikh Temple.
- Drive through the Wedding Bells State Forest where the subtropical rainforest provides a habitat for many bird species. Stop and listen, and take the walking track along Woolgoolga Creek to the lovely waterfall.
Events
- Woolgoolga Curryfest, held over Easter, is the town’s celebration of its Indian roots, with a thrilling program of food, music and dance.
Don’t miss
- Authentic Punjabi cooking in the local restaurants.
- The beaches at Mullaway, Arrawarra, Corindi and Red Rock.
- The Golden Dog Hotel in the village of Glenreagh.
- Yuraygir National Park, a secret treasure of the NSW coast.
- Contemporary works in the Woolgoolga Art Gallery.
