Wyong

▪ New South Wales, Australia

      shire, eastern New South Wales, Australia, on the Wyong River, immediately west of the Tuggerah Lakes (coastal lagoons). The district was settled in 1823 for the purpose of exploiting its cedar trees. As the forests were removed, agricultural activities increased, with citrus groves being planted after 1887. Proclaimed a town in 1888, it derived its name from an Aboriginal word meaning “place of running water.” Wyong, a municipality since 1957, serves an area of mixed farming (dairying, fruit and vegetable growing, seed processing, and poultry raising), rutile and zircon mining, and lumbering. Industries include sawmilling, fruit packing, and brickmaking. Situated on the main northern rail line (from Sydney, 45 miles [72 km] southwest) and on the Pacific Highway, Wyong is the chief community of the Tuggerah Lakes resort region. The locality yields significant catches of fish and prawns. Pop. (2006) local government area, 139,801.

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