New South Wales
Flag Coat of Arms
Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State
Motto(s): "Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites" (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine)
Other Australian states and territories
Capital	Sydney
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Governor	Professor Marie Bashir
Premier	Morris Iemma (ALP)
Federal representation
- House seats	50
- Senate seats	12
Gross State Product (2006-07)
- Product ($m)	$321,325[1] (1st)
- Product per capita	$46,816 (5th)
Population (End of June 2007)
- Population	6,889,100 (1st)
- Density	8. The current state flag of New South Wales was officially adopted by the government of New South Wales in 1876. DescriptionThe lion represents England The Coat of arms of New South Wales is the official coat of arms of the Australian State of New South Wales The following is a list of Australian state and territory slogans. The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of 8 states and territories controlled under a federal system of government There are eight capital cities in Australia, all of which function at a sub-national level Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution which dates from 1856 although it has been amended many times since then A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The Governor of New South Wales is the representative in the Australian state of New South Wales of Australia's monarch, Elizabeth II, Marie Roslyn Lady Shehadie, AC, CVO, DStJ (born 1930 known as Marie Bashir, is the current Governor of New South Wales and See Premiers of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Premier Morris Iemma (ˈjɛmə (born 21 July 1961 is an Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr, who resigned on 3 The Parliament of Australia or Commonwealth Parliament is the legislative branch of government of Australia. The House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers of the Parliament of Australia; it is the Lower house, the Upper house being the Senate The Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 60/km² (3rd) 22. 3 /sq mi
Area
- Total	809,444 km² (5th) 312,528 sq mi
- Land	800,642 km² 309,130 sq mi
- Water	8,802 km² (1. 09%) 3,398 sq mi
Elevation
- Highest	Mount Kosciuszko 2,228 m (7,310 ft)
- Lowest	Sea level
Time zone	UTC+10 (UTC+11 DST) (½-hour variations)
Abbreviations
- Postal	NSW
- ISO 3166-2	AU-NS
Emblems
- Floral	Waratah (Telopea speciosissima)
- Bird	Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas)
- Animal	Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
- Fish	Blue groper (Achoerodus viridis)
- Colours	Sky blue (Pantone 291)
Web site	www.nsw.gov.au

New South Wales (abbreviated as NSW) is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. Mount Kosciuszko is a Mountain located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface The UTC+10 Time zone covers the following locations Australia (AEST&mdash Australian Eastern Standard Time) Australian UTC+11 is the Time zone for the following locations As standard (non-DST time Federated States of Micronesia Daylight saving time ( DST ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO Waratah ( Telopea) is a genus of five species of large Shrubs or small Trees in the Proteaceae, native to southeastern Australia Kookaburras (genus Dacelo) (or Cookaburras are large to very large (total length 28-42 cm/11-17 in terrestrial Kingfishers native The Platypus ( Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is a semi- aquatic Mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. A blue groper is a member of two similar species of fish found in the coastal waters of southern Australia, distinguished by the bright blue colouring of the adult males In Australia state colours are frequently part of a state or territory's set of State symbols. Azure is a Blue Color on the HSV color wheel at 210 degrees Azure is the Hue that is halfway between Blue and Cyan Hill End is a former Gold mining town in New South Wales, Australia, in Bathurst Regional Council. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Commonwealth of Australia is made up of 8 states and territories controlled under a federal system of government Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent It was founded in 1788 and originally comprised much of the Australian mainland, as well as Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. Year 1788 ( MDCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Lord Howe Island (ˈhaʊ is a small island in the Pacific Ocean east of the Australian mainland Norfolk Island ( Norfuk: Norfuk Ailen) is a small inhabited island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand Some early governors considered it also included New Zealand until British officials pointed out this wasn't so. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Nevertheless when Britain annexed New Zealand in 1840 it was briefly a part of New South Wales. ^[2] During the 19th century large areas were successively separated to form the British colonies of Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New Zealand. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island

Inhabitants of New South Wales are referred to as being New South Welsh, New South Walers or New South Welshmen. New South Wales' largest city and capital is Sydney. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4

Contents 1 History 1.1 Aborigines 1.2 European discovery 1.3 Settlement 1.4 1800s 1.5 Federation 1.6 Early 1900s 1.7 Postwar New South Wales 2 Government 2.1 Constitution 2.2 Parliament 2.3 Emergency services 3 Administrative divisions 4 People 4.1 Population 5 Education 5.1 Primary and Secondary 5.1.1 School Certificate 5.1.2 Higher School Certificate 5.2 Tertiary 6 Geography 7 Economy 8 Sport 9 The Arts 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

History

Main article: History of New South Wales

Aborigines

The original inhabitants of the area were Aboriginal tribes who arrived in Australia approximately forty to sixty thousand years ago. This article describes the history of the Australian state of New South Wales. This is an article about a class of people as identified and defined within Australian law See Prehistory of Australia for more details. The prehistory of Australia is the period between the first human habitation of the Australian continent and the first definitive sighting of Australia by Europeans

European discovery

The European discovery of New South Wales was made by Captain James Cook during his voyage along the East coast of Australia in 1770. Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

In the journal covering his survey of the eastern coast of the Australian continent, Cook first named the east coast of Australia "New Wales", which he later corrected in his journal to "New South Wales". ^[3]

Settlement

The first British settlement was made by what is known in Australian history as the First Fleet led by Captain Arthur Phillip who assumed the role of Governor of the settlement on arrival in 1788 until 1792. The written history of Australia began when Dutch explorers first sighted the country in the 17th century The First Fleet is the name given to the 11 Ships which sailed from Great Britain on 13 May 1787 to establish the first European colony in New South Wales. Admiral Arthur Phillip RN (11 October 1738 &ndash 31 August 1814 was a British naval Admiraland colonial administrator ^[4][5] During this time New South Wales was an entirely penal colony. A penal colony is a Settlement used to detain Prisoners and generally use them for Penal labour in an economically underdeveloped part of the state's

After years of chaos, anarchy and the overthrow of Governor William Bligh, a new Governor, Lieutenant-colonel (later Major-General) Lachlan Macquarie was sent from Britain to reform the settlement in 1809. The Rum Rebellion, also known as the Rum Puncheon Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia's recorded history Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817 was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB (31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824 Scottish Gaelic spelling Lachlan MacGuaire) British military officer ^[6] During his time as Governor, Macquarie commissioned the construction of roads, wharves, churches and public buildings, sent explorers across the continent and employed a planner to design the street layout of Sydney. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Macquarie's legacy is still evident today.

1800s

Later in the mid 19th century saw the gold rush and a huge influx in the New South Wales population. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar It is estimated that the population rose 33. 5 percent or 100,000 people in less than ten years.

Soon after the gold rush, settlers demanded a responsible government that could govern itself. Responsible government is a conception of a System of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster The result was the New South Wales Constitution Act of 1855, steered through the British Parliament by the veteran radical Lord John Russell, who wanted a constitution which balanced democratic elements against the interests of property, as did the Parliamentary system in Britain at this time. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories John Russell 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC (18 August 1792 &ndash 28 May 1878 known as Lord John Russell before 1861 was an English The Act created a bicameral Parliament of New South Wales, with a lower house, the Legislative Assembly, consisting of 54 members. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The Parliament of New South Wales is the supreme law making body in New South Wales, a state of Australia. The Legislative Assembly, or lower house is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales. As the population continued to rise, separate colonies were split off from greater NSW. Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland were formed as self-governing colonies reducing NSW to its present area.

Federation

As the 1800s drew to a close the movement toward federation between the Australian colonies gathered momentum. Conventions and forums involving colony leaders were held on a regular basis. NSW as a free trade state were in dispute with the other leading colony Victoria who had a protectionist economy. At this time customs posts were common on borders, even on the Murray River. Supporters of federation included the NSW premier Sir Henry Parkes whose 1889 speech in Tenterfield was pivotal in gathering support for NSW involvement. Sir Henry Parkes, GCMG (27 May 1815 – 27 April 1896 was an Australian statesman the "Father of Federation Tenterfield, is a town parish and Local Government Area (see Tenterfield Shire Council) in New South Wales, Australia. Edmund Barton later to become Australia's first Prime Minister was another strong advocate for federation and a meeting held in Corowa in 1893 drafted an initial constitution. Sir Edmund Barton, GCMG, QC (18 January 1849 – 7 January 1920 Australian politician and judge was the first Prime Minister of Australia and Corowa is a town in the state of New South Wales in Australia.

In 1898 popular referendums on the proposed federation were held in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. All votes resulted in a majority in favour, but the NSW government under Premier George Reid (popularly known as "yes-no Reid" due to his constant changes of opinion on the issue) had set a requirement for a higher "yes" vote than just a simple majority which was not met. George Reid may refer to George Reid (soldier (1733&ndash1815 American Revolutionary War general Sir George Reid (Scottish artist

In 1899 further referendums were held in the same states as well as Queensland (but not Western Australia). All resulted in yes votes with majorities increased from the previous year. NSW met the conditions its government had set for a yes vote. As a compromise to the question on where the capital was to be located, an agreement was made that the site was to be with-in NSW but not closer than 100 miles (161 km) from Sydney. Eventually the area that now forms the Australian Capital Territory was ceded by NSW when Canberra was selected. } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City.

Early 1900s

In the years after World War I, it was the farmers rather than the workers who were the most discontented and militant class in New South Wales. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The high prices enjoyed during the war fell with the resumption of international trade, and farmers became increasingly discontented with the fixed prices paid by the compulsory marketing authorities set up as a wartime measure by the Hughes government. William Morris 'Billy' Hughes, CH, KC (25 September 1862 &ndash 28 October 1952 Australian politician was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia In 1919 the farmers formed the Country Party, led at national level by Earle Page, a doctor from Grafton, and at state level by Michael Bruxner, a small farmer from Tenterfield. The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page, GCMG, CH (8 August 1880 &ndash 20 December 1961 Australian politician was the eleventh Prime Minister of Australia Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valleywhich has a population approaching 20000 Sir Michael Frederick Bruxner KBE, DSO ( 25 March 1882 &ndash 28 March 1970) was an Australian politician and soldier The Country Party used its reliable voting base to make demands on successive non-Labor governments, mainly to extract subsidies and other benefits for farmers, as well as public works in rural areas.

The Great Depression which began in 1929 ushered a period of unprecedented political and class conflict in New South Wales. The mass unemployment and collapse of commodity prices brought ruin to both city workers and to farmers. The beneficiary of the resultant discontent was not the Communist Party, which remained small and weak, but Jack Lang's Labor populism. This article is about the historical Communist Party of Australia dissolved in 1991 John Thomas Lang ( 21 December 1876 - 27 September 1975) Australian politician usually referred to as J Lang's second government was elected in November 1930 on a policy of repudiating New South Wales' debt to British bondholders and using the money instead to help the unemployed through public works. This was denounced as illegal by conservatives, and also by James Scullin's federal Labor government. James Henry Scullin (18 September 1876 &ndash 28 January 1953 Australian Labor Politician and ninth Prime Minister of Australia. The result was that Lang's supporters in the federal Caucus brought down Scullin's government, causing a second bitter split in the Labor Party. In May 1932 the Governor, Sir Philip Game dismissed his government. Air Vice Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game GCB, GCVO, GBE, KCMG, DSO ( 30 March 1876 – The subsequent election was won by the conservative opposition.

By the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the differences between New South Wales and the other states that had emerged in the 19th century had faded as a result of federation and economic development behind a wall of protective tariffs. Cowra is a town in the Central West During World War II, a Prisoner of war (POW camp near the town of Cowra in New South Wales, Australia was the site of one of World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including New South Wales continued to outstrip Victoria as the centre of industry, and increasingly of finance and trade as well. Labor returned to office under the moderate leadership of William McKell in 1941 and stayed in power for 24 years. Sir William John McKell GCMG (26 September 1891 - 11 January 1985 Australian politician was Premier of New South Wales from 1941 to 1947 and was World War II saw another surge in industrial development to meet the needs of a war economy, and also the elimination of unemployment.

Postwar New South Wales

Labor stayed in power until 1965. Towards the end of its term in power it announced a plan for the construction of an opera/arts facility on Bennelong Point. Bennelong Point is the location of the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia ( The design competition was won by Jørn Utzon. Jørn Utzon, AC (born 9 April 1918 is a Danish Architect most notable for designing the Sydney Opera House in Australia Controversy over the cost of what would eventually become the Sydney Opera House became a political issue and was a factor in the eventual defeat of Labor in 1965 by the conservative Liberal Party led by Sir Robert Askin. The Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney New South Wales, Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party. Sir Robert William Askin, GCMG ( April 4 1907 - September 9 1981) was Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975 Sir Robert remains a controversial figure with supporters claiming him to be reformist especially in terms of reshaping the NSW economy. Others though regard the Askin era has synonymous with corruption with Askin the head of a network involving NSW police and SP bookmaking (Goot).

In the late 1960s, a secessionist movement in the New England region of the state led to a referendum on the issue. New England is the name given to a region in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia. The new state would have consisted of much of northern NSW including Newcastle. The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie The referendum was narrowly defeated and there are no active or organised campaigns for new states in NSW beyond individuals. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita

Askin's resignation in 1975 was followed by a number of short lived premierships by Liberal Party leaders. When a general election came in 1976 the ALP under Neville Wran were returned to power. Neville Kenneth Wran AC QC (born 11 October 1926 was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986 Wran was able to transform this narrow one seat victory into landslide wins (known as Wranslide) in 1978 and 1981.

After winning a comfortable though reduced majority in 1984, Wran resigned as premier and left parliament. The present highway network in New South Wales, Australia was established in August 1928 when the Country Roads Board (the predecessor of the Department of Main Roads and the His replacement Barry Unsworth struggled to emerge from Wran's shadow and lost a 1988 election against a resurgent Liberal Party led by Nick Greiner. Barry Unsworth (born 8 August 1930) is a British novelist who is known for Novels with historical themes Nicholas Frank Hugo Greiner AC (born 27 April 1947) was the parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party in New South Wales, Unsworth was replaced as ALP leader by Bob Carr. Initially Greiner was a popular leader instigating reform such as the creation of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Greiner called a snap election in 1991 which the Liberals were expected to win. However the ALP polled extremely well and the Liberals lost their majority and needed the support of independents to retain power.

Greiner was accused (by ICAC) of corrupt actions involving an allegation that a government position was offered to tempt an independent (who had defected from the Liberals) to resign his seat so that the Liberal party could regain it and shore up its numbers. Greiner resigned but was later cleared of corruption. His replacement as Liberal leader and Premier was John Fahey. John Joseph Fahey AC (born 10 January, 1945) is the former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Although personally popular, Fahey's government suffered from a series of scandals including tax evasion, illegal recording of customer conversations, sexual harassment, and death threats. In the 1995 election, Fahey's government lost narrowly and the ALP under Bob Carr returned to power. Robert John Carr (born 28 September 1947 Australian politician was Premier of New South Wales from 25 March 1995 to 3 August 2005

Like Wran before him Carr was able to turn a narrow majority into landslide wins at the next two elections (1999 and 2003). During this era, NSW hosted the 2000 Sydney Olympics which were internationally regarded as very successful and helped boost Carr's popularity. "I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world the best Olympic Games ever Carr surprised most people by resigning from office in 2005. He was replaced by Morris Iemma who remains Premier and was re-elected in March 2007. Morris Iemma (ˈjɛmə (born 21 July 1961 is an Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr, who resigned on 3

Government

Main article: Government of New South Wales

Executive authority is vested in the Governor of New South Wales, who represents and is appointed by Queen Elizabeth II. Parliament House in Sydney is a complex of buildings housing the Parliament of New South Wales, a state of Australia. The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution which dates from 1856 although it has been amended many times since then The Governor of New South Wales is the representative in the Australian state of New South Wales of Australia's monarch, Elizabeth II, For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The current Governor is Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir (Lady Shehadie). Marie Roslyn Lady Shehadie, AC, CVO, DStJ (born 1930 known as Marie Bashir, is the current Governor of New South Wales and The Governor commissions as Premier the leader of the parliamentary political party that can command a simple majority of votes in the Legislative Assembly. The Premier then recommends the appointment of other Members of the two Houses to the Ministry, under the principle of responsible or Westminster government. The Westminster system is a democratic Parliamentary system of Government modelled after the British government (the Parliament of the United It should be noted, however, that as in other Westminster systems, there is no constitutional requirement in NSW for the Government to be formed from the Parliament - merely convention. The Premier is Morris Iemma of the Australian Labor Party. Morris Iemma (ˈjɛmə (born 21 July 1961 is an Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr, who resigned on 3

Constitution

The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then. Since 1901 New South Wales has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Australian Constitution regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Constitution of Australia is the law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates

Under the Australian Constitution, New South Wales ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained independence in all other areas. The Constitution of Australia is the law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates The New South Wales Constitution says: "The Legislature shall, subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, have power to make laws for the peace, welfare, and good government of New South Wales in all cases whatsoever. " In practice, however, the independence of the Australian states has been greatly eroded by the increasing financial domination of the Commonwealth.

Parliament

Political Party	Legislative Assembly	Legislative Council
ALP	52 (56%)	19 (45%)
Liberal	22 (24%)	10 (24%)
National	13 (14%)	5 (11%)
Independent/Other	6 (6%)	8 (20%)
Source: Parliament of New South Wales. The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party. The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. [7]

The State Parliament is composed of the Sovereign and two houses: the Legislative Assembly (lower house), and the Legislative Council (upper house). The Parliaments of the Australian states and territories are legislative bodies within the federal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Legislative Assembly, or lower house is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales. The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. Elections are held every four years on the fourth Saturday of March, the most recent being on 24 March 2007. Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. At each election one member is elected to the Legislative Assembly from each of 93 electoral districts and half of the 42 members of the Legislative Council are elected by a statewide electorate. The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is elected from 93 single-member electorates called districts.

Emergency services

New South Wales is policed by the New South Wales Police Force, a statutory authority. The New South Wales Police Force (NSW Police Force previously New South Wales Police Service & New South Wales Police is the primary Law enforcement agency in the State of Established in 1862, the NSW Police Force investigates Summary and Indictable offences throughout the State of New South Wales. The state has two fire services: the volunteer based New South Wales Rural Fire Service, mainly active in small towns and the countryside, and the New South Wales Fire Brigades, a government agency responsible for protecting urban areas. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and statutory body of the NSW Government The New South Wales Fire Brigades (NSWFB a New South Wales government agency for Firefighting in the major cities metropolitan areas and towns across rural There is some overlap due to suburbanisation. Ambulance services are provided through the Ambulance Service of New South Wales. The Ambulance Service of New South Wales (ASNSW is the main provider of pre-hospital emergency care and ambulance services in the state of New South Wales (NSW Australia

Administrative divisions

Further information: Local Government Areas of New South Wales

People

Population

The estimated population of New South Wales at the end of June 2007 was 6. The Local Government Areas of New South Wales, Australia have been subject to periodic bouts of restructuring and rationalisation by the State Government involving 89 million people. Population grew by 1. 1% over the preceding year,^[8] lower than the national rate of 1. 5%.

62. 9% of NSW's population is based in Sydney. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 ^[9]

Education

Primary and Secondary

The NSW school system comprises a kindergarten to year twelve system with primary schooling up to year 6 and secondary schooling between year 7 and 12. Sutton, meaning 'South Settlement' in Saxon is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Shire Sydney Grammar School (colloquially known as Grammar) is an independent, Secular, selective, Day school for boys located in Charles Sturt University ( CSU) is an Australian multi-campus University in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory Within these to sets of schooling are various stages. Stage 1 includes years 1 and 2 (Kindergarten is Early Stage 1, and is considered separate in terms of curriculum planning). Stage 2 incorporates years 3 and 4. This cycle continues until it reaches stage 6 and ends with the Higher School Certificate (HSC) in year 12. The Higher School Certificate, or HSC, is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete

Schooling is compulsory until age 15. ^[10] However, almost all students remain at school until completion of the School Certificate at the end of Year 10. The School Certificate is a qualification issued by the Board of Studies New South Wales, typically at the end of

School Certificate

Main article: School Certificate

The School Certificate is awarded by the Board of Studies to students at the end of Year 10. The School Certificate is a qualification issued by the Board of Studies New South Wales, typically at the end of The School Certificate is a qualification issued by the Board of Studies New South Wales, typically at the end of The Board of Studies is the state government education board in New South Wales, Australia. The Certificate is issued by the Board following completion of a Board-approved course of study and completion of the external tests.

The Board administers five external tests in English-literacy, Mathematics, Science, Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship. The tests have no pass or fail but are designed to grade a student on their ability. The results of this test are categorised into bands 1 through to 6 with band 1 as the lowest and band 6 as the highest. ^[11]

Higher School Certificate

Main article: Higher School Certificate

The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the usual Year 12 leaving certificate in NSW. The Higher School Certificate, or HSC, is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete Most students complete the HSC prior to entering the workforce or going on to study at college, university or TAFE (although the HSC itself can be completed at TAFE). The HSC must be completed for a student to get a University Admissions Index, which determines the students rank against fellow students who completed the Higher School Certificate.

Tertiary

Eleven universities primarily operate in New South Wales. Sydney is home to Australia's first university, the University of Sydney, founded in 1850, as well as the University of New South Wales, Macquarie University, the University of Technology, Sydney and the University of Western Sydney. The University of Sydney (informally Sydney Uni or USyd) is the oldest university in Australia For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link The University of New South Wales, also known as UNSW or colloquially as New South, is a University situated in Kensington, a suburb in Macquarie University is an Australian public University located in Sydney. The University of Technology Sydney ( UTS) is a University in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a University in New South Wales, Australia. The Australian Catholic University has two of its six campuses in Sydney, and the private University of Notre Dame Australia also operates a secondary campus in the city. Australian Catholic University, or ACU National, is Australia's only public Catholic university The University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA is a private Roman Catholic University established in 1990 in the Western Australian port

Outside Sydney, the leading universities are the University of Newcastle and the University of Wollongong. The University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965 and is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle New South The University of Wollongong (UOW is a public university with approximately 22000 students located in the coastal city of Wollongong, which is 80 kilometres south of Armidale is home to the University of New England, and Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University have campuses spread across cities in the state's south-west and north coast respectively. The University of New England ( UNE) is an Australian public university with approximately 18000 higher education students Charles Sturt University ( CSU) is an Australian multi-campus University in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory Southern Cross University ( SCU) is a University based on the Mid North and North coast of New South Wales, Australia.

The public universities are state government agencies, however they are largely regulated by the federal government, which also administers their public funding. Admission to NSW universities is arranged together with universities in the Australian Capital Territory by another government agency, the Universities Admission Centre. } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory

Primarily vocational training is provided up the level of advanced diplomas is provided by the state government's ten Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes. Technical and Further Education or TAFE (pronounced) institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational tertiary education courses in Australia These institutes run courses in over 130 campuses throughout the state.

Geography

Main article: Geography of New South Wales

New South Wales can be divided geographically into four sections:

• A coastal strip, with climates warming from cool temperate on the far south coast to subtropical near the Queensland border, including the regions south of Sydney such as the Illawarra, the Shoalhaven near Nowra, Newcastle, the Central Coast and the North Coast. The Three Sisters are a famous Rock formation in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. The Blue Mountains is a mountainous region in New South Wales, Australia, which borders Sydney 's metropolitan area beginning approximately 50 kilometres Coordinates: For the state electoral district see Electoral district of Coffs Harbour Thredbo ( is a village and Ski resort in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy River Shire. New South Wales ( NSW) is Australia's most populous state located in the east coast of the continent The Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. "Shoalhaven" redirects here For the river of the same name see Shoalhaven River. Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie The Central Coast is an urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie The North Coast refers to the region adjoining the Pacific Ocean in the north-eastern part of the State of New South Wales, Australia.
• The mountainous areas of the Great Dividing Range and the high country surrounding them. The Great Dividing Range, also known as the Eastern Highlands, is Australia 's most substantial Mountain range. Whilst not particularly steep, many peaks rise above 1,000 metres (3,280 ft), with the highest Mount Kosciuszko at 2,229 metres (7,308 ft). Mount Kosciuszko is a Mountain located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park. This includes the Southern Highlands, Central Tablelands, South West Slopes and the Northern Tablelands. The Southern Highlands, also locally referred to as the Highlands, is a geographical area in New South Wales, Australia, 103km south west of Sydney The Central Tablelands in New South Wales is an area that is between the Sydney Metropolitan Area and the Central West Slopes and Plains The South West Slopes is a region predominantly in New South Wales, Australia. The Northern Tablelands is a Plateau and a region of the Great Dividing Range in northern New South Wales, Australia.
• The western slopes that fill a significant portion of the state's area, with a much sparser population than the coast, includes the Riverina area around Wagga Wagga. The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales (NSW Australia Wagga Wagga
• The Western Plains comprising almost two-thirds of the state. ^[12]

The state is bordered on the north by Queensland, on the west by South Australia, and on the south by Victoria. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Its coast faces the Tasman Sea. The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, some 2000 Kilometres (1250 Miles across New South Wales contains two Federal enclaves: the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), and the Jervis Bay Territory. } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory The Jervis Bay Territory is a territory of the Commonwealth of Australia.

New South Wales' three major cities are Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong which all lie along the coast. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Other notable settlements include Albury, a large town which borders with Victoria; Broken Hill, the most westerly large town; Dubbo; Orange, Bowral, Bathurst, home of the Bathurst 1000; Port Macquarie, Tamworth, home to the country music festival; Armidale, Inverell, Lismore, Nowra, Gosford, Griffith, Queanbeyan, Leeton, Wagga Wagga, Goulburn, where a large proportion of Australia's fruit is grown and Coffs Harbour, a popular tourist destination. Albury is a city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. For the Local Government Area of Broken Hill see City of Broken Hill Broken Hill is an isolated Mining city and Local Government Area Dubbo is a city in the Central West Region of New South Wales, Australia. Orange is a provincial city in New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Mitchell Highway, west of Sydney at an altitude of. Bowral is a town located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. Bathurst is a regional centre in the state of New South Wales, Australia approximately 200km west of Sydney and is the seat of the Bathurst Regional Council The Bathurst 1000 (currently officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit Port Macquarie is a large town on the mid- North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, located about 390 km north of Sydney, and 570km south of Brisbane Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia Armidale (population 21660 is a university and cathedral city in northern New South Wales, Australia, in Armidale Dumaresq Council Inverell is a town in the north of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Macintyre River. Lismore is a sub-tropical city in New South Wales, Australia. Nowra is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 80km north of the Sydney Central business district Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. Queanbeyan is a city and local government area ( Queanbeyan City Council) in south eastern New South Wales, Australia. Leeton is a town and Local Government Area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Wagga Wagga Goulburn is a provincial City in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council. Coordinates: For the state electoral district see Electoral district of Coffs Harbour

Highest maximum temperature: 50. 0 °C (122. 0 °F), Wilcannia, 11 January 1939

Lowest minimum temperature: -23. Wilcannia is a small town with a population of 759 located within the Central Darling Shire in north western New South Wales, Australia. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 0 °C (-9. 4 °F), Charlotte Pass, 29 June 1994 (lowest temperature recorded in whole of Australia excluding the Antarctic Territory). Charlotte Pass is a location (elev 1837m in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia where the Kosciuszko Road crosses Events 512 - A Solar eclipse is recorded by a monastic chronicler in Ireland. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) ^[13]

Economy

Main article: Economy of New South Wales

Since the 1970s, New South Wales has undergone an increasingly rapid economic and social transformation. The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales (NSW Australia Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species History At the time of Federation New South Wales was a free trading state (as opposed to protectionist with a broad revenue base including income tax Old industries such as steel and shipbuilding have largely disappeared, and although agriculture remains important its share of the state's income is smaller than ever before. New industries such as information technology and financial services are largely centred in Sydney and have risen to take their place with many companies having their Australian headquarters in Sydney CBD. The Sydney Central business district (CBD and also referred to as the City) is the main commercial centre of Sydney, the capital of New In addition, the Macquarie Park area of Sydney has attracted the Australian headquarters of many information technology firms. Macquarie Park is a Suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Macquarie Park is a Suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Coal and related products are the state's biggest export. Its value to the state's economy is over A$5 billion accounting for about 19% of all exports from NSW. ^[14]

Tourism has also become important, with Sydney as its centre but also stimulating growth on the North Coast, around Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. Tourism is worth over $23 billion to the New South Wales economy and employs over 8% of the workforce. ^[15]

New South Wales had a Gross State Product in 2006 (equivalent to Gross Domestic Product) of A$310 billion which equalled A$45,584 per capita. The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas ^[16]

On 9 October 2007, NSW announced plans to build a 1,000 MW (megawatt) bank of wind powered turbines. The output of these is anticipated to be able to power up to 400,000 homes. The cost of this project will be $1. 8 billion for 500 turbines. ^[17]

Sport

Main article: Sport in New South Wales

Throughout Australian history, NSW sporting teams have been very successful in both winning domestic competitions and providing players to the Australian national teams. EnergyAustralia Stadium is a Football Stadium located in Newcastle New South Wales, Australia. The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Newcastle New South Wales. The Bathurst 1000 (currently officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit Mount Panorama Circuit is a Motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. Bathurst is a regional centre in the state of New South Wales, Australia approximately 200km west of Sydney and is the seat of the Bathurst Regional Council Sport is an important part of the culture of the Australian state of New South Wales. The NSW Blues play in the Ford Ranger Cup and Pura Cup cricket competitions, the NSW Waratahs in the Super 14 rugby union competition and The 'Blues' represent NSW in the annual Rugby League State of Origin series. The New South Wales Blues (referred to as the Speed Blitz Blues for sponsorship purposes are an Australian first class cricket team based in The New South Wales Waratahs (referred to as HSBC Waratahs for sponsorship reasons the Waratahs or simply the ' Tahs) are an Australian The Super 14 is the largest Rugby union football club championship in the Southern hemisphere, consisting of four state teams from Australia (Queensland/Reds The New South Wales Rugby League team represents the state of New South Wales annually in the Rugby League State of Origin competition against arch-rivals Queensland State of Origin is an annual best-of-three series of Rugby league matches between the Maroons, representing the state of Queensland, and the Blues

As well as the State of Origin, the headquarters of the Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League (NRL) are in Sydney, which is home to 8 of the 16 National Rugby League (NRL) teams. This article is about the general concept of State of Origin For specific information on the annual series of Rugby league games in Australia see the Rugby League The Australian Rugby League (ARL is the governing body for the Sport of Rugby league in Australia (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Wests Tigers, Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles), as well as being the northern home of the St George Illawarra Dragons, which is half-based in Wollongong. The South Sydney Rabbitohs, also known as Souths, The Bunnies, SSFC or The Rabbits, are an Australian professional Rugby league The Sydney Roosters is a professional Rugby league club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional Rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are an Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla New South Wales in the Sutherland Shire, south of Sydney The Wests Tigers are a professional Rugby league football club in the National Rugby League (NRL the premier Rugby league competition in Australasia The Penrith Panthers is an Australian professional Rugby league football team The Bulldogs Rugby League Football Club (formerly Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and "The Berries") are an Australian professional Rugby league The Manly - Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional Rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney The St George Illawarra Dragons are an Australian professional Rugby league football team A tenth team, the Newcastle Knights is located in Newcastle. The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional Rugby league football team based in Newcastle New South Wales. The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie The main summer sport is cricket, and the state boasts arguably the most competitive cricket outside first class level in the Sydney Grade Cricket competition. First-class cricket refers to the class of Cricket matches of three or more days scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players and officially adjudged first-class by Sydney Grade Cricket is a Cricket competition played in Sydney Australia.

The state is represented by three teams in soccer's A-League: Sydney FC (the inaugural champions in 2005-06), the Central Coast Mariners, based at Gosford and the Newcastle United Jets (2007-08 A League Champions). Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The A-League is the premier Australasian domestic Association football competition Sydney FC, founded in 2004, is an Australian Association football (soccer club based in Sydney and competes in Australia's premier competition Central Coast Mariners Football Club, also known as The Mariners or The Coast, are an Australian professional football (soccer team For the English club see Newcastle United FC Newcastle United Jets is an association football (soccer club based in Soccer has the highest number of registered players in New South Wales of any football code. ^[18] Australian rules football has historically not been strong in New South Wales outside the Riverina region. Australian (rules football, or simply known as football, footy or Aussie rules, is a Team sport played between two teams of 18 players The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales (NSW Australia However, the Sydney Swans relocated from South Melbourne in 1982 and their presence and success since the late 1990s has raised the profile of Australian rules football, especially after their AFL premiership in 2005. The Sydney Swans is an Australian Football League (AFL club based in Sydney, New South Wales. South Melbourne is an inner-southern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Australian (rules football, or simply known as football, footy or Aussie rules, is a Team sport played between two teams of 18 players Other teams in national competitions include basketball's Sydney Kings, West Sydney Razorbacks and Sydney Uni Flames, and netball's Sydney Swifts. History The Kings were formed from a merger between the West Sydney Westars and the Sydney Supersonics in 1988 The Sydney Swifts were an Australian Netball team playing in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy.

Sydney was the host of the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 1938 British Empire Games. "I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world the best Olympic Games ever The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games being the modern-day equivalent The Olympic Stadium, now known as Telstra Stadium is the scene of the annual NRL Grand Final. Stadium Australia, presently known as ANZ Stadium, is a multi-purpose Stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush, Sydney It also regularly hosts rugby league State of Origin games and rugby union internationals, and has recently hosted the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the soccer World Cup qualifier between Australia and Uruguay. The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby union world cup and was won by England. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament The Australian national football team represents Australia in international association football competitions The Uruguay national football team is controlled by the Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol.

The Sydney Cricket Ground hosts the 'New Year' cricket test match from 2-6 January each year, and is also one of the sites for the finals of the One Day International series. The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG is a sports Stadium in Sydney. Test cricket is the longest form of the Sport of Cricket. It has long been considered the ultimate test of playing ability between cricketing nations Note Most of the information here pertains to men's cricket ODI matches are also played in Women's cricket. The annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race begins in Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day. For the current edition of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race see 2007 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The climax of Australia's touring car racing series is the Bathurst 1000, held near the city of Bathurst. Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct Auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars The Bathurst 1000 (currently officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit Bathurst is a regional centre in the state of New South Wales, Australia approximately 200km west of Sydney and is the seat of the Bathurst Regional Council

The Arts

New South Wales is home to several artistic bodies including: the Sydney Symphony (Australia's busiest and largest orchestra) and Opera Australia (head office in Sydney) both of which perform a subscription series at the Sydney Opera House. Kevin Charpoo "Pro" Hart, MBE (30 May 1928 – 28 March 2006 born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, was considered the father of the Australian For the Local Government Area of Broken Hill see City of Broken Hill Broken Hill is an isolated Mining city and Local Government Area The Sydney Symphony is a Symphony orchestra based in Sydney, Australia. Opera Australia which is based in Sydney, is Australia 's major Opera company The Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney New South Wales, Australia The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), houses a significant collection of Australian art; other major spaces include the Sydney Jewish Museum, the Museum of Sydney and the Museum of Contemporary Art. The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW located in The Domain in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, is the most important The Sydney Jewish Museum in Sydney Australia identifies the 16 Jews who arrived on the First Fleet and describes life for those people and their families The Museum of Sydney is built on the ruins of the house of New South Wales' first Governor Arthur Phillip on the present-day corner of Phillip and Bridge Streets Sydney Besides this Sydney is host to the Australian Ballet for its Sydney season (the ballet is headquartered in Melbourne). The Australian Ballet was founded in 1962 and had its first performance at Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Sydney is home to five Arts teaching organisations which have all produced world famous students: The National Art School, The College of Fine Arts, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), the Australian School of Film, Radio and Television and the Conservatorium of Music (now part of the University of Sydney). The National Institute of Dramatic Art ( NIDA) is an Australian national training institute for students of Theatre, Film, and Television The University of Sydney (informally Sydney Uni or USyd) is the oldest university in Australia The world famous Australian Chamber Orchestra has its headquarters in Sydney, however, spends most of its time touring both the world and Australia.

See also

• 1994 Eastern seaboard fires
• Bureau of Meteorology (Australia)
• Cancer Institute of New South Wales
• Cities of New South Wales
• List of highways in New South Wales
• Local Government Areas of New South Wales
• National Parks in New South Wales
• Northern Star (New South Wales newspaper)
• New South Wales Rural Fire Service
• Royal New South Wales Regiment
• Stamps and postal history of New South Wales
• States and territories of Australia
• Supreme Court of New South Wales
• Territorial evolution of Australia
• New South Wales wine

References

External links

• Australia - Map of South East Australia from Geoscience Australia
• NSW Official State Website
• NSW Parliament
• NSW Police
• NSW State Law
• NSW State Library - History of Our Nation
• NSW Weather and Sydney Weather
• NSW Directory - from the Open Directory Project

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