Orange (New South Wales)

Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is 254km west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of 862m. Orange had an estimated urban population of 39,755 as of June 2016 making the city a significant regional centre. According to the, the key employment sectors within the City of Orange local government area include health care & social assistance, retail and the education & training sector. A significant nearby landmark is Mount Canobolas. With a peak elevation of 1395m it gives commanding views of the district.Orange is the birthplace of poets Banjo Paterson and Kenneth Slessor, although Paterson lived in Orange for only a short time as an infant. Walter W. Stone, book publisher (Wentworth Books) and passionate supporter of Australian literature, was also born in Orange. The first Australian Touring Car Championship, known today as V8 Supercar Championship Series, was held at the Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit in 1960.HistoryIn 1822 Captain Percy Simpson marched into the Wellington District and established a convict settlement which was called "Blackman's Swamp" after James Blackman; Simpson had employed James Blackman as a guide because he had already accompanied an earlier explorer, John Oxley into that region.