Mudgee - New South Wales

Mudgee is a town in central New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley 261 kilometres north west of Sydney. As of 2004, Mudgee is the centre of the Mid-Western Regional Council Local Government Area with a population of 24,000 (2006 est). The town itself has about 10,000 inhabitants (2006 est). Average temperatures range between 15 and 40 degrees Celsius in the summer (December - February) and -3 and 15 degrees Celsius in the winter (June-August). The average annual rainfall is 650 mm. The Mudgee district is well known for its fine wine. Mudgee has developed as a wine producing region and is a popular destination for people to visit the forty wineries operating in the Mudgee district. Other rural produce includes cattle, sheep, wheat, lucerne, olives, fruit, tomatoes, corn, honey and dairy products. The Ulan coal mines are in the district. During the 19th century, the area was a major goldmining area and the district also produces marble, pottery clays, shale and dolomite. The tourism industry is also a growing industry based largely on the wineries. A laboratory was established in 1987 to test meat for pesticide residues. The Mudgee local economy has a domestic production of around $550 million each year. This comes mainly from the primary and tertiary industries. Housing growth in Mudgee had a growth rate of 17% within the last 5 years. Mudgee also has the second highest median house price west of the great dividing range of $236 500, compared with Bathurst at $236 700. Mudgee has a greater number of grape vines in the ground than the Hunter Valley . The Hunter Valley receives over 200 000 visitors each year, Mudgee attracts only around 10% of that number. Mudgee has an hospitality sector with many bed & breakfasts, cafes and restaurants which add flair to its diverse wine community.