Wauchope

Wauchope, New South Wales, Australia

Wauchope, town, eastern coastal New South Wales, Australia. It lies about 12 miles (20 km) above the mouth of the Hastings River, just west of Port Macquarie.

Wauchope was named for Captain Wauch, an early settler. Its traditional economy was based on lumbering and the manufacture of wood products, but in the late 20th century the timber industry declined in importance, and agriculture and tourism grew. The town serves a district of mixed farming, including the raising of beef cattle, pigs, and fruit and vegetable crops. Wauchope is located on the Oxley Highway near the Pacific Highway junction and is connected to Sydney (about 190 miles [305 km] southwest) and Brisbane (about 275 miles [440 km] north) by rail. The town is close to Willi Willi and Werrikimbe national parks and the Gondwana Rainforests. Wauchope’s history as a lumber town is commemorated at Timbertown Heritage Theme Park, a local attraction. Pop. (2006) urban centre, 5,503; (2011) urban centre, 6,372.