Urana

Urana /jəˈrænə/ is a small town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia.

Urana is located between Lockhart and Jerilderie, about 561 kilometres (349 mi) southwest of the state capital, Sydney. To the west lies Lake Urana and the Lake Urana Nature Reserve. To the east lies a smaller lake, Lake Uranagang.

Urana is the major town and headquarters of Urana Shire. The shire includes the localities of Boree Creek, Morundah, Oaklands and Rand. The Urana district is used for raising sheep and for growing wheat and other grain crops.

In the 2011 census, there were 300 people in Urana (State Suburbs) of these 51.7% were male and 48.3% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 1.7% of the population.

History

Urana was first settled by Europeans during the 1850s. In May 1859 a design for the "Town of Urana" by Surveyor Hayes was approved by the New South Wales Executive Council.  The name Urana comes from the Aboriginal word 'airana', meaning a temporary shelter (usually consisting of a simple frame of branches covered with bark, leaves, or grass).