The Rock

Murrumbidgee & ACT

This small rural town, close to Wagga Wagga, is known for its most prominent feature The Rock.

A Grouping

MMM5

Location

Located in the Riverina, The Rock is 31 km (less than 30 min) drive to Wagga Wagga and 488 km (more than 5hr drive) south west of Sydney.

The town's namesake The Rock, is located in The Rock Nature Reserve - Kengal Aboriginal Place. Given its proximity to Wagga Wagga the area is popular for picnics, walking, birdwatching and rock climbing.

How to get there

The closet airport to The Rock is Wagga Wagga airport (35 min drive), Regional Express (Rex) and QantasLink offer flights from Wagga Wagga to Sydney and Melbourne.

The Sydney – Melbourne railway line passes through Wagga Wagga with twice daily services.

Population

The Rock is home to nearly 900 people, the median age of residents is 46 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up almost 4% of the population.

The Rock is located within the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network. The healthcare needs in the region are identified in this health needs assessment.

Healthcare facilities

The nearest hospitals are in Wagga Wagga, approximately 30 min drive from The Rock.

Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital is the largest referral hospital within Greater Southern Area Health Service, it is also one of the busiest rural referral hospitals in NSW. With more than 300 beds it provides medical, surgical, maternity, paediatric, community health and rehabilitation services for residents across the region. It also provides a full range of allied health services and support services.

Calvary Riverina Hospital is a 100-bed private hospital and includes the Calvary Riverina SurgiCentre for day surgery. Riverina Day Surgery provides a wide range of specialist surgical services it has 12 first stage recovery beds, 10 second stage recovery chairs, three operating theatres and an IVF lab.

The Rock is support by an Ambulance Service of NSW station in Wagga Wagga.

Accredited GP practices

Glenrock Country Practice – The Rock

Industry

The major industry sectors employing residents of The Rock are: hospitals (except psychiatric hospitals), aged care residential services, supermarket and grocery stores, road freight transport and meat processing.

Education

The Rock has one school - The Rock Central School (K-12). Wagga Wagga (30 mins drive away) has more than twenty primary schools and eight secondary schools which offer an array of educational choices.

Childcare

For young families, The Rock offers a preschool. Nearby Wagga Wagga city offers a wide range of options suitable for children from 6 weeks to school aged, for occasional care, long day care, family day care and pre-school.

Shopping

The Rock has an IGA, newsagency and a butcher. The nearby regional centre of Wagga Wagga offers a range of shopping options in several shopping precincts that feature most of the well-known national chains including Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Myer, Kmart, Target, Big W, Harvey Norman and Officeworks.

Places of worship

Within The Rock/Wagga Wagga area there are many places of worship including Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Uniting and Presbyterian churches and a mosque.

Points of interest

This pleasant town has a 1920s feel and is located within a large wool and wheat growing area. According to the NSW NPWS if you climb The Rock on a clear day you can see the snow-capped peak of Mount Kosciuszko far in the distance, as well as the Bogong Range and Victorian Alps. Apart from climbing The Rock via the Yerong walking track, The Towers is a popular spot for rock sports and photographers and birdwatchers who want to view peregrine falcons.

Sporting activities

Sporting clubs in The Rock include football, netball and bowling. Nearby Wagga Wagga is home to a range of sporting facilities and clubs including all football codes, netball, hockey, swimming, equestrian, tennis and golf.

Community groups and activities

There are numerous communities, service and social groups in Wagga Wagga, which is a 30 min drive away, including Wagga Wagga Four Wheel Drive Club, Wagga Clown Club, Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga and South Wagga Lions Club.