JUNEE

town, south central New South Wales, Australia, just north of Wagga Wagga in the fertile Riverina district. Founded in 1863 as Jewnee, it was known as Jewnee Junction or Loftus when proclaimed a town in 1883 and was gazetted a municipality in 1886. It became a shire in 1981. Its name is Aboriginal for speak to me. On the main southern rail line from Sydney (216 mi northeast), Junee has large locomotive maintenance and storage facilities that were hard hit by dieselization of the railroads. It serves an area of wheat and sheep farms and vineyards. On the Olympic Way to Sydney, the town holds the annual Riverina Schoolboys' Rugby Football Carnival. Pop. (1981) 3,993.