stopped (or burnt out) near Nowra on the South Coast. 1998 Bushfire Fire again marred the town in 1998 and Deputy Fire Captain David Quinlivan died when the water tanker he was driving was overrun by fire. Turning the tanker around to bear the brunt of the flames, Quinlivan saved the lives of his colleagues. During the blaze seven other volunteer firefighters suffered serious burns. For his actions, David was posthumously awarded the Commissioner's Medal of Valour alongside fellow firefighter Michael Young - the highest internal award of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service. Wingello has since recovered and its modern resurgence can be attributed to its tranquility and the idyllic life-style it offers. The hamlet nestles in the midst of pine and eucalypt forests and is approximately 1.5 hours from both Sydney and Canberra. The area has attracted many artists, particularly writers, and is the home of published authors and professional writers who find the environment conducive to prodigious creative output. 2020 Bushfire In January 2020 the town was again affected by a bushfire during the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season. Several homes were destroyed. Facilities Wingello has a general store and post office, along with a railway station, public school, Rural Fire Service station and a park with a playground. There is also a cricket oval (named after cricketer Bill O'Reilly, who spent part of his childhood in Wingello) and a village hall, used for local community events. The nearby Wingello State Forest is in popular use for bike rides, rock-climbing, orienteering and sled-dog races. Population Wingello's population at the was 573. At the 2021 census, there were 647 people living in Wingello. Heritage listings Wingello has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Main Southern railway: Wingello railway station Notable people Bill O'Reilly (cricketer) References Towns of the Southern Highlands (New South Wales) Wingecarribee Shire