Coowonga, Queensland

Coowonga Queensland
Coowonga
Coordinates	23°18′42″S150°43′29″E / 23.3116°S 150.7247°E / -23.3116; 150.7247 (Coowonga (centre of locality)) Coordinates: 23°18′42″S150°43′29″E / 23.3116°S 150.7247°E / -23.3116; 150.7247 (Coowonga (centre of locality))
Population	255 (SAL 2021) [1]
Postcode(s)	4702
Area	25.3 km2 (9.8 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	14.9 km (9 mi) WSW of Emu Park 20.8 km (13 mi) SSW of Yeppoon 40.8 km (25 mi) NE of Rockhampton 675 km (419 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Shire of Livingstone
State electorate(s)	Keppel
Federal division(s)	Capricornia
Localities around Coowonga: Cawarral Coorooman Coorooman Tungamull Coowonga Keppel Sands Tungamull Tungamull Joskeleigh

Coowonga is a rural locality in the Shire of Livingstone, Central Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2021 census, Coowonga had a population of 255 people. ^[3]

Geography

Coowonga is located in coastal hills at the southern end of the Capricorn Coast. It is six kilometres from the Pacific Ocean and the nearest township of Keppel Sands.^{[ citation needed ]}

Much of the district south of Coowonga Road is grazing and fruit-growing land, while to the north lie tidal salt flats that back onto Coorooman Creek.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Rockhampton–Emu Park Road runs through from west to north. ^[4]

History

Coowonga is the traditional land of the Darumbal Aboriginal tribe, as is all of the Capricornia region.

Coowonga Provision School opened on 9 August 1897. It became Coowonga State School on 1 January 1909. ^[5]

In the 2006 census, Coowonga had a population of 558 people. ^[6]

Prior to local government amalgamations in 2008, the Capricorn Coast was administered by Livingstone Shire Council but became part of Rockhampton Region in 2008. In 2014, following a deamalgamation vote, the Shire of Livingstone was re-established.

In the 2011 census, Coowonga had a population of 260 people. ^[7]

In the 2016 census, Coowonga had a population of 254 people. ^[8]

In the 2021 census, Coowonga had a population of 255 people. ^[3]

Economy

Coowonga is a rural community with a focus on primary production.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Koorana Crocodile Farm, on the banks of Coorooman Creek, opened in November 1981 as the first commercial crocodile farm in Queensland. It also operates as a tourist attraction. ^[9] At 2014, it had 3,000 crocodiles and supplies crocodile leather and crocodile meat. ^[10]

Education

Coowonga State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 269 Coowonga Road ( 23°18′09″S150°43′52″E / 23.3026°S 150.7311°E / -23.3026; 150.7311 (Coowonga State School) ). ^{[11] [12]} In 2015, it had an enrolment of 19 students with 3 teachers (2 equivalent full-time). ^[13] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 17 students with 4 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent). ^[14]

There is no secondary school in Coowonga. The nearest government secondary school is Yeppoon State High School in Yeppoon to the north. ^[15]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Coowonga (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. "Coowonga (entry 48587)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 1 November 2016.
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Coowonga (SAL)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
4. Google (6 August 2022). "Coowonga, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
5. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
6. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Coowonga(SSC)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
7. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Coowonga (SSC)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
8. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Coowonga (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
9. "Koorana Crocodile Farm" . Retrieved 2 November 2016.
10. "Croc Season Public Talks". Museum of Tropical Queensland. 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
11. "State and non-state school details". Queensland Government. 9 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
12. "Coowonga State School" . Retrieved 21 November 2018.
13. "2015 School Report" (PDF). Coowonga State School. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
14. "ACARA School Profile 2018". Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority . Retrieved 28 January 2020.
15. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 7 March 2023.

Further reading

• Coowonga State School (1987), A brief history of Coowonga State School 1897-1987, Coowonga State School, retrieved 2 November 2016