Cooranbong, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cooranbong Greater Newcastle, New South Wales
Cooranbong Location in the Hunter-Central Coast Region
Population	7,077 (2021 census)
• Density	1,573/km2 (4,070/sq mi)
Established	1826
Postcode(s)	2265
Elevation	20 m (66 ft)
Area	4.5 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Location	6 km (4 mi) NW of Morisset 118 km (73 mi) N of Sydney 50 km (31 mi) SW of Newcastle 40 km (25 mi) N of The Entrance 31 km (19 mi) N of Wyong
LGA(s)	City of Lake Macquarie
Parish	Coorumbung
State electorate(s)	Lake Macquarie
Federal Division(s)	Hunter
Suburbs around Cooranbong: Martinsville Freemans Waterhole Awaba Martinsville Cooranbong Dora Creek Lemon Tree Mandalong Morisset

Cooranbong is a town located in the City of Lake Macquarie, which is part of Greater Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. It sits west of the town of Morisset, just off the M1 Pacific Motorway. Cooranbong is surrounded by the beautiful Watagans National Park.

The name "Cooranbong" comes from an Aboriginal word. It means "rocky bottom creek" or "water over rocks".

A large number of people in Cooranbong belong to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In the 2021 census, about 23.5% of the people in Cooranbong were Seventh-day Adventists. This is a higher percentage than any other religious group, except for those who reported having "no religion".

A Look at Cooranbong's Past

The Watagan Mountains are west of Cooranbong.

Early Days and First People

The Awabakal Aboriginal people were the first inhabitants of the land now known as Cooranbong. They lived here long before European settlers arrived. We don't know exactly how long they lived as a single group. We also don't know much about their interactions with other groups.

European Settlement and Growth

The first European settler was Lieutenant Percy Simpson in 1826. He received a large piece of land, about 2,000 acres (800 hectares). Six convicts helped him clear the land, raise cattle, and build a home near Dora Creek.

Simpson only stayed for two years. However, one of his convicts, Moses Carroll, became a stockman in the area. He later became the local police constable.

The town began to grow after the Robertson Land Act of 1861. This law encouraged more people to settle there. A Catholic church was built, followed by a school. A police station and courthouse opened in 1873, and a post office in 1881. An Anglican church was also built.

Timber cutting was the main business in the 1880s. The town's population grew to about 700 people.

Changes with the Railway

The Sanitarium Health Food Company factory in Cooranbong.

In the 1880s, a railway line was built from Sydney to Newcastle. This line passed about 5 kilometers (3 miles) east of Cooranbong's center. The train station and nearby settlement were first called Cooranbong. But they later became known as Morisset.

This was a big problem for Cooranbong's economy. The town also faced a major economic downturn happening across the colony. As a result, Cooranbong's population dropped to just 206 people by 1891.

The economic problems continued until the Seventh-day Adventist Church arrived. They bought 1,500 acres (600 hectares) of land near Dora Creek. There, they built Avondale School for Christian Workers in 1897. They also started the Sanitarium Health Food Company in 1909. These new developments helped the town recover.

Cooranbong Today

Cooranbong is located at the base of the Watagan Mountains. It has been growing quickly, especially because of the Watagan Park estate. This planned community has brought over 1,000 families to the area. Another 2,000 families are expected to move in over the next few years. People like Watagan Park because it is close to nature and offers many fun activities. It also has good schools like Avondale School and Avondale University.

New Town Centre

A new Town Centre is being built within the Watagan Park estate. It is expected to open in late 2025. This center will have 23 special shops and a Woolworths supermarket. It will also offer different types of homes. This development helps meet the demand for good, family-friendly living in the area. Cooranbong is becoming one of the fastest-growing places in the Lake Macquarie region.

Johnson Property Group, led by developer Keith Johnson, is working to improve life for residents. They plan to add more parks, hiking and biking trails. They also want to make it easy to get to Lake Macquarie for boating and water sports. The goal is to create a community where people can live well, enjoy convenience, and connect with nature.

Avondale Estate

The Avondale Estate is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is located across from the main shops in Cooranbong. This estate is home to Avondale University, which is a Seventh-day Adventist university. It also has the Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company, Avondale College Church, and Avondale Memorial Church. There is also a retirement village and a disused dairy farm. Many Avondale University students and staff live on the estate.

Cooranbong also has St Patrick's & St Brigid's Catholic Church. This small church was built in 1906. It replaced an older church from 1861. The oldest gravestone in its cemetery is from 1862.

Sunnyside Historic Home

Sunnyside Historic Home was built by Seventh-day Adventist Church co-founder Ellen G. White. She lived there for six years, from 1895 to 1900, while she was in Australia. She bought the 40 acres of land from the church to help fund the development of the school.

Ellen White wrote important parts of her famous books at Sunnyside. One of these was The Desire of Ages, which is about the life of Christ. She was also very important in starting Avondale College. Her home is located near the college campus. The Australasian (now South Pacific) Division of the church bought Sunnyside in 1960. They restored the home, and it is now open for tours.

Cooranbong's Weather

Cooranbong has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm summers and mild winters.

Schools and Learning

Cooranbong has several schools and a university:

• Cooranbong Public School (for students from Kindergarten to Year 6, a public school)
• Avondale School (for students from Kindergarten to Year 12, a private Christian school)
• Avondale University (offers university-level degrees, a private Christian university)

Who Lives in Cooranbong?

The 2016 census counted 5,449 people living in Cooranbong.

• The average age of people in Cooranbong was 43 years old. This is a bit older than the average age for all of New South Wales, which was 38 years.
• Most people (77.7%) were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were New Zealand (4.6%) and England (2.5%).
• A large majority (88.3%) of people spoke only English at home.
• For religion, the most common answers were Seventh-day Adventist (30.8%), No Religion (19.1%), Anglican (13.7%), and Catholic (10.8%).
• The average weekly income for households was $1,232.

Famous People from Cooranbong

• Lindy Chamberlain (born 1948): She is known for a famous trial where she was wrongly accused of causing the death of her baby daughter, Azaria, in 1980.
• Michael Chamberlain (1944–2017): He was Lindy's ex-husband. He was also wrongly accused in connection with Azaria's death. He was a pastor, teacher, and writer.
• Elsa Klensch (1930–2022): Born in Cooranbong, she was a fashion journalist and TV presenter. She hosted the show Style with Elsa Klensch.
• Ellen G. White: She was important in starting the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She lived in Cooranbong and helped found Avondale School.