Cooroy, Queensland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids CooroySunshine Coast, Queensland |
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Myall Street, Cooroy
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 Cooroy
Location in Queensland
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| Population | 4,801 (2021 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 175.2/km2 (454/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1885 | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 4563 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 116 m (381 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 27.4 km2 (10.6 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10:00) | ||||||||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Noosa | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) |
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| Federal Division(s) | Wide Bay | ||||||||||||||
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Cooroy is a friendly rural town in Queensland, Australia. It's part of the Shire of Noosa. In 2021, about 4,801 people lived there. Cooroy is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and community spirit.
Contents
Discovering Cooroy's Location
Cooroy is located inland from the northern Sunshine Coast. It's about 22 kilometres (14 miles) west of Noosa Heads. The main highway, called the Bruce Highway, goes through the area. However, it bypasses the town centre itself. West Cooroy National Park is a protected natural area found to the west of Cooroy.
Cooroy's Story: A Look Back in Time
How Cooroy Got Its Name
The name Cooroy comes from Mount Cooroy. This mountain was originally called Coorooey. This is an Aboriginal word for kurui, which means possum.
Early Days and Growth
People started exploring this area for timber as early as 1863. Cooroy's main industries grew from cutting timber to dairying and fruit farming. A butter factory opened in 1915.
Cooroy officially became a town in 1885. A large area of land, about 5,507 acres, stretched west from Mount Cooroy.
Important Milestones
The Cooroy railway station opened in 1891. A post office also started that same year. In 1907, a survey was done to plan the town. In April 1908, 131 town lots were sold near the railway station. Most of these lots were about a quarter of an acre in size.
Cooroy State School first opened its doors on 18 January 1909. It had 18 students and Robert Thorney Bolton was the headmaster. The school building was 7 by 5 metres (23 by 16 feet) and had two verandas.
In 1910, people started talking about building a Methodist Church in Cooroy. It officially opened on 31 January 1912. Later, in 1949, a new church building opened. The old one became the church hall. When the Methodist Church joined with others in 1977, it became the Cooroy Uniting Church.
The Anglican Church of the Holy Nativity was built in 1914. Sadly, a cyclone destroyed it in 1954. A new church was built and opened later that same year.
Schools and Education
A secondary department was added to Cooroy State School in 1961. This led to the opening of Cooroy State High School in 1963. In 1967, it was renamed Noosa District State High School. In 2007, another school, Cooroora Secondary College, joined with Noosa District State High School. Younger students went to the Pomona campus, and older students went to the Cooroy campus.
Noosa Christian College opened on 28 January 2003 as a primary school. It started with 37 students. By 2007, it also offered classes for secondary students.
Modern Developments
The Noosa Botanic Gardens opened in 1990 near Lake Macdonald. In 1991, the old Butter Factory buildings were bought by the council. They are now used as an arts centre for the community.
A bypass was built in 1994, which helped traffic flow better around the town. The Cooroy Library opened in 2010. The Hinterland Adventure Playground, a fun place for kids, opened on 6 May 2022. West Cooroy National Park was officially opened on 25 January 2023.
Who Lives in Cooroy?
In 2016, Cooroy had a population of 3,791 people. By 2021, the number of people living in Cooroy had grown to 4,801.
Historic Places to See
Cooroy has some special places that are protected for their history:
- Lower Mill Road: Cooroy Lower Mill Site Kiln
- 33 Maple Street: Cooroy Post Office
- 14 Myall Street: Cooroy railway station
Learning in Cooroy
Cooroy has several schools for students of all ages.
- Cooroy State School is a government primary school for students from Prep to Year 6. It's located at 59 Elm Street. In 2018, about 492 students attended the school.
- Noosa District State High School is a government secondary school for students from Year 7 to Year 12. You can find it on Tulip Street. In 2018, the school had about 1,274 students.
- Noosa Christian College is a private school that teaches students from Prep all the way to Year 12. It's located at 20 Cooroy Belli Creek Road. This school is run by Adventist Schools Australia. In 2018, about 252 students were enrolled here.
- Cooroy Community Kindergarten (CCK) is a kindergarten for younger children. It's located at 13–15 Maple Street.
Things to Do and Places to Visit
Cooroy has many useful and fun places for residents and visitors:
- A local hotel
- A police station
- A golf club
- A bowls club
- The RSL club and sub branch
- An overnight RV park at Johnson Park for travellers
The Shire of Noosa runs a library at 9 Maple Street. The Cooroy Pomona Uniting Church is at 51 Maple Street.
The Cooroy branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at the Cooroy Memorial Hall & School of Arts. This hall is at 23 Maple Street. The Cooroy–Pomona RSL Sub-Branch is at 25 Maple Street.
The Hinterland Adventure Playground is a great place for kids to play. You can find it on Marara Street.
Getting Around Cooroy
Cooroy railway station is an important transport hub. It has daily train services from Queensland Rail Citytrain network. It's also used by long-distance trains like the Spirit of Queensland, Spirit of the Outback, and the Tilt Train. These trains connect Cooroy to other major towns and cities.
Famous People from Cooroy
Some notable people have connections to Cooroy:
- Major General John Cantwell – a former Deputy Chief of Army in Australia.
- Marayke Jonkers – a Paralympic swimmer who won bronze and silver medals.
