Cowaramup, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids CowaramupWestern Australia |
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 Cowaramup
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1925 | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 6284 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 140 m (459 ft) | ||||||||
| Area | [convert: needs a number] | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Augusta-Margaret River | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Vasse | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Forrest | ||||||||
| Website | Cowaramup | ||||||||
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Cowaramup is a small town in the South West part of Western Australia. It's located about 12 kilometres north of Margaret River. This town is part of the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River.
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What's in a Name?
The town of Cowaramup got its name from the old Cowaramup Siding. This was a train stop on a railway line that isn't used anymore. The name (say it like kuh-wara-mup) comes from a Wardandi word, cowara. This word means purple-crowned lorikeet, which is a type of colourful bird. Even though it sounds like 'cow', the town's name has nothing to do with cows!
Exploring Cowaramup
Cowaramup is right in the middle of the famous Margaret River wine region. It's super close to many wineries and special food producers. You can find places like the Margaret River Chocolate Factory and The Margaret River Dairy Company here. The town is also near Cowaramup Bay. This bay is a great spot for swimming and surfing. Because of all these cool places, lots of tourists visit the town. This helps the local shops and businesses a lot.
The town centre has a local store for everyday needs and a post office. There's also a bakery, a fruit and vegetable shop, and a service station. You can find a liquor store and a social club too. Plus, there are many unique shops selling gourmet food, candies, and arts and crafts. If you need a place to stay, there's a caravan park, a bed and breakfast, and various cottages nearby. The town has one restaurant and two cafés. Many more places to eat are on nearby winery properties.
Cowaramup has a primary school and a pre-primary school. There's also a town oval for sports and a tennis club. You can even find a BMX track and a bowling green. The closest high school and university are in Margaret River. Police and fire services are based in Margaret River and Busselton. Most people live in the town or on nearby farms. The local government is the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River. The town is built on the traditional lands of the local Aboriginal people, the Wardandi.
Getting Around
Cowaramup is located on the Bussell Highway. This highway is the main road that connects Cowaramup to other towns in the area. It also links the town to Perth, which is the capital city of Western Australia.
Town Growth
The land around Cowaramup is mostly used for farming and growing grapes for wine. In recent years, many new areas have been opened up for housing. This has been popular for young families and tradespeople. They benefited from a big building boom that happened around 2005-2006.
Big Wave Surfing
Just 2 kilometres offshore from Cowaramup is a famous big wave surf break called the Cowaramup Bombora. People often call it "Cow Bombie." This spot is known for its huge waves. It has been the location for two "Oakley Biggest Wave" award-winning rides. Damien Warr won in 2011, and Jarryd Foster won in 2015. On June 26, 2015, Australian surfer Felicity Palmateer, who was 22, became the first woman to surf Cow Bombie. She rode what might have been the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman in Australia.
Fun Artworks
In 2012, the town added 42 life-sized fibreglass cow sculptures around the area. These cows were put there to attract tourists. In July 2014, the town even set a Guinness World Record! A total of 1,352 people dressed up as cows. This was the largest group of people ever dressed as cows.
There's also a permanent cow-themed artwork called "Free As A Cow." This golden cow statue was made by local artist Ron Roozen in 2010. It's located in Pioneer Park. Some locals jokingly call it "Rump on a Stump."
Since 2018, you can see different artworks around town that show the purple-crowned lorikeet. This bird is called cowara in the local language, and it's what the town was named after. Some examples include:
- Anita Revel's "Cowara Dreaming" painting on the outside of the Cowaramup Agencies building.
- Alan Meyburgh's "Cowara Bird" statue at Rosie's deli.
- A colourful mural by Brenton See on the Lions shed in Pioneer Park.
