Koolanooka, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KoolanookaWestern Australia |
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 Koolanooka
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1916 |
| Postcode(s) | 6623 |
| Elevation | 280 m (919 ft) |
| Area | [convert: needs a number] |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Morawa |
| State electorate(s) | Moore |
| Federal Division(s) | Durack |
Koolanooka is a small town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. It's located between the towns of Morawa and Perenjori. You can find it just off the main road that connects Mullewa and Wubin. In 2006, only 46 people lived there.
Years ago, in 1932, the town got two special buildings called grain elevators. These helped store wheat from local farms near the railway line.
What's in a Name?
Koolanooka started as a railway station in 1913. It was first called Bowgada. This name came from a large farm nearby.
But just before the railway line opened in 1914, the name changed. The station became Koolanooka. The next station south was then named Bowgada instead. The town itself was officially created in 1916.
The town's name comes from the Koolanooka Spring. This word is from the Aboriginal language. It means "place of plenty wild turkeys."
Mining Iron Ore
In 1965, an iron ore mine opened near Koolanooka. Iron ore is a rock used to make steel. A special railway line was built to carry the ore. New buildings were also made to help with the mining. This included a power station and port facilities in Geraldton. Homes for workers were built in Morawa.
The first Koolanooka iron mine opened in 1966. It was the very first mine in Western Australia to export iron ore. This means they sent the ore to other countries.
Mining for iron ore started again in the area in 2006.
Getting Around: Transport
Koolanooka has a railway station. It's on a narrow gauge track. This track was once part of the Western Australian Government Railways network. Now, it's part of the Arc Infrastructure network. This line was known as the Mullewa line.
Nearby Railway Stations
