Ooldea, South Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids OoldeaSouth Australia |
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A wood and water train in Ooldea, 1919.
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 Ooldea
Location in South Australia
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| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Pastoral Unincorporated Area |
| State electorate(s) | Giles |
| Federal Division(s) | Grey |
Ooldea is a very small place in South Australia. It is also known as Yuldea by the Aṉangu people. Ooldea is on the eastern edge of the Nullarbor Plain. It is about 863 km (536 mi) west of Port Augusta. You can find it along the Trans-Australian Railway line.
A special place here was the Ooldea Soak, also called "Yooldil Kapi". This was a permanent waterhole. Because of this water, it became a camp for railway workers in the early 1900s. Later, it was home to the Ooldea Mission from 1933 to 1952. The waterhole eventually dried up. The site was closed to the public in 1991.
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History of Ooldea
The Important Waterhole
The Ooldea Soak, or Yooldil Kapi, was a vital water source. It was very important for the Aboriginal peoples of the area. European explorers, like Ernest Giles, found it in 1875. The soak is a natural waterhole surrounded by sand dunes.
This waterhole made Ooldea a key spot during the building of the Trans-Australian Railway. This railway connects the east and west sides of Australia. On October 17, 1917, the final part of the railway was finished at Ooldea. This linked the section from Kalgoorlie to the section going to Port Augusta.
Around this time, a bad drought happened. Many desert people moved closer to the waterhole. This put a lot of pressure on the limited water. Most of the water was now used for the trains. In 2017, a special event was held to celebrate 100 years of the railway here.
The Ooldea Mission
The settlement that grew up was called Ooldea. It was also known by names like Yuldea or Youldul. In 1933, the United Aborigines Mission (UAM) started a mission station here. It had a children's dormitory, which housed about 60 children.
In 1938, an Aboriginal reserve was created around the mission. Norman Tindale, a researcher, visited the mission twice. Daisy Bates lived there for many years. Both were interested in understanding and protecting Aboriginal culture. A monument was built in 1953 to remember Daisy Bates.
Changes and Challenges
In the 1950s, the British Government carried out nuclear tests in nearby areas. These areas included Maralinga and Emu. The Australian Government took back much of the Anangu land for the Woomera Rocket testing Range.
Aboriginal people from the Great Victoria Desert, known as Pila Nguru, were moved to the Ooldea Mission. The mission closed in 1952. The people did not want to leave Ooldea. They were used to living in the desert and had used the Ooldea Soak for many generations.
These people were then moved to a new reserve. This reserve was at Yalata, on a former sheep station. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australia started the Yalata Mission there. This new place was very different for them, as they were desert people.
Railway Life and Heritage
Ooldea depended on the Tea and Sugar Train for supplies. This train delivered food and other goods until 1996. The world's longest straight section of railway line starts west of Ooldea. It runs for about 478 km (297 mi) without a single curve!
Today, the historic Ooldea Soak and Former United Aborigines Mission Site is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. So is Daisy Bates' Campsite. In 1991, the Yooldil Kapi waterhole was given back to the Aṉangu people. It is now closed to the public.
Ooldea in the Arts
In 2023, the Bangarra Dance Theatre performed a show called Yuldea. The artistic director, Kokatha woman Frances Rings, choreographed it. The performance tells the story of the area from an Aboriginal perspective. It shows how the land changed after European settlement.
