Waddamana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WaddamanaTasmania |
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 Waddamana
Location in Tasmania
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| Population | 4 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 7030 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Central Highlands | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Central | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Lyons | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Lyons | ||||||||||||||
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Waddamana is a small, quiet place in the middle of Tasmania, Australia. It's located in the Central Highlands area. About 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of Hamilton, Waddamana is known for its history. In 2016, only four people lived there. It used to be a special "hydro-town," built for power stations, right at the base of Tasmania's Central Plateau.
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Waddamana's Past: A Hydro-Town Story
Waddamana became an official locality in 1973. It was once a busy place, especially in the early 1900s. More than 100 people lived here when the first power plants were being built. The Waddamana Post Office opened on August 18, 1913, and closed in 1971.
Power Stations and Museum
Waddamana is home to two old hydro-electric power stations. These stations used the power of water to make electricity. One of them is now a museum! You can visit it to learn how electricity was made long ago. There are also several small houses, called cottages, that are mostly used by visitors. Schools often bring students here for fun camps.
Weather and Ownership Changes
Waddamana is known for its tough weather. It often snows, and ice was a big problem when the power plants were still working. In 1991, a couple named Helen and Frank Cooper bought the whole town. They ran a camp for children and other visitors until about 2014.
In 2021, another couple, Llyr and Kurt Otto, bought the Cooper's part of town. They bought it without even seeing it in person because of travel rules during COVID-19. They are the only people who live there all the time. They rent some houses to workers at a nearby wind farm. On weekends, they also run a coffee van that sells yummy homemade baked goods to tourists.
What Does Waddamana Mean?
The name waddamana comes from the Tasmanian Aboriginal language. It means 'noisy water'. This name perfectly describes the powerful water that once helped create electricity here.
Waddamana's Location
Lake Echo forms part of the western edge of Waddamana. The River Ouse flows right through the area, from the north to the south.
How to Get Around Waddamana
Route C178, also known as Waddamana Road, goes through the area from north to south-east. Another road, Route C177 (Bashan Road), starts where it meets C178 and heads south before leaving the locality.
