Coolamon, New South Wales

Coolamon is a town in the Riverina region of south-west New South Wales, Australia. Coolamon is 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-west of Wagga Wagga and 506 kilometres (314 mi) south-west of Sydney via the Hume and Sturt Highways. The town is situated on the railway line between Junee and Narrandera. Coolamon had a population of 2,199 at the 2016 census[1] and is 290 metres (950 ft) above sea level. It is the administrative and service centre for the local government area which bears its name—Coolamon Shire.

Coolamon
New South Wales
Coolamon seen as entering from the Wagga Wagga Road
Coolamon
Coordinates34°49′55″S 147°12′04″E
Population2,199 (2016 census)[1]
Established3 October 1881[2]
Postcode(s)2701
Elevation290 m (951 ft)
Location
LGA(s)Coolamon Shire Council
CountyBourke
State electorate(s)Cootamundra
Federal Division(s)Riverina

History

The original land where Coolamon now stands, prior to European settlement, was occupied by the Kamilaroi and/or Wiradjuri Aboriginal peoples.

A property "Coleman" was first settled there by a Mr J. Atkinson in 1848. The town was surveyed prior to the coming of the railway in 1881.

Cowabbie Post Office opened on 1 May 1881 and was renamed Ganmain on 1 July and Coolamon on 1 November of that year.[3]

Heritage listings

Coolamon has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Modern Coolamon
Up-To-Date Store

The name of Coolamon comes from the Aboriginal word for a basin-shaped wooden dish made and used by Australian Aboriginal people.[5][6] In the area around the town are thousands of naturally occurring indentations in the ground called Coolamon Holes which fill with water.

Coolamon is in the wheat belt of New South Wales and is a leading state producer of wheat and chaff. Wheat was first grown in the area in the 1850s. In addition, turkeys and wool are produced and the area is noted for the quality and plumpness of its lambs.

A major industry in the town is Coolamon Steelworks, fabricators of chaser bins.[7]

The town's broad main street, which has been restored, retains much of its old world charm with its wrought-iron verandahs and awnings. Various bric-a-brac, antique shops, tourist coffee lounge, and a modern bread bakery and cafe invite passing tourists to stop and explore the town. The Up-to-Date store, designed by architect William Monks,[8] has what is probably the only cash ball cash railway still in situ.[9] In 2017 a boutique cheese factory was opened on the main street, as a working tourist attraction, and selling various hard and soft cheeses made on the premises.

Railway station
Coolamon railway station

Coolamon railway station opened in 1881 as Cowabbie Road. The station name was quickly changed to Coleman and finally the name Coolamon was settled on in 1895. The coming of the railway allowed greater ease in transporting the area's products to distant markets.

Coolamon is a served by the twice weekly NSW TrainLink Xplorer service operating between Sydney and Griffith. NSW TrainLink also operate a road coach service from Wagga Wagga to Griffith via Coolamon.[10]

References
Coolamon Hotel
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Coolamon (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  2. "Up-To-Date Store and Garth Jones Collection of farm machinery". New South Wales Department of Planning. Heritage Branch. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  3. Hardinge, Marcia (September 2006). Coolamon 1881–2006. Back to Coolamon Committee, Coolamon Heritage and Advancement Society. p. 14.
  4. "Up-To-Date Store and Garth Jones Collection of farm machinery". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01761. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  5. The Macquarie Dictionary 1985 Edition - Macquarie Library Pty Ltd
  6. "Coolamon". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  7. "Coolamon to Release World-first 3-in-1 Chaser Bin". Trade Farm Machinery. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  8. Up-to-Date Store, Coolamon "Cash Railway Website".
  9. Liz Lawton in Bush Telegraph, 11 Nov. 2003 "ABC Local".
  10. "Southern timetable". NSW Trainlink. 7 September 2019.
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