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Coopernook is a small town in mid-north New South Wales, Australia (post code 2426). It is located 24 kilometres north of Taree and 11 kilometres west of Harrington and is administered by Mid-Coast Council. At the 2016 census, Coopernook and the surrounding area had a population of 538 people.[1] It was formerly situated on the Pacific Highway, until 22 March 2006, when the Coopernook Bypass was opened.[2] The old highway crossed the Lansdowne River on a narrow iron girder bridge.

Coopernook New South Wales
Coopernook
Coordinates	31°49′25″S 152°36′50″E
Population	538 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	2426
LGA(s)	Mid-Coast Council
State electorate(s)	Port Macquarie
Federal division(s)	Lyne

The name, Coopernook, means "the elbow" in the local Aboriginal language, Biripi. This name refers to the bend in the Lansdowne River which looks like an elbow of an arm.[3]

The Coopernook Primary School in Macquarie Street was established in 1875, and in 2006 it had an enrolment of 81.[4] Its enrolment in 2007 was a similar number.

Coopernook Post Office opened on 1 November 1876.[5] Coopernook Hotel, located on the edge of the Lansdowne River of the south side of the village, was established in the late 1920s. One of the first roads built in Coopernook was Wharf Road, of which the original post office was located before being moved to Macquarie Street. The old post office building is now a private residence and still stands directly across the road from Coopernook Hotel.

Coopernook Police Station and Lockup Residence, located: 14 Macquarie Street and Henry Street, corner of, has two cells and an exercise yard and several outbuildings including a garage and woodshed. The former Courthouse and Police Station building, designed by the Government Architect, WL Vernon in 1900 are of historical and streetscape significance to the town. This building is important for its long and continuous association with the provision of law and order, including police services in the local area surrounding Coopernook.[6]

Early settlers included Calvin, Rose, Eggins, Gillogilly, Longworth, Latham, Towers and Buchanan. A sandstone obelisk erected in 1997 commemorates the combatants in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War.[7]

Population

In the 2016 Census, there were 538 people in Coopernook. 86.5% of people were born in Australia and 91.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were Anglican 33.5% and No Religion 24.4%.[1]

2021 Flood

Extreme rainfall on the east coast of Australia beginning on 18 March 2021 led to widespread flooding in New South Wales, affecting regions from the North Coast to the Sydney metropolitan area in the south.

March 20, 2021 the Lansdowne River broke its bank and flooded across low-lying areas of Coopernook, cutting the township off completely. The Coopernook Hotel flooded to a level up over the bartop and had to close business for a number of weeks afterwards to refurb the establishment. Houses around the hotel and all but one along Wharf Road were devastated by the water which entered houses during the night. The water levels were higher than the historical 1978 flood by numbers yet to be confirmed.

An evacuation centre was established in the United Church of Coopernook during the natural disaster to assist residents who had to leave their homes. The Australian government declared many parts of the east coast a natural disaster zone after the flooding rains forced 18,000 people to evacuate, in addition to over 1,000 flood rescues.[8]

The floods occurred less than 18 months after Australia was affected by the Black Summer bushfires, impacting many towns still recovering from that disaster.[9]

See also

• Coorabakh National Park

References

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