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Coowonga is a rural locality in the Shire of Livingstone, Central Queensland, Australia.[2]

Coowonga Queensland
Coowonga
Coordinates	23°19′S 150°44′E
Population	260 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	4702
Location	670 km (416 mi) NW of Brisbane 36 km (22 mi) E of Rockhampton 6 km (4 mi) W of Keppel Sands
LGA(s)	Shire of Livingstone
State electorate(s)	Keppel
Federal division(s)	Capricornia
Localities around Coowonga: Cawarral Coorooman Coorooman Tungamull Coowonga Keppel Sands Tungamull Tungamull Joskeleigh

Geography

Coowonga is located in coastal hills at the southern end of the Capricorn Coast. It is six kilometres from the Pacific Ocean and the nearest township of Keppel Sands.

Much of the district south of Coowonga Road is grazing and fruit-growing land, while to the north lie tidal salt flats that back onto Coorooman Creek.

The Rockhampton–Emu Park Road runs through from west to north.[3]

History

Coowonga is the traditional land of the Darumbal Aboriginal tribe, as is all of the Capricornia region.

Coowonga Provision School opened on 9 August 1897. It became Coowonga State School on 1 January 1909.[4]

Prior to local government amalgamations in 2008, the Capricorn Coast was administered by Livingstone Shire Council but became part of Rockhampton Region in 2008. In 2014, following a deamalgamation vote, the Shire of Livingstone was re-established.

In the 2006 census, Coowonga had a population of 558 people.[5]

In the 2011 census, Coowonga had a population of 260 people.[1]

Economy

Coowonga is a rural community with a focus on primary production.

The Koorana Crocodile Farm, on the banks of Coorooman Creek, opened in November 1981 as the first commercial crocodile farm in Queensland. It also operates as a tourist attraction.[6] At 2014, it had 3,000 crocodiles and supplies crocodile leather and crocodile meat.[7]

Education

Coowonga State School is a co-educational government primary school (P-6), located at 269 Coowonga Road. In 2015, it had an enrolment of 19 students with 3 teachers (2 equivalent full-time).[8]

References

Further reading

• Coowonga State School (1987), A brief history of Coowonga State School 1897-1987, Coowonga State School, retrieved 2 November 2016

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