Coolac, New South Wales
Coolac | |
|---|---|
Coolac Hotel, 2006 | |
Coolac | |
| Coordinates: 34°55′0″S 148°09′0″E / 34.91667°S 148.15000°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| LGA | |
| Location |
|
| Established | 1824 |
| Government | |
| • State electorate | |
| • Federal division | |
| Elevation | 308 m (1,010 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 244 (2021 census)[3] |
| Postcode | 2727 |
| County | Harden |
| Mean max temp | 22.5 °C (72.5 °F) |
| Mean min temp | 9.1 °C (48.4 °F) |
| Annual rainfall | 636.2 mm (25.05 in)[4] |
Coolac is a village in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia in Gundagai Council. At the 2021 census, Coolac had a population of 244.[3]
History
The name Coolac is derived from the local Aboriginal name for a plant which was abundant in the area, and also from the Aboriginal word meaning "native bear".[5]
Coolac post office was opened on 1 June 1870.[6] Coolac railway station was opened in June 1886, with the construction of a branch line from Cootamundra, which was eventually extended to Tumut. The station was closed in the 1970s.[7]
The 11-kilometre section of the Hume Highway at Coolac was the last two-lane section of Hume Highway between Sydney and the Sturt Highway interchange. In the mid-1980s, plans were drawn-up for the Coolac bypass, and a review of environmental factors was completed in 1997. However, construction did not commence until May 2007 with the project completed in August 2009.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Bald Archy
The satirical Bald Archy art competition (a parody of the name of the more prestigious Archibald Prize), was inaugurated by Peter Batey in 1994 at the Coolac Festival of Fun. The home of the competition is now the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga, and it also travels to Sydney and Melbourne for exhibition once Maude the Cockatoo, the official judge, selects the winning entries each year.
Coolac Geological Site
The Coolac Geological Site, 48 kilometres (30 mi) north-east of Coolac, is the best-known example in Australia of a substantial ophiolite assemblage. The distinctive rock assemblage, covering 130 hectares (320 acres), provides insights into events in the continental evolution of eastern Australia.[15][16] The rocks were part of the oceanic crust and mantle, not normally exposed on the Earth's surface. The rock from the mantle is called Coolac Serpentinite.
References
- ^ "Gundagai to Coolac". Google Maps.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Coolac (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Coolac". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Summary statistics Gundagai (William Str)". Bureau of Meteorology. Commonwealth of Australia. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
- ^ "Coolac". Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW. Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.
- ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ Bozier, Rolfe. "Coolac Station". NSWrail.net. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
- ^ $179 million Coolac Bypass officially opens Archived 2011-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ABC 2009 finish date for Hume Highway work
- ^ Work begins on bypassing Hume Hwy black spot ABC Riverina
- ^ Coolac Bypass Abigroup
- ^ Coolac bypass construction officially begins Quote: "Mrs Hull said the project has been fully funded by the Australian Government at a cost of $179 million and the 12 kilometre bypass and four-kilometre highway upgrade is due to be open in November 2009. "
- ^ Gundagai bridge to open this month: RTA ABC Riverina
- ^ "Coolac Bypass". Roads & Traffic Authority. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
- ^ Australian Government Department Transport and Regional Services, Segment 1.4 Wagga to Yass Archived 2006-09-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ for example, abstract of article in GeoScience World Tectonic significance of 400 Ma zircon ages for ophiolitic rocks from the Lachlan fold belt, eastern Australia and an article in the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales entitled Hydrothermal Ca-Al Silicates in Ophiolitic Rocks near Coolac, N.S.W. Archived 2006-11-04 at the Wayback Machine
External links
Media related to Coolac, New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons