Cooloongup, Western Australia

Cooloongup
Perth, Western Australia
Rockingham General Hospital, Cooloongup
Map
Coordinates32°17′53″S 115°45′18″E / 32.298°S 115.755°E / -32.298; 115.755
Population6,696 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established1974
Postcode(s)6168
Area11.9 km2 (4.6 sq mi)[2]
LGA(s)City of Rockingham
State electorate(s)Rockingham, Kwinana
Federal division(s)Brand
Suburbs around Cooloongup:
Rockingham Hillman Leda
Safety Bay Cooloongup Baldivis
Waikiki Waikiki Baldivis

Cooloongup is an outer southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia, the capital city of Western Australia, located within the City of Rockingham. It consists mainly of residential dwellings.

History

The suburb of Cooloongup, first named in 1974, is named after Lake Cooloongup. The name Lake Cooloongup was first recorded by Surveyor AC Gregory in 1843. While Landgate has noted that it is an Aboriginal name, it has also claimed that the meaning of the name is not known.[3] An elder of the Nyungar people, the traditional Aboriginal occupants of the area, has said that Cooloongup means "place of children".[4]

Geography

Lake Cooloongup dominates the Eastern portion of Cooloongup. The lake and its immediate environment, together with Lake Walyungup and Lake Richmond, is incorporated into Rockingham Lakes Regional Park. The Park is managed by the Government of Western Australia via its Department of Environment and Conservation.[5] The lake is shallow and water in the lake is saline. The lake is described as "seasonable" because the lake is dry of surface water the majority of the year. The dry white salt residue gives this lake, together with its neighbour Lake Walyungup, the title "White Lakes" which was the name used to refer to the locality before the lake was incorporated into Cooloongup.

Transport

Ennis Avenue (National Highway 1) bisects Cooloongup; this road provides vehicle access to Perth, Fremantle and Mandurah.

The eastern part of Cooloongup, known as Woodbridge, currently has only one vehicle access point (Elanora Drive). The Rockingham Kwinana Development Office is progressing plans to construct a second access road to Woodbridge.[6]

A number of Transperth bus routes service Cooloongup; all buses operate from Rockingham Train Station.

Facilities

Rockingham General Hospital, a major regional public hospital, is located on Elanora Drive. The hospital is owned and operated by the State Government of Western Australia via its Department of Health.[7]

Rockingham Golf Club,[8] first established in 1947, is located in Cooloongup at the East end of Elanora Drive. The club was re-located there in 1985 from its previous location on Patterson Road (Corner Read Street), Rockingham. The Rockingham site was redeveloped and sub-divided into residential lots.

Hourglass Reserve, so named because of its shape, has been developed as a purpose built baseball park (north portion) and athletics field (south portion) servicing the local region.

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Cooloongup (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "2016 Community Profiles: Cooloongup (State Suburb)". 2016 Census of Population and Housing. Retrieved 26 November 2021. Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ "History of metropolitan suburb names – C". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  4. ^ Walley T. (2002) Department of Conservation and Land Management. Personal Communication. In: Department of Conservation and Land Management (2003) Rockingham Lakes Regional Park Draft Management Plan 2003-2013. Western Australia. p.39-40.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ Department of Environment and Conservation – Home
  6. ^ RKDO Additional Access to Woodbridge Estate Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Department of Health
  8. ^ Rockingham Golf Club (Inc) website