Karoonda

History

Karoonda takes its name from the Aboriginal word for "winter camp". The town was founded on wheat-growing early in the 20th century (proclaimed on 11 December 1913), but the cleared land is also suitable for raising merino sheep. The Karoonda Development Group instigated and built a larger-than-life sculpture of a Merino ram in the park in the main street to emphasise this. There are even seats with rams heads dotted around the town. A number of other agricultural and horticultural industries are now also represented in the district. Each year the Karoonda Farm Fair is held, a two-day event attracting over 10,000 visitors to the town. In 1922 the District Council of Karoonda was established, bringing local-level government to the township and surrounding district for the first time. Karoonda briefly shot to international fame in 1930 when the "Karoonda meteorite" fell to earth just to the east of the town on the night of 25 November. Being of a very rare type and being found only a couple of weeks afterwards, it raised international interest in astronomical circles. Railways were built in 1911–1914 to open up the Murray Mallee for agriculture. Karoonda was on the railway line to Paringa, which was extended to Barmera in 1928. In 1914 the station became a junction with the Waikerie railway line to the north and the Peebinga railway line to the east (south of the main line). The Barmera railway line closed in 1990 but the Waikerie branch line remained open until 1994. The main line through Karoonda remained open as the Loxton railway line and was converted from broad gauge to standard gauge. It closed in July 2015.

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  59
• Weebill

  Smicrornis brevirostris (Gould, 1838) · Aves
  58
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  52
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  47
• Yellow-plumed Honeyeater

  Ptilotula ornata (Gould, 1838) · Aves
  45
• Gray Shrikethrush

  Colluricincla harmonica (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  44
• White-winged Chough

  Corcorax melanoramphos (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  44
• White-eared Honeyeater

  Nesoptilotis leucotis (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  42

Most recent

• M 3 — 2022-03-29
  3 km ESE of Macclesfield, Australia
• M 4 — 2022-03-05
  3 km SW of Mount Barker, Australia
• M 3.2 — 2018-08-08
  11 km WNW of Mannum, Australia
• M 3.9 — 2017-02-01
  9 km NW of Murray Bridge, Australia
• M 3.8 — 2010-04-16
  2 km N of Macclesfield, Australia
• M 2.5 — 2007-06-12
  26 km E of Angaston, Australia