Moorook, South Australia

For other uses, see Moorook.

Moorook is a small town in the Australian state of South Australia,^[1] one of a series of towns surrounding lakes in the Riverland region.^[5]

Moorook South Australia
Moorook
Moorook
Coordinates	34°16′53″S 140°21′48″E[1]
Population	171 (SAL 2021)[2]
Established	9 November 1922 (town) 28 September 2000 (locality)[3][4]
Postcode(s)	5332
LGA(s)	District Council of Loxton Waikerie
State electorate(s)	Chaffey
Federal division(s)	Barker
Localities around Moorook: Woolpunda Kingston On Murray Cobdogla Moorook Loveday Yinkanie Moorook South

Moorook was surveyed in 1922 on the left bank of the River Murray where it flows northwards between Loxton and Kingston on Murray. It is 6 kilometres (4 miles) south of the Sturt Highway. Moorook South, the most populated part of the town, is opposite Moorik Isle and 3 kilometres (2 miles) upstream of most of Moorook Game Reserve, which surrounds and contains Wachtels Lagoon, a 660 hectares (2.5 square miles) area of water fed by the river.^[6] The dominant industry is citrus fruit growing; a large processing factory is located there.^[7]

Located 6 kilometres (4 miles) south-west of Moorook is Yinkanie, the terminus of the former Moorook railway line, which was open from 1925 to 1971. Intense lobbying by the residents of Kingston On Murray, 8 kilometres (5 miles) to the north, to have the terminus there, ironically resulted in neither becoming the destination.^[7]

Village settlement

Moorook Village Settlement, River Murray, 1890

Hundred of Moorook, 1894

Moorook had earlier been one of the experimental Village Settlements. These were established by the South Australian government under Part VII of the Crown Lands Amendment Act 1893, in an attempt to mitigate the effects of the depression then affecting the Colony.^[8]

Hundred of Moorook

The Hundred of Moorook was proclaimed in 1893 to facilitate closer settlement of that part of the County of Albert. The Hundred extends from the Murray River on its northern and northeastern boundary south almost to the Stott Highway and town of Wunkar. it includes the towns of Kingston On Murray and Moorook as well as the localities of Wigley Flat, Yinkanie, Wappilka and most of Woolpunda. The Moorook railway line extended to service the hundred from 1925.

References

1. "Search results for 'Moorook, LOCB' with the following datasets selected – 'Suburbs and localities', 'Counties', 'Hundreds', 'Local Government Areas', 'SA Government Regions' and 'Gazetteer'". Location SA Map Viewer. South Australian Government. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Moorook (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
3. Barwell, H.N. (9 November 1922). "Town of Moorook" (PDF). The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. p. 1043. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
4. Lawson, Robert (28 September 2000). "Geographical Names Act 1991 Notice to Assign Boundaries to Places (in the District Council of Loxton Waikerie)" (PDF). The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. p. 2282. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
5. "Moorook South Australia". Travelmate. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
6. "Placename Details: Moorook". Property Location Browser. Government of South Australia. 12 May 2011. SA0042811. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
7. Milne, Rod (December 2002). "The Yinkanie line". Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin. 53 (782). Australian Railway Historical Society, New South Wales Division: 443. ISSN 0005-0105.
8. "The Crown Lands Amendment Act, 1893 (SA )". Part VII. Retrieved 15 June 2016.