Waramanga, Australian Capital Territory

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Waramanga
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Population: 2590 (2001 census)
Established: 1968
Postcode: 2611
Property Value: AUD $335,000 (2005)[1]
LGA: Weston Creek
Assembly Electorate: Molonglo
Federal Division: Canberra
Suburbs around Waramanga:
Weston Weston Lyons
Stirling Waramanga Chifley
Chapman Fisher

Waramanga (postcode: 2611) is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia located in the district of Weston Creek. In the 2001 census there were 2590 people counted in Waramanga (ABS, 2002).

Waramanga was established in the late 1960s and was named after the Aboriginal tribe of Central Australia, also known as Warramunga. The theme for the street names in Waramanga is Aboriginal tribal units (ACTPLA, 2003).

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[edit] History

The Weston Creek district was part of Yarralumla Station, a 40,000 acre (162 km²) property dating back to 1828. It was resumed by the Commonwealth in 1913 from Frederick Campbell who bought the property in 1881. In 1920 9,000 acres (36 km²) of the Woden Valley, including the Weston Creek district, were subdivided for soldier settlement leases. A 1950's map of the district shows four paddocks, Weston paddock, Track paddock, Brown Hill paddock and Oakey Hill paddock intersecting the area which is now the suburb of Waramanga. Long Gully Road ran through the suburb and the nearest homestead was Cooleman on the Kambah Road just west of the present suburb of Fisher. Cooleman was farmed by the Champion family from about 1932. It was previously known as Allawah and was leased to the Anderson family in 1920. Other properties in the district were Avondale and Weston whose homesteads were in the present suburb of Holder, Yamba in the suburb of Phillip and Iloura, Melrose and Yarra Glen in the suburb of Curtin (Douglas, 1996).

In June 1968 the suburb of Waramanga was officially gazetted (ACTPLA, 2003).

The bushfire which engulfed parts of Canberra on January 18, 2003 flowed out of Mount Taylor Nature Reserve and reached the eastern boundary of the suburb at Badimara Street where it was slowed by residents and stopped by a contrary wind. For more information about the bushfire see Canberra bushfires of 2003.

[edit] Demographics

On census night 2001 Waramanga had a population of 2590 people.Waramanga residents had a median age of 36 compared to a Canberra median of 34. 27.7% of the population earned over AU$1000 a week, compared to a Canberra wide figure of 29% and an Australia wide figure of 18.6%.

The population of Waramanga is predominantly Australian-born, 73.3% of people being born in Australia. With 6.7% of the population, the second most common birth place is the United Kingdom. Accommodation is mostly separate houses (80.0%), with semi detached, row or terrace houses and townhouses comprising 16.2% (ABS, 2002).

The population of Waramanga is expected to decline by 7.7% to 2,400 over the 10 years to 2014 compared to a decline of 5.3% for the Weston Creek-Stromlo district (Chief Minister’s Department, 2004).

[edit] Politics

Waramanga is located in the federal House of Representatives electorate of Canberra. Covering the southside of Canberra and southern ACT, the electorate of Canberra is currently represented by Annette Ellis of the Australian Labor Party. The two federal electorates in the ACT are safe or fairly safe ALP seats (AEC, 2005).

Waramanga is located in the ACT Legislative Assembly electorate of Molonglo. Covering central Canberra, the electorate of Molonglo is currently represented by 3 Australian Labor Party members, 3 Liberal Party members and 1 ACT Greens member (ACTEC, 2005).

Links to Waramanga polling place results for the 2004 Federal Election and 2004 ACT Legislative Assembly election are listed in the External Links section below.

[edit] Geology

Deakin Volcanics green grey, red, and purple rhyodacite with spherulitic texture fill up Warramanga from beneath.

See also: Geology of the Australian Capital Territory

[edit] Suburb amenities

Waramanga shopping centre
Waramanga shopping centre
Waramanga, looking northeast from Mount Arawang
Waramanga, looking northeast from Mount Arawang
Waramanga, looking northwest from Mount Taylor
Waramanga, looking northwest from Mount Taylor

Waramanga has a busy local shopping centre located on the corner of Damala Street and Waramanga Place. The centre contains a supermarket, bakery, Malaysian restaurant, hairdresser, beauty salon, chemist, newsagency, medical centre and a nearby service station.

Educational institutions located in Waramanga are:

(a) Government schools -

  • Waramanga Preschool located in Nemarang Circuit.
  • Arawang Primary located in Nemarang Circuit.
  • Stromlo High on the corner of Badimara Street and Namatjira Drive.

(b) Non-government schools and colleges -

Churches located in Waramanga are:

Health facilities located in Waramanga are:

  • Weston Creek Veterinary Hospital located in Badimara Street.
  • Waramanga Medical Centre located in the shopping centre on the corner of Damala Street and Waramanga Place.

Public Transport located in Waramanga are:

  • ACTION Buses run regular services to Waramanga, usually every hour, or every half hour in peak periods. Route 27 services most of Waramanga, on its way between the nearest major bus interchange at Woden Town Centre and the Weston Creek Centre. Route 927 provides an evening service but a seat must be booked. Route 227 provides a more direct service to Civic during rush hours.
  • No other public transportation is available, apart from taxis.

Waramanga has extensive open spaces with playing fields on the western side of the suburb, several neighbourhood parks and pedestrian parkland along the ridge in the centre of the suburb. Waramanga is adjacent to Mount Taylor Nature Reserve, part of Canberra Nature Park with grassland and hillside walking tracks and sweeping views across Woden and Tuggeranong Valleys.

[edit] External links

[edit] References