Booleroo Centre

Booleroo Centre
South Australia
Booleroo Centre
Coordinates 32°52′51″S 138°21′2″E / 32.88083°S 138.35056°ECoordinates: 32°52′51″S 138°21′2″E / 32.88083°S 138.35056°E
Population 331 (2006 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 5482
Location
LGA(s) District Council of Mount Remarkable
State electorate(s) Stuart
Federal Division(s) Grey

Booleroo Centre is a town in the southern Flinders Ranges region of South Australia. The town is located in the Mount Remarkable District Council local government area, 282 kilometres (175 mi) north of the state capital, Adelaide. At the 2006 census, Booleroo Centre had a population of 331.[1]

The Hundred of Booleroo was officially proclaimed in 1875 however no town was surveyed at this time. A town site in the hundred was surveyed by the colonial government in 1878, but the early European settlers established the town elsewhere.[2] The hundred's name was derived from a local Aboriginal word. Sources vary on its meaning with suggestions including "plenty" or "soft mud".[3] The town's location in the centre of the Hundred of Booleroo lead to the name Booleroo Centre.[4]

The major industry in Booleroo Centre today is grain production with woolgrowing and fat lamb production also important. The town is also the service centre to the surrounding agricultural district.[5] Facilities in the town include a range of shops and Uniting, Catholic and Lutheran churches. Booleroo Centre is also host to large grain receival facilities and fertiliser depots.[2] The Booleroo Centre Hotel, the local pub, was established in 1883.[6]

Regional services offered in Booleroo Centre include the Booleroo Centre District Hospital, part of the Mid North Regional Health Service, providing health services to the town and a large catchment area with a population of 3,000.[7] The Booleroo Centre District School enrolled 225 students from kindergarten to Year 12 in 2007. The school draws students from surrounding towns such as Wirrabara, Melrose and Wilmington.[8] Homeschooling also plays a role within the community, with several local students being educated in this way during recent years.

Booleroo Steam & Traction event day

Booleroo Centre is home to the Booleroo Steam & Traction Preservation Society. The society, developed from an annual rally first held in 1969, now maintains one of Australia's largest collections of tractors and steam engines along with farm and other steam equipment requiring over 2,900 square yards (2,425 m2) of undercover storage space.[9] The rally is held at the town oval the last Sunday in March.[2]

Booleroo Centre is the birthplace of 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and former Formula One driver Vern Schuppan.

Transport

Booleroo Centre was once served by Booleroo Centre railway station.

References

Media related to Booleroo Centre at Wikimedia Commons

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Booleroo Centre (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Booleroo Centre". Southern Flinders Ranges Development Board. Archived from the original on 2007-08-31. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  3. ↑ "Booleroo Centre". Place names of South Australia. State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  4. ↑ "Search Results for Booleroo Centre, South Australia". South Australian State Gazetteer. Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  5. ↑ "Welcome to Booleroo". Booleroo Centre community site. Booleroo Centre Progress Association. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  6. ↑ "Booleroo Centre Hotel". South Australia Central. South Australian Tourism Commission. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  7. ↑ "Booleroo Centre District Hospital & Health Service Inc". Mid North Regional Health Service. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  8. ↑ "Booleroo Centre District School". Booleroo Centre District School. Archived from the original on 2007-08-29. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  9. ↑ "Booleroo Steam and Traction Official Website". Booleroo Centre community site. Booleroo Centre Progress Association. Retrieved 2007-11-16.