Poochera, South Australia
| Poochera South Australia | |
|---|---|
  Poochera | |
| Coordinates | 32°43′S 134°50′E / 32.717°S 134.833°ECoordinates: 32°43′S 134°50′E / 32.717°S 134.833°E |
| Population | 185 (2006 census)[1] |
| Established | 1920 |
| Postcode(s) | 5655 |
| Elevation | 426 m (1,398 ft) |
| Location | 60 km (37 mi) NE of Streaky Bay |
| LGA(s) | District Council of Streaky Bay |
| State electorate(s) | Flinders |
| Federal Division(s) | Grey |
Poochera is a small grain belt town 60 km north-west of Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. At the 2006 census, Poochera had a population of 185.[1]
The township of Poochera was not surveyed until 1920, and its name is thought to be taken from the name of King Poojeri, a local aboriginal who died in 1917. A nearby hill is also named Poochera, possibly stemming from the same origin.
The town had a school which opened in 1920, but closed its doors in 1976.
Poochera is the centrepoint of a large agricultural area, the town itself being a strategic grain exchange point for the region's farmers, who specialise in cereal crops and sheep.
The town is 53 km away from the Gawler Ranges, and is commonly used as a stop off by tourists, who have access to a hotel and caravan park.
Poochera, however, is probably best noted for its nearby colonies of Dinosaur Ant (Nothomyrmecia macrops), a rare, primitive species of ant that has attracted entomologists and evolutionary biologists from around the world. Only one other colony near Penong, 180 km away is known to exist.
Apart from the Poochera Hotel and Caravan Park, the town is served by a roadhouse where most general supplies can be purchased.
Notes and references
- 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Poochera (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
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