Cooladdi

AUSTRALIA’S SMALLEST TOWN

Cooladdi (meaning black duck) was once a thriving railway town with a population of 270 that supported a butcher, school, police station, post office and boarding house.

Five things to do in Cooladdi

1. Railway siding 2. Call into the Foxtrap 3. See the huge bottle trees where the school once stood

4. Visit the outback grave of nine-year-old Vera Tighe 5. See the cairn in memory of Dorothy and Wilfred Brooks OAM

Take some time to explore the town that once was. There is the famous Foxtrap, an all-in-one store, plus a motel, post office and the pub. Hear how it got its unique name and try tackling the Cooladdi King Burger.

Take a walk along the tree-lined banks of pretty Quilberry Creek (meaning plenty of water). It’s a great place to pull up for a night, catch a yabby, or relax and watch the wildlife. There have been 80 species of birds recorded here and the list is growing.

After the drought of 1902, Cooladdi became part of the Great Western Railway (GWR) with construction commencing in 1910. It became a bustling hub and watering place for steam engines carrying sheep, cattle and wool. Today all that remains is the Cooladdi railway siding, a popular location for photographers, artists, and rail and history enthusiasts. The grave of Vera Tighe sits a few hundred metres west of Quilberry Creek. Her father Jack Tighe, a fencing contractor who constructed many of the original dog netting fences in the area, had set up camp on the Cooladdi Reserve with his wife and family in 1914 when Vera became ill. Without medical assistance the nine-year-old sadly passed away. Her grave is a reminder of the hardships faced by the pioneering families who opened up the outback.

Visit the huge Queensland bottle trees (Brachychiton rupestris) which mark the entrance to where the school once stood. The school opened on 9 March 1929 and the first teacher, Mr Allan Marsh, camped in a tent on the creek at ‘Monamby Park’ for the duration of his employment which finished in 1932. The school closed in 1974.

Enjoy Australia’s smallest town which has something for everyone.

Cooladdi Foxtrap – Laurel with the famous Foxtrap Hot Sauce

Grave of Vera Tighe