Cooladdi grew around the Great Western railway line, and the town’s layout still mirrors the modest platform that once served as a lifeline for outback stations. The rust‑patinated water tower, still standing beside the old station shed, offers a tangible glimpse of a time when steam locomotives paused here to refill, allowing passengers a brief communion with the vast plains. Visitors with an interest in railway archaeology can walk the short, flat trackbed to spot the remnants of signalling equipment, while the occasional freight train rattling past is a reminder that the line remains a functional artery for the region’s cattle and grain transport.
With fewer than a dozen residents, Cooladdi presents a rare chance to witness a genuinely intimate settlement where the general store doubles as a post office, meeting room and informal news hub. Conversations with the storekeeper reveal how the town’s social calendar revolves around the arrival of the weekly mail truck and the seasonal muster of nearby livestock. Travelers who linger for a coffee can experience a personalised snapshot of outback life that larger towns cannot offer – a setting where personal stories, weather forecasts and the occasional bush poetry are shared over a tin plate.
Reaching Cooladdi requires a well‑maintained 2‑lane sealed road from Charleville; however, fuel stations are sparse, so topping up in Charleville or Augathella is advisable before setting out. Mobile coverage is limited to the major carriers and only on higher ground, so download offline maps and carry a satellite communicator for emergencies. Temperatures swing dramatically, so pack layers for chilly mornings and a wide‑brim hat for scorching afternoons. Finally, given the minuscule population, arrange any accommodation in advance – the general store offers modest rooms, but they fill quickly during regional events such as the annual muster.
Town in Queensland, AustraliaTown in Queensland, AustraliaCooladdiTownRoad House Cooladdi, 2024CooladdiInteractive map of CooladdiCoordinates: 26°38′25″S 145°27′43″E / 26.6402°S 145.4619°E / -26.6402; 145.4619 (Cooladdi (town centre))CountryAustraliaStateQueenslandLGAShire of MurwehLocation 88.9 km (55.2 mi) SW of Charleville 356 km (221 mi) W of Roma 834 km (518 mi) W of Brisbane Government • State electorateWarrego • Federal divisionMaranoaArea • Total3,990.2 km2 (1,540.6 sq mi)Elevation300 m (980 ft)Population • Total7 (2021 census) • Density0.00175/km2 (0.0045/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+10:00 (AEST)Postcode4479 Localities around Cooladdi Adavale Langlo Ward Adavale Cooladdi Bakers Bend Humeburn Wyandra Murweh Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as: KML GPX (all coordinates) GPX (primary coordinates) GPX (secondary coordinates) Cooladdi is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Murweh, Queensland, Australia. The town is 88.9 kilometres (55.2 mi) south-west of Charleville. Claims have been made that Cooladdi is Australia's smallest town by population. In 2015, the population was 3 (down from 4 in 2013), all of whom lived at the general store. In the 2021 census, the locality of Cooladdi had a population of 7 people.
[edit] The town is in the centre of the locality. The Western railway line passes from east to west through the town and locality. The locality was served by a number of railway stations (from east to west): Nimaru railway station (now abandoned) (26°34′15″S 145°51′24″E / 26.5707°S 145.8567°E / -26.5707; 145.8567 (Nimaru railway station (former))) Coothalla railway station (26°35′03″S 145°44′12″E / 26.5842°S 145.7366°E / -26.5842; 145.7366 (Coothalla railway station)) Loddon railway station (now abandoned) (26°35′37″S 145°39′06″E / 26.5936°S 145.6517°E / -26.5936; 145.6517 (Loddon railway station (former))) Cooladdi railway station serving the town (26°38′30″S 145°27′48″E / 26.6417°S 145.4634°E / -26.6417; 145.4634 (Cooladdi railway station)) Yalamurra railway station (now abandoned) (26°38′44″S 145°17′39″E / 26.6456°S 145.2943°E / -26.6456; 145.2943 (Yalamurra railway station (former))) The Diamantina Developmental Road (which forms part of the 1578 kilometre (980 mi) Warrego Way State Strategic Touring Route between Brisbane and Birdsville) also passes from east to west through the town and locality.
[edit] The railway station was originally called Yarronvale after a local pastoral station with the town taking its name from the railway station. However, it was renamed in 1913 to Cooladdi, an Aboriginal word meaning black duck, to avoid confusion with the pastoral station, which was 15 miles away. Cooladdi was a railhead for the local pastoral community. At one time, Cooladdi had a school, post office, and police station with a population of about 270 people. As the railway line extended further west, Cooladdi's role and population declined.[citation needed] The Cooladdi State School originally opened on 19 March 1926 as a Provisional School with 9 students under teacher A.W. Marsh. In 1933, a new school building was constructed and the school redesignated as a State School. The school closed on 3 May 1974. It was located opposite the railway station on Cooladdi Access Road (26°38′25″S 145°27′50″E / 26.6404°S 145.4638°E / -26.6404; 145.4638 (Cooladdi State School (former))).
[edit] In 2015, the population was 3 (down from 4 in 2013), all of whom resided at the general store. In the 2016 census, the locality of Cooladdi had a population of 16 people. In the 2021 census, the locality of Cooladdi had a population of 7 people.
[edit] There are no schools in Cooladdi. The nearest government primary and secondary schools Charleville State School and Charleville State High School respectively, both in Charleville to the north-east. However, only those living in the east of the locality would be within daily commuting range. Other options are distance education and boarding schools.
[edit] There are a number of homesteads in the locality: Allambie (26°56′11″S 145°26′25″E / 26.9364°S 145.4402°E / -26.9364; 145.4402 (Allambie (homestead))) Auburn Vale (26°26′50″S 145°45′07″E / 26.4471°S 145.7519°E / -26.4471; 145.7519 (Auburn Vale (homestead))) Auburn Vale (26°34′09″S 145°51′28″E / 26.5691°S 145.8579°E / -26.5691; 145.8579 (Auburn Vale (homestead))) Bodouna (26°42′37″S 145°46′36″E / 26.7104°S 145.7768°E / -26.7104; 145.7768 (Bodouna (homestead))) Boin (26°38′25″S 145°46′45″E / 26.6402°S 145.7791°E / -26.6402; 145.7791 (Boin (homestead))) Coolabah (26°52′30″S 145°24′09″E / 26.8749°S 145.4026°E / -26.8749; 145.4026 (Coolabah (homestead))) Coolabah (26°52′30″S 145°24′05″E / 26.8750°S 145.4014°E / -26.8750; 145.4014 (Coolabah (homestead))) Cooladdi Park (26°31′45″S 145°29′22″E / 26.5291°S 145.4894°E / -26.5291; 145.4894 (Cooladdi Park (homestead))) Cungella (26°44′03″S 145°39′22″E / 26.7341°S 145.6562°E / -26.7341; 145.6562 (Cungella (homestead))) Glenallen (26°25′21″S 145°37′17″E / 26.4225°S 145.6215°E / -26.4225; 145.6215 (Glenallen (homestead))) Inkerman (26°35′33″S 145°39′00″E / 26.5925°S 145.6500°E / -26.5925; 145.6500 (Inkerman (homestead))) Loddon (26°33′42″S 145°36′18″E / 26.5616°S 145.6051°E / -26.5616; 145.6051 (Loddon (homestead))) Merigol (26°45′49″S 145°47′45″E / 26.7636°S 145.7957°E / -26.7636; 145.7957 (Merigol (homestead))) Monamby (26°39′12″S 145°27′48″E / 26.6533°S 145.4634°E / -26.6533; 145.4634 (Monamby (homestead))) Mount Pleasant (26°23′18″S 145°45′04″E / 26.3884°S 145.7511°E / -26.3884; 145.7511 (Mount Pleasant (homestead))) Nimboy (26°24′44″S 145°23′58″E / 26.4121°S 145.3994°E / -26.4121; 145.3994 (Nimboy (homestead))) Weaner Creek (26°41′41″S 145°40′40″E / 26.6948°S 145.6779°E / -26.6948; 145.6779 (Weaner Creek (homestead))) Wooyenong (26°48′46″S 145°40′08″E / 26.8129°S 145.6690°E / -26.8129; 145.6690 (Wooyenong (homestead))) Yarronvale (26°48′10″S 145°20′47″E / 26.8027°S 145.3463°E / -26.8027; 145.3463 (Yarronvale (homestead)))