Coowonga, Queensland

Coowonga is located in coastal hills at the southern end of the Capricorn Coast. It is six kilometres from the Pacific Ocean and the nearest township of Keppel Sands.^{[citation needed]}

Much of the district south of Coowonga Road is grazing and fruit-growing land, while to the north lie tidal salt flats that back onto Coorooman Creek.^{[citation needed]}

The Rockhampton–Emu Park Road runs through from west to north.^[3]

Coowonga is the traditional land of the Darumbal Aboriginal tribe, as is all of the Capricornia region.

Coowonga Provision School opened on 9 August 1897. It became Coowonga State School on 1 January 1909.^[4]

Prior to local government amalgamations in 2008, the Capricorn Coast was administered by Livingstone Shire Council but became part of Rockhampton Region in 2008. In 2014, following a deamalgamation vote, the Shire of Livingstone was re-established.

In the 2006 census, the locality of Coowonga had a population of 558 people.^[5]

In the 2011 census, the locality of Coowonga had a population of 260 people.^[6]

In the 2016 census, the locality of Coowonga had a population of 254 people.^[7]

In the 2021 census, the locality of Coowonga had a population of 255 people.^[1]

Coowonga is a rural community with a focus on primary production.^{[citation needed]}

The Koorana Crocodile Farm, on the banks of Coorooman Creek, opened in November 1981 as the first commercial crocodile farm in Queensland. It also operates as a tourist attraction.^[8] At 2014, it had 3,000 crocodiles and supplies crocodile leather and crocodile meat.^[9]

Coowonga State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 269 Coowonga Road (23.3026°S 150.7311°E / -23.3026; 150.7311 (Coowonga State School)).^[10][11] In 2015, it had an enrolment of 19 students with 3 teachers (2 equivalent full-time).^[12] In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 17 students with 4 teachers (2 full-time equivalent) and 5 non-teaching staff (2 full-time equivalent).^[13]

There are no secondary schools in Coowonga. The nearest government secondary school is Yeppoon State High School in Yeppoon to the north.^[14]