Waddamana Explained

Type:town
Waddamana
State:tas
Coordinates:-42.1167°N 190°W
Pushpin Label Position:right
Lga:Central Highlands
Region:Central
Postcode:7030
Pop:4
Pop Year:2016 census
Pop Footnotes:[1]
Stategov:Lyons
Fedgov:Lyons
Dist1:112
Dir1:NW
Location1:Hobart
Dist2:101
Dir2:S
Location2:Deloraine
Dist3:30
Dir3:S
Location3:Miena
Location4:Hamilton
Dist4:64
Dir4:N
Near-Nw:Miena
Near-N:Shannon
Near-Ne:Steppes
Near-E:Steppes
Near-W:London Lakes
Near-Sw:London Lakes
Near-S:Victoria Valley
Near-Se:Victoria Valley

Waddamana is a rural locality in the local government area (LGA) of Central Highlands in the Central LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about north of the town of Hamilton. The 2016 census has a population of 4 for the state suburb of Waddamana.[1] It is a former 'hydro-town', at the foot of the southern side of the Central Plateau of Tasmania.

History

Waddamana was gazetted as a locality in 1973.[2]

It flourished with a population of over 100 in the early 1900s when the power plant situated there was being built.[3] Waddamana Post Office opened on 18 August 1913 and closed in 1971.[4]

It contains two decommissioned hydro-electric power stations (see Waddamana power stations), one of which is a museum, and several cottages, most of which are only used by guests. Schools often take their students to Waddamana for camps. It has gained a reputation for its harsh weather - it often snows and icing was a problem when the hydro plants were still in use.[5]

In 1991, the whole town was bought by Helen and Frank Cooper, who operated the camp for children and others until they sold that side of the town in about 2014.[6]

In 2021, the Cooper's side of town was bought by Llyr and Kurt Otto, sight unseen due to COVID-19 restrictions on travel. They are the only permanent residents. They rent some houses to temporary workers at a nearby wind farm, and operate tourist facilities on weekends: a coffee van with home-made baked goods.[7]

The Tasmanian Aboriginal name waddamana means 'noisy water'.

Geography

Lake Echo forms part of the western boundary. The River Ouse flows through from north to south.

Road infrastructure

Route C178 (Waddamana Road) passes through from north to south-east. Route C177 (Bashan Road) starts at an intersection with C178 and runs south until it exits.[2] [8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2016 Census Quick Stats Waddamana (Tas.) . . 23 October 2017 . quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au . Australian Bureau of Statistics . 13 September 2020 .
  2. Web site: Placenames Tasmania – Waddamana . . Placenames Tasmania . 13 September 2020 . Select “Search”, enter "1294F", click “Search”, select row, map is displayed, click “Details”.
  3. Rackham, Sarah and Woodberry, Joan (editor) (1981) Hydro construction villages. Volume one. Waddamana, Shannon, Tarraleah Hobart: Public Relations Department, Hydro-Electric Commission
  4. Web site: Premier Postal History . Post Office List . Premier Postal Auctions . 16 June 2012.
  5. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_095018.shtml Nearest climate records are for Tarraleah and Butlers Gorge.
  6. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-04/tasmanias-historic-waddamana-hydro-electric-village-for-sale/13112312 Part of Tasmania's historic Waddamana hydro-electric village up for sale
  7. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-14/couple-restore-hydro-electric-town-waddamana-tasmania/103072928 Couple bring life back to old hydro-electric town Waddamana, in Tasmanian highlands
  8. Web site: Tasmanian Road Route Codes . https://web.archive.org/web/20170801112712/http://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Route%20Descriptions%20V3.6.pdf . dead . 2017-08-01 . . May 2017 . Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment . 13 September 2020 .