Coobowie is a small town located near Port Giles, Wool Bay and Edithburgh.

Coobowie when first surveyed in 1874 was called Salt Creek and later Deception Bay, but the indigenous name of Coobowie meaning 'wild fowl and water' was recommended. The town was officially dedicated on 7 January 1875.

A Baptist and Methodist church had been built by 1876 and the Coobowie hotel was built by this time. Today its external appearance remains largely unchanged despite extensive renovation internally. Many small towns established an institute, which acted as the public library.

Coobowie's was established in 1875 with the current institute building being built in 1905.

Many goods were shipped from Coobowie including grain and salt. To aid in efficiently loading this cargo on to ketches bound for Port Adelaide tenders were called to erect a jetty and wharf in 1923 which were completed in 1925. Today the area's main bulk grain handling facilities are located at Port Giles.

Generally, in many South Australian small towns sport plays an important role in the community with tennis, cricket, football and rodeos being highlights.

Today, the ground where this Coobowie rodeo footage was taken in the late 1950s is the site of a popular caravan park.

A Story of Coobowie, Edithburgh and district, 1986, [Edithburgh, S. Aust.] : Edithburgh Museum Committee

The Manning index of South Australia history > place names > Comaum - Cook > Coobowie