WAROOKA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

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A small village nestled on a low range of hills known as Peesey Range.
Location: 250 km west of Adelaide; 21 km west of Yorketown.
Origin of name: the locality was originally known as Mt. Hardwicke after the bay which lies to the north. Its present name is the Aboriginal name of the locality, which means "muddy water hole".
Brief history: the town was first settled in 1876. In the early days, farmers of the locality found that even though the pastures were lush, their sheep lost condition and lambs lost control of their limbs. It was noticed that the same condition prevailed in the South East of Australia, Kangaroo Island and the South Western District of Victoria. In 1876 it was believed to be due to vapours arising from mangrove swamps and was called the Coast Disease. In the late 1920s it was discovered the disease was due to deficiencies in the soil of minerals such as cobalt, copper and manganese. The problem was overcome by adding manganese to the super phosphate fertiliser when top dressing pastures.
On 9th September, 1902, Warooka was shaken by a severe earthquake, Sir Charles Todd, Govt. Astronomer at the time, calculated the epicentre to be at Warooka. The shock was severe enough to stop the Glenelg Town Hall clock in Adelaide and was felt down in the south east of South Australia and to the north as far as Orroroo. The earthquake, which lasted three minutes, caused the brick chimneys of the hotel to collapse and at least two houses were severely damaged.
Natural features: Peesey Range; Mt. Hardwicke; Peesey Swamp; flux quarry.
Built features: settlements of Point Turton (former grain shipping port), Hardwicke Bay
Heritage features: Warooka Museum; St Brigid's Catholic Church; Warooka Hotel (1877); "The Drain" near Port Turton and Magazine Bay (a 13 km man-made channel dug in the early 1900s to drain swamps in the area).