Wonuarra, South Australia

Wonuarra is a locality southeast of Paringa in the east end of the South Australian Riverland region. The locality is east of the Sturt Highway between Paringa and Yamba and extends from the highway to the state border.^[2]

Wonuarra South Australia
Wonuarra
Coordinates	34°12′58″S 140°52′48″E / 34.216°S 140.880°E / -34.216; 140.880
Population	44 (SAL 2021)^[1]
Postcode(s)	5340
Location	10 km (6 mi) south of Paringa
LGA(s)	Renmark Paringa Council
State electorate(s)	Chaffey
Federal division(s)	Barker
Localities around Wonuarra: Paringa Murtho Lindsay Point, Victoria Mundic Creek Wonuarra Murray-Sunset, Victoria Pike River Yamba Murray-Sunset, Victoria

Wonuarra was the next siding on the Barmera railway line south of Paringa and provided bagged wheat for rail transport out of the district.^[3] The siding was originally named Koora, but renamed to Wonuarra as the original name was easily confused with Noora further south.^[4]

In the 1960s, a branch line joined the main line north of Wonuarra. It was 27.3 kilometres (17.0 mi) long, and went northeast to Murtho to the south bank of the Murray River to support construction of the proposed Chowilla Dam. The dam was never built, after the South Australian government negotiated a guaranteed supply of water from the Dartmouth Dam. The railway line was removed without ever being used.^[5][6]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Wonuarra (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
2. "Property Location Browser (Suburbs and Localities)". Government of South Australia, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. SA0040088. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
3. "THE PARINGA LINE". Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark, SA : 1913 - 1942). Renmark, SA: National Library of Australia. 15 February 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
4. "WONUARRA". Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark, SA : 1913 - 1942). Renmark, SA: National Library of Australia. 15 June 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
5. "Paringa - Chowilla Railway, S.A". RailPage. Interactive Omnimedia Pty Ltd. Retrieved 30 September 2015.^{[self-published source]}
6. "Chowilla branch". RailPage. Interactive Omnimedia Pty Ltd. Retrieved 30 September 2015.^{[self-published source]}