Koo Wee Rup, Victoria

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Koo Wee Rup
state = vic

---

caption = Aerial photo from south west
lga = Shire of Cardinia
postcode = 3981
pop = 2,803 (2006) Census 2006 AUS
id=SSC25901
name = Koo Wee Rup (State Suburb)
accessdate=2007-09-15
quick=on]
est =
elevation= 36
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Bass
fedgov = Flinders
dist1 = 71
location1= Melbourne
dist2 = 25
location2= Cranbourne
near-nw = Officer
near-n = Pakenham
near-ne = Nar Nar Goon
near-w = Clyde
near-e = Cora Lynn
near-sw = Tooradin
near-s =
near-se = Caldermead

Koo Wee Rup is a town in Victoria, Australia, 70 km south-east of Melbourne near Western Port bay. Its local government area is the Shire of Cardinia. Prior to December 1994 the town was part of the Shire of Cranbourne.

It has an approximate population of 2,800. In the early 1950's many Dutch and Italian families settled in the area.

Built on former marshland now converted to market gardens.

Prior to European settlement the area was occupied by the Bunurong Aboriginal people. It is from their language that the town's name derives - 'ku-wirup' allegedly meaning 'plenty of blackfish' or 'blackfish swimming'.

Koo Wee Rup is Australia's largest asparagus growing district. It also is a beef farming and potato growing area. The town was previously well-known for its Potato Festival, which was held each March to raise funds for the Westernport Memorial Hospital (now Kooweerup Regional Health Service).

Schools include Koo Wee Rup Primary School, St John the Baptist Primary School and Koo Wee Rup Secondary College.

The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Ellinbank & District Football League.Citation | last = Full Points Footy | title = Koo_Wee_Rup | url = http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Koo_Wee_Rup.htm | accessdate = 2008-07-25 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.cclc.vic.gov.au/moments/koowee.htm Koo Wee Rup - Casey Cardinia Moments in a Regional History]
* [http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/portregn.nsf/pages/port_soil_survey_cranbourne_general_land_use A Brief Description of the Land Use in the Koo-Wee-Rup and Cranbourne Regions]
* [http://www.ag.gov.au/ema/emadisasters.nsf/c85916e930b93d50ca256d050020cb1f/af0f210075918309ca256d33000581e5!OpenDocument Koo-wee-rup, Vic: Rail collision 1928 (Australian Railway Disasters, by Kenn Pearce) ]
* [http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/railways/image.aspx?g=1&ID=488 Koo-Wee-Rup - Strezlecki Line 1922. Bridge at 20m. 20c.]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/news/Victoria/Kooweerup/2005/02/17/1108500206631.html Koo-wee-rup] (SMH Travel)
* [http://www.angelfire.com/de/vk3kcm/Fiskville2.html Experimental Radio station was established at Koo-wee-rup near Melbourne in the 1920's]