Calomba, South Australia

Calomba South Australia
Long Plains watertower as seen from Calomba
Calomba
Coordinates	34.393°S 138.419°E / -34.393; 138.419
Population	46 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)	5501[2]
LGA(s)	Adelaide Plains Council[2]
State electorate(s)	Narungga[3]
Federal division(s)	Grey
Localities around Calomba: Long Plains Pinery Pinery Windsor Calomba Grace Plains Dublin Dublin Mallala
Footnotes	Coordinates[4] Adjoining localities[4]

Calomba is a rural locality in South Australia, situated in the Adelaide Plains Council. The formal boundaries were established in 1997 for the long established local name.[2][4] The place name is supposed to have come from Trigonella suavissima, a native plant also known as calomba.[5][6][7]

It had a former railway siding, located between Mallala and Long Plains on the Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line.[4] The area was formerly known as Shannon, but the railway station was named Calomba at its opening in 1916 due to the presence of another "Shannon" in the state.[8]

A postal receiving office at Calomba opened in April 1920, became a post office in January 1921, and closed on 19 January 1975. It shared a premises with the local store.[8][9]

The district had a school at Stoney Point junction[10]

The town was severely damaged by a bushfire in 1948, with almost £100,000 worth of damage being incurred. Three buildings in the main street were destroyed, including the post office and store; a church, homes and farm equipment were also lost.[11]

The Shannon Methodist Church was opened in 1872, closed in 1957 and demolished in 1965.[12]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Calomba (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. "Search result(s) for Calomba, 5501". Location SA Map Viewer. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
3. Narungga (Map). Electoral District Boundaries Commission. 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
4. "Search result for 'Calomba, LOCB'". Property Location Browser. Government of South Australia. SA0062511. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
5. Praite, R (1970). Place Names of South Australia. Rigby. ISBN 0-85179-083-6.
6. Manning, Geoffrey (2010). The place names of our land: a South Australian anthology, Modbury, South Australia. Gould Genealogy & History.
7. "Search result for 'Calomba Railway Station, RSTA'". Government of South Australia. SA0011719. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
8. "Calomba Railway Servicea". Mallala Now and Then. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
9. "Calomba". Phoenix Auctions Reference. Phoenix Auctions. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
10. "Search result for 'Stoney Point, JUNC'". Government of South Australia. SA0063280. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
11. "Disastrous SA bush fire sweeps town". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 31, 637. Victoria, Australia. 24 January 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 13 September 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "Shannon Methodist Church". NowAndThen.net.au. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2017.