The War Memorial and old Commercial Banking Company building in the centre of Coolamon

Coolamon (including Ganmain and Matong)
Attractive country town and service centre
Located 506 km south-west of Sydney via the Hume and Sturt Highways and 40 km north of Wagga Wagga Coolamon is a wheat-belt country town with broad streets and wrought-iron verandahs. 251 m above sea level and with a population of about 1300 it is known as the 'hay and chaff' capital. It is in fact a leading state producer of wheat and chaff and is noted for the quality of its fat lambs, though wool and turkeys are also a part of the local economy.While hay may not sound an interesting subject the traditional sheaf haystacks which dot the countryside are an impressive sight.

A peculiar feature of the flat, clay countryside are the thousands of naturally-occurring indentations in the ground which fill with water. They are named Coolamon Holes after an Aboriginal word for a hollow wooden storage vessel and it is this which has supplied the town's name.

Once occupied by the Kamilaroi and/or Wiradjuri Aborigines 'Coleman' station was established in 1848 by J. Atkinson. Wheat growing commenced in the late 1850s. When the southern railway began to approach a township was surveyed and established. The station opened in 1881 as Cowabbie Road but was changed to Coleman a week later and to Coolamon in 1895. The railway enabled transportation of local wheat, wool and timber.

Things to see:  

Hotel Coolamon

In the area
The town has art-and-craft shops, an art gallery and much that reflects upon the area's heritage. For example there are a number of historical buildings and several historical museums and displays, such as Reg Godde's Vintage Farm Machinery and Miniature Working Models, on a property just outside of Coolamon (open Saturdays - 02 6927 3392), the Ganmain Hay Stack in Pioneer Park at Ganmain (15 km west), and the Ganmain Historical Society, which holds an historical day each March centring around the local museum. Just west of Ganmain is Matong where you can visit Matong Memories (Friday-Sunday). The Up-to-Date Store is a lovely and very old local building with a tongue-and-groove ceiling which will soon be reopened and antique tractors are on display at the Coolamon Tractor Pull in March.

The Hall of Conciliation, Ganmain
This is a round, heart-shaped, load-bearing straw bale building. The Hall was built by the delegates to the International Straw Bale Building Conference 2002 held in Ganmain and at the Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. It is built on a half acre block of land in Cave Street, Ganmain. This land was given back to the Wiradjuri people as a mark of respect and a place to start the reconciliation process. The Hall was completed to lock up in 5 days and was blessed by the Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, The Rev. Francis Carroll, Ganmain born and bred. It will be completed during 2003 by volunteer work and hopefully will be operating as a teaching centre in 2004. It will be a place for the Wiradjuri people to tell their story and to promote reconciliation in our country.

The Hall of Conciliation, Ganmain

Coolamon Heritage Tours
Coolamon Heritage Tours will take you around the town and countryside and incorporate a look at the historical streetscape, an alpaca farm, an aviary, Reg Godde's and other local sights (02 6927 3737).

	Tourist Information
	Coolamon Council Offices Cowabbie St Coolamon NSW 2701 Telephone: (02) 6927 3206
	Richo's Store 23 Wade St Coolamon NSW 2701 Telephone: (02) 6927 3237
	Hotels
	Coolamon Hotel Wade St Coolamon NSW 2701 Telephone: (02) 6927 3028
	Royal Tavern Hotel 90 Cowabbie St Coolamon NSW 2701 Telephone: (02) 6927 3015
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Avondale Station Bed & Breakfast P.O. Box 78 Coolamon NSW 2701 Telephone: (02) 6927 3055 Facsimile: (02) 6927 3055
	Lavender Cottage 97 Wallace St Coolamon NSW 2701 Telephone: (02) 6927 3282
	Caravan Parks
	Coolamon Caravan Park Bruce St Coolamon NSW 2701 Telephone: (02) 6927 3206 Facsimile: (02) 6927 3013 Rating: *