Karoonda (including Sandalwood and Wanbi)
Quiet service centre in the heart of the Mallee
Karoonda is located 146 km east of Adelaide and 66 km from Murray Bridge. It is a pleasant and quiet township with a population of around 250 people which serves the surrounding agricultural area which is noted for its fine sheep, its crops of wheat and barley.

The area was first settled in the 1860s but the land was harsh and droughts drove the farmers from the land. By the 1880s grazing had totally ceased in the entire district.

The town came into existence as recently as 1910 when a bore was sunk. Within a year there was a general store and the need for a school became obvious when it was found there were 15 children within walking distance of Karoonda siding which was a basic train stop. By 1913 the town boasted a general store and a blacksmith and it had been formally gazetted by the government. The town was named Karoonda because that was the name of the railway siding. It is likely that the word 'karoonda' is an Aboriginal word for 'winter camp'.

The sale of allotments saw the town grow rapidly with the construction of the local Institute building in 1914 and a number of houses being built in the next two years. It was, at this time, primarily a railway town.

Today Karoonda is a typical wheatbelt town. It is said the grain silos can be seen from 7km away. Certainly they are capable of storing 50,000 tonnes of grain. The Karoonda Sheep Fair is held each February.

Things to see:  

Karoonda Pioneer Park
There are a range of attractions in Karoonda Pioneer Park including a railway display, an early farm machinery display and an attractive Lions Nature Trail. The Mallee Lands Railway Museum was centred on a rebuilt railway siding (Yurgo) with an old van housing interesting artefacts. The Pioneer farmhouse is a house which was built at Sandalwood in 1913. It houses a collection of artefacts from the period notably some excellent and usual laundry equipment.

Meteorites
On display in the local council office is a meteorite which fell to earth near Karoonda in 1930. There is additional information about the event on an obelisk in the main street.

Wanbi
Wanbi is a tiny settlement which is a classic wheatbelt town dominated by its grain silos. It is 56 km east of Karoonda. The local hall was built in 1925 and the two storey Wanbi Hotel, the only hotel between Karoonda and Loxton, was completed in 1932. The town's first grain silo, with a capacity of 3000 tonnes, was completed in 1965 and another silo with a 2700 tonne capacity, was added in 1976.

Sandalwood
Tiny township which was named after the sandalwood trees in the area. It is 28 km east of Karoonda. The town came into existence around the time of the outbreak of hostilities in World War I. The railway arrived in 1913 and the Post Office was opened in 1914. The school arrived in 1919 and the town was connected to the telephone in 1924.

	Hotels
	Karoonda Hotel Railway Tce Karoonda SA 5307 Telephone: (08) 8578 1006
	Restaurants
	Karoonda Hotel Railway Tce Karoonda SA 5307 Telephone: (08) 8578 1006