Coodanup, Western Australia

Coodanup is a south-eastern suburb of Mandurah, Western Australia. Its local government area is the City of Mandurah.

Coodanup Mandurah, Western Australia
Population	3,526 (2011 census)[1]
Established	1956
Postcode(s)	6210
LGA(s)	City of Mandurah
State electorate(s)	Mandurah
Federal Division(s)	Canning
Suburbs around Coodanup: Mandurah Greenfields Barragup Dudley Park Coodanup Furnissdale Harvey Estuary

History

The name "Coodanup" is of unknown origin, although the WA gazetteer states that in 1836, Lieutenant Henry Bunbury noted "Colanup" was the local Noongar name for the mouth of the Serpentine River.[2]

The Coodanup Park Estate was subdivided in 1956, including Beachley Street and the triangle between Wanjeep and Beacham Streets, and the suburb was gazetted in 1970.

In the late 1980s, following the construction of the Mandurah Forum shopping centre in 1983, demand in the area grew and the northern part of the suburb adjacent to the Mandurah Bypass was developed, with Coodanup Senior High School (now Coodanup Community College) being built there in 1989. In 1996, a park home estate, Mandurah Garden Estate Caravan Park, was constructed on Pinjarra Road at the Serpentine River crossing. Several small estates have since been developed in eastern Coodanup and work is continuing.

Geography

Coodanup is bounded by the Serpentine River to the east, Harvey Estuary to the south, Pinjarra Road to the north and Mandurah Bypass and Wanjeep Street to the west.[3]

At the 2001 census, Coodanup had a lower-income population of 3,052 people living in 1,348 dwellings. Aboriginal people formed 5.8% of the population, while unemployment (24.4% in 2001) was far higher than in surrounding districts. Nearly 200 people live in the caravan park.

Facilities

Coodanup is a residential suburb built as a series of estates each built around well appointed, pristine community parks, with foreshores along the Serpentine River and Harvey Estuary. It relies on the Mandurah Forum shopping centre (formerly Centro Mandurah) on its north-western boundary for commercial services. The suburb contains two community centres, a wildlife sanctuary at the river mouth, Mandurah Catholic College and Coodanup Community College.

Transport

Both major residential sections of Coodanup are served by the 597 bus from Mandurah railway station. The service is operated by Transdev WA.

Politics

Coodanup normally strongly favours the Australian Labor Party at state elections, but have recently become more Liberal Party-leaning federally.

References

1. "2011 Census QuickStats: Coodanup". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
2. Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of metropolitan suburb names – C". Retrieved 28 October 2006.
3. 2006 StreetSmart directory, Department of Lands and Surveys, Perth.