Perhaps, the name Coolaroo makes you think of kangaroos. Coolaroo is a suburb in Melbourne. It is 18 km north of Melbourne’s Central Business District. We are now in the City of Hume. Coolaroo had a population of 3,193 at the 2021 census.
Coolaroo’s name may come from an Aboriginal word. It is thought to mean “brown snake”. In 1951, the Housing Commission of Victoria acquired the area. They planned to build housing estates here. However, construction didn’t start until 1966. Until the late 1990s, Coolaroo was larger. Its boundaries went past the railway line and Pascoe Vale Road. This included the area now known as Meadow Heights.
In 2016, Coolaroo had 3,191 residents. A large percentage of people were born in Australia. The next most common birthplaces were Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon. Many residents speak languages other than English at home. These include Arabic, Turkish, and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic. Islam and Catholicism are the most common religions.
Coolaroo offers educational facilities. Coolaroo South Primary School and St. Mary’s Coptic Orthodox College are located here.
For shopping, residents often go to nearby suburbs. Meadow Heights and Dallas have shopping centers. These centers provide a variety of retail options.
Coolaroo has good transport links. Several bus routes serve the suburb. Route 532 runs between Craigieburn and Broadmeadows stations. Route 540 connects Upfield and Broadmeadows stations via Coolaroo. Route 542 goes from Roxburgh Park to Pascoe Vale. Route 901 is a SmartBus service from Frankston to Melbourne Airport.
Coolaroo railway station is on the Craigieburn line. It opened in 2010. This was almost 40 years after the station was first planned. Upfield station also serves Coolaroo. It is the terminus for the Upfield line. The station and railway line form the boundary between Coolaroo and Campbellfield.
In 2017, a fire at SKM recycling plants in Coolaroo caused problems. The smoke and ashes affected local neighborhoods. Residents were evacuated. The Supreme Court ordered SKM to pay $1.2 million in compensation. SKM later became insolvent.
In 2019, the EPA removed contaminated waste from Glass Recovery Services in Coolaroo. They also removed millions of liters of polluted water. The company and director faced criminal charges.
The popular 1997 Australian film The Castle was set in Coolaroo. However, the house in the film was actually in Strathmore. Coolaroo has a rich history. It has faced environmental challenges. It is a suburb with a diverse population. It is well-connected by transport. Coolaroo continues to evolve. It contributes to Melbourne’s character.