Population 702 (2006 census) Location 8 km (5 mi) from Looma Local time Tuesday 1:08 PM | Postcode(s) 6728 Postal code 6728 | |
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Weather 28°C, Wind SE at 35 km/h, 61% Humidity Lga Shire of Derby-West Kimberley | ||
Camballin is a small town in the West Kimberley district of Western Australia. The town is located on the Camballin Station about 110 km south of Derby and between Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, with the homestead being situated in the town. The town was established by the Public Works Department of Western Australia to service the Camballin Irrigation Scheme which has since become defunct due to flooding. At the 2006 census, Camballin had a population of 702.
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Map of Camballin WA 6728, Australia
The town now houses school teachers and other personnel who work at the nearby Looma Community. Amenities in the town are: Caravan Park, Shopping (No fuel), reticulated water and power, phones (including pay phone booth) and mechanical repairs. The town is also serviced by a landfill site nearby, mobile satellite phone coverage and contains a rundown picture gardens. The power station provides power to the nearby communities of Looma and New Looma.
History
The Camballin township was initially established to support Northern Developments Pty. Ltd., a company incorporated in Sydney in 1951 to establish small scale rice production in 1952. Demonstration that rice production was feasible, a 17-mile dam was constructed on the Uralla creek in 1957, trebling the water storage.
The town's growth continued with the ALCCO (Australian Land & Cattle Company Limited) purchasing Camballin station, Liveringa station and a further five stations in the Kimberley region. This influx of private investment created strong labor demand for the next two decades. with the project leaving a lasting legacy to this day.
The name was chosen by Northern Development Ltd in 1957, with townsite being constructed to service the Liveringa Rice Project. The town was named after one of the nearby stations.