Editing Cooma (section)

==History==
The area now known as Cooma lies on the traditional lands of the [[Ngarigo]] people.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Studies|first=Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander|date=2021-01-10|title=Map of Indigenous Australia|url=https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia|access-date=2021-11-29|website=aiatsis.gov.au|language=en}}</ref>

Cooma was explored by Captain J. M. Currie in 1823. It was first surveyed in 1840, and was gazetted in 1849.<ref>{{cite web|date=2014|title=Centenary of Federation Monument|url=http://www.cooma.nsw.gov.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=917:centenary-of-federation-monument&catid=202&Itemid=143|access-date=2 March 2015|publisher=Cooma-Monaro Shire Council}}</ref> Cooma was proclaimed a municipality in 1879.

The [[Main Southern railway line, New South Wales|railway from Sydney]] was [[Bombala railway line|extended]] from [[Royalla]] to Cooma in 1889 under the supervision of [[John Whitton]].<ref name="NSWHR">{{cite web |url=http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_2.cfm?itemid=4801260 |title=Cooma Railway Precinct |work=NSW Heritage Register |publisher=Office of Environment and Heritage: Government of New South Wales |date=11 November 2009 |access-date=5 April 2012}}</ref> The line was closed to rail passenger traffic in 1989.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=nswrail.net |title=Bombala Line |url=http://www.nswrail.net/lines/show.php?name=NSW:bombala |access-date=21 January 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=nswrail.net |title=Cooma Railway Station |url=http://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Cooma&line=NSW:bombala:0 |access-date=21 January 2007}}</ref> The estimated population of Cooma was 47 in 1851 and it grew to 2330 (1911), 1969 (1933), 2249 (1947), 9103 (1966), 7353 (1976) and 7978 (1981).<ref name="CoomaPop1911">{{cite web | url=http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/2DB1C328DD893466CA257839001412DE/$File/1911%20Census%20-%20Volume%20III%20-%20Part%20XIV%20Summary.pdf | title=CENSUS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 1911 – Part XIV Summary | publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics | work=Census of the Commonwealth of Australia 1911 | year=1911 | access-date=18 March 2013 | page=211}}</ref><ref name="CoomaPop1933">{{cite web | url=http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/2877B9A263A47F3FCA25784000102F18/$File/1933%20Census%20-%20Volume%20I%20-%20Part%20VIII%20Population%20and%20Occupied%20Dwellings%20in%20Localities.pdf | title=CENSUS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 30th June 1933 – PART VIII. POPULATION AND OCCUPIED DWELLINGS IN LOCALITIES | publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics | work=CENSUS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 30th June 1933 | access-date=18 March 2013 | page=23}}</ref><ref name="CoomaPop1947">{{cite web | url=http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/2F3A37515796B189CA25784100193B4B/$File/1947%20Census%20-%20Volume%20I%20-%20Part%20VIII%20Population%20and%20Occupied%20Dwellings%20in%20Localities.pdf | title=CENSUS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 30th June, 1947 – PART VIII. – POPULATION AND OCCUPIED DWELLINGS IN LOCALITIES | publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics | work=CENSUS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA 30th June 1947 | access-date=18 March 2013 | page=17}}</ref><ref name="CoomaPop1966">{{cite web | url=http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/F007A27B8134D698CA2578800083C970/$File/1966%20Census%20-%20Volume%205%20Population%20and%20Dwellings%20in%20Localities%20-%20Part%201%20NSW.pdf | title=CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 – Vol.5, Part 1 – New South Wales | publisher=COMMONWEALTH BUREAU OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS | work=CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1966 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA | date=December 1970 | access-date=18 March 2013 | page=9}}</ref><ref name="CoomaPop1981">{{cite web | url=http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/21168A9CEE54C9CECA257583001154AE/$File/24010_1981_PD_LGA_NSW.pdf | title=CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1981 PERSONS AND DWELLINGS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS AND URBAN CENTRES – NEW SOUTH WALES | publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics | work=CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING, 30 JUNE 1981 | year=1983 | access-date=18 March 2013 | page=37}}</ref>

In 1949, the town became the headquarters of the [[Snowy Mountains Scheme]] and grew rapidly. Between 1949 and 1974 the population expanded due to an influx of 65,000 workers from more than 30 countries.<ref name="s2bnw">{{cite news |last1=Tugwell |first1=James |last2=Fisher  |first2=Jack |date=12 October 2024 |title=Snowy 2.0 brings new wave of cultures to Cooma, centre helps migrant women thrive |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-12/snowy-hydro-2-in-cooma-brings-migrant-workers-women-nsw/104428290 |publisher=ABC News|location=Australia |access-date=1 November 2024}}</ref> Those working on the Snowy Scheme depended on the railway and during construction of the scheme, the railways were one of the largest employers in the region.<ref name=NSWHR/> In 1959, the tenth anniversary of the scheme was celebrated with the erection of an avenue of flags representing the 27 nationalities of people working on the scheme.

Cooma has developed a growing tourism industry as it became the main rest stop for many travellers heading to the NSW snow fields during the winter months. As a result, the town nicknamed itself the 'Gateway to the Snowy Mountains'.

The Aviation Pioneers' Memorial at Cooma contains artifacts recovered from the [[Avro 618 Ten]] aircraft [[Southern Cloud]], which [[1931 Avro Ten Southern Cloud disappearance|crashed on 21 March 1931]] in the Toolong range of the Australian Alps. The wreck was not found until 26 October 1958.<ref name="SouthernCloud1">{{cite web | url=http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:OLDASSET::svPath=/fsa/2006/aug/,svFileName=40-42.pdf | title=Into the Abyss & Back | publisher=FLIGHT SAFETY AUSTRALIA | work=Flight Safety Magazine | date=July–August 2006 | access-date=18 March 2013 | pages=40–42 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>