Balingup, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Balingup is a town located in the South West of Western Australia
, 241 kilometres (150 mi) south of the state capital, Perth
, and 31 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of the town of Donnybrook
.
The town takes its name from Balingup Pool, located on the Balingup Brook which flows through the town. The name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1850, and is said to be derived from the name of Noongar
warrior, Balingan.
The town is on the South Western Highway
. It originally had a station on the railway line, opened in 1898, the same year the town was gazetted.
Balingup was known in the twentieth century for fruit and vegetable growing , and more recently for beef cattle and dairy farming. There are two long-established religious communities.
Balingup hosts annual rural festivals, primarily the Small Farm Field Day (late April) and Medieval Carnivale (August).
Nearby are found mushroom varieties of interest to both drug users and law enforcement agencies
Balingup is also one of the few towns through which the Bibbulmun Track
passes.
The historic Southampton homestead
is nearby.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, 241 kilometres (150 mi) south of the state capital, Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, and 31 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of the town of Donnybrook
Donnybrook, Western Australia
-Tourism:Donnybrook has many town icons bearing the apple. On the main street, apple-shaped lights line the entrance of the Old Railway Station. These lights have recently been restored. Atop the east Donnybrook hill is a high tower with an apple at the top...
.
The town takes its name from Balingup Pool, located on the Balingup Brook which flows through the town. The name was first recorded by a surveyor in 1850, and is said to be derived from the name of Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
warrior, Balingan.
The town is on the South Western Highway
South Western Highway
South Western Highway is a highway in the South West region of Western Australia connecting Perth's southeast with Walpole. It is a part of the National Highway 1 network for most of its length...
. It originally had a station on the railway line, opened in 1898, the same year the town was gazetted.
Balingup was known in the twentieth century for fruit and vegetable growing , and more recently for beef cattle and dairy farming. There are two long-established religious communities.
Balingup hosts annual rural festivals, primarily the Small Farm Field Day (late April) and Medieval Carnivale (August).
Nearby are found mushroom varieties of interest to both drug users and law enforcement agencies
Balingup is also one of the few towns through which the Bibbulmun Track
Bibbulmun Track
The Bibbulmun Track is a long distance walk trail in Western Australia. It runs from Kalamunda, east of Perth to Albany and is almost 1000 km long...
passes.
The historic Southampton homestead
Southampton homestead
Southampton homestead is a Victorian-Georgian historical homestead located on the banks of the Blackwood River in the south west of Western Australia....
is nearby.
Further reading
- Frost, A. C. Baylya-Balinga : a History of Balingup, W.A. Donnybrook, W.A. : Donnybrook-Balingup Shire Council, 1979. ISBN 0959737316