Kondinin, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Kondinin is a town located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
, 279 kilometres (173 mi) east of the state capital, Perth
via the Brookton Highway
and State Route 40 between Corrigin
and Hyden
. It is the main town in the Shire of Kondinin
. At the 2006 census
, Kondinin had a population of 311.
, Surveyor General of the Swan River Colony
on his 1848–1849 expedition to examine the south coast. He encountered a group of Aborigines
55 kilometres (34 mi) east of Nalyaring (near Brookton
) who guided the expedition party to several water sources before leaving the party at Yeerakine (just south-east of Kondinin) as this was the limit of their territory. The lake and well nearby came to be known as Kondinin, although the meaning is unknown.
In the early years, settlers occasionally encountered groups of Aborigines hunting possums. Although artifacts such as grinding stones and stone choppers have been found in the district, no signs of permanent occupation were found by early settlers other than the mia-mias built by "Europeanised" Aboriginal shepherds from Narrogin
in the employ of Michael Brown.
Michael Brown, a businessman from Narrogin
, took up large pastoral leases in the Kulin/Kondinin area in 1905. These and other leases in the area were terminated in 1909/1910 to allow the government to distribute the land for agricultural purposes.
The town of Kondinin began life as a railway station on the railway line from Yilliminning
(near Narrogin) to Kondinin, built from 1911 to 1915. The district around Kondinin was already settled when the government chose to construct a railway line here in 1911. The townsite was gazetted in 1915.
), National Australia Bank,Bankwest, shopping facilities, accommodation (hotel, motel, caravan park), council offices and a telecentre
are located within the town.
The town is a stop on the Transwa
bus service to Esperance.
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...
, 279 kilometres (173 mi) east 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....
via the Brookton Highway
Brookton Highway
Brookton Highway is a 504 kilometre long undivided single carriageway highway in Western Australia, running from the southern Perth suburb of Kelmscott, through Westdale, to the southern Wheatbelt town of Brookton...
and State Route 40 between Corrigin
Corrigin, Western Australia
Corrigin is a town located in the central Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, east-southeast of the state capital, Perth, Western Australia, along State Route 40...
and Hyden
Hyden, Western Australia
The town of Hyden is located 339 km east of Perth, Western Australia in the Shire of Kondinin. Hyden is home to Wave Rock and Mulka's Cave, both popular local tourist attractions....
. It is the main town in the Shire of Kondinin
Shire of Kondinin
The Shire of Kondinin is a Local Government Area in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about east of the state capital, Perth. The Shire's land area of forms a narrow east-west band, located between the Shire of Narembeen to the north and the Shire of Kulin to the south...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Kondinin had a population of 311.
History
The first European known to have visited the Kondinin area was Captain John Septimus RoeJohn Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe was the first Surveyor-General of Western Australia. He was a renowned explorer, and a Member of Western Australia's Legislative and Executive Councils for nearly 40 years.-Early life:...
, Surveyor General of the Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
on his 1848–1849 expedition to examine the south coast. He encountered a group of Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
55 kilometres (34 mi) east of Nalyaring (near Brookton
Brookton, Western Australia
Brookton is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, Australia, from the state capital, Perth via the Brookton Highway where it crosses the Great Southern Highway. The town is also located on the Great Southern railway line. It is located within, and is the seat of government...
) who guided the expedition party to several water sources before leaving the party at Yeerakine (just south-east of Kondinin) as this was the limit of their territory. The lake and well nearby came to be known as Kondinin, although the meaning is unknown.
In the early years, settlers occasionally encountered groups of Aborigines hunting possums. Although artifacts such as grinding stones and stone choppers have been found in the district, no signs of permanent occupation were found by early settlers other than the mia-mias built by "Europeanised" Aboriginal shepherds from Narrogin
Narrogin, Western Australia
Narrogin is a large town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, southeast of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Wagin...
in the employ of Michael Brown.
Michael Brown, a businessman from Narrogin
Narrogin, Western Australia
Narrogin is a large town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, southeast of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Pingelly and Wagin...
, took up large pastoral leases in the Kulin/Kondinin area in 1905. These and other leases in the area were terminated in 1909/1910 to allow the government to distribute the land for agricultural purposes.
The town of Kondinin began life as a railway station on the railway line from Yilliminning
Yilliminning, Western Australia
Yilliminning is a small town located in the southern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, southeast of the state capital, Perth and 20 kilometres east of Narrogin. At the 2006 census, Yilliminning had a population of 337.-History:...
(near Narrogin) to Kondinin, built from 1911 to 1915. The district around Kondinin was already settled when the government chose to construct a railway line here in 1911. The townsite was gazetted in 1915.
Present day
Kondinin has a population of about 300 and is a key agricultural centre for a district whose main activities are wheat and sheep farming. It contains a TAFE centre, and in addition, a primary school (the nearest high school being 23 km away in KulinKulin, Western Australia
Kulin is a town located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately 280 km from Perth. It is the main town in the Shire of Kulin.- History :...
), National Australia Bank,Bankwest, shopping facilities, accommodation (hotel, motel, caravan park), council offices and a telecentre
Telecentre
A telecentre is a public place where people can access computers, the Internet, and other digital technologies that enable them to gather information, create, learn, and communicate with others while they develop essential digital skills...
are located within the town.
The town is a stop on the Transwa
Transwa
Transwa is Western Australia's regional public transport provider, linking 275 destinations within Western Australia, from Kalbarri in the north to Augusta in the south to Esperance in the east along with the regional centres of Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Northam, Geraldton and Albany.Transwa is...
bus service to Esperance.
Reference
- Greble, William E (1976). A Bold Yeomanry: Social Change in a Wheat Belt District. Perth: Creative Research.