TOWN ATTRACTIONS & HISTORY
The charming and historic town of Toodyay, nestled in a peaceful,
picturesque valley is located just 85kms from Perth on the Avon
River and offers a gateway to the Pioneers Pathway.
Natural Heritage of the Pioneers’ Pathway
The Pioneer Pathway route travels from the jarrah forest of the Avon Valley
National Park to the salmon gum, granite rock woodlands of the Merredin district.
Along the way explore the jam tree, york gum country of Pelham Reserve at
Toodyay.
Half way to Goomalling visit Wongamine Nature Reserve and the delightful rest
area 10kms south of Goomalling.
Oak Park, north east of Goomalling, supports an abundance of
bird life when the lake has water. Interpretative signage tells
the story of the area and makes a great picnic spot. Enjoy more
nature when taking the Tin Dog Creek Walk Trail and Bird Hide in
Dowerin. Walking the trail will give an insight into the flora
and bird life of the Wheatbelt. Further east along the Pioneers’ Pathway
take a break at Namalcatchem Nature Reserve, a typical Wheatbelt
woodland on heavier soils. Between Wyalkatchem and Merredin there
are numerous granite outcrop reserves to explore just off the Pathway.
Billyacatting Nature Reserve north of Kununoppin, Eaglestone Rock
near Lake Brown and Talgomine Reserve in the Nungarin Shire are
just a few. At Merredin, The Peak and Totadgin Conservation Park
both have interpretive walk trails.
GOOMALLING
The picturesque town of Goomalling is located 132 kilometres north
east of Perth in the Avon Valley arc. This progressive and friendly
Shire, with a population of approximately 1,000 people, was once
widely inhabited by the Koomal Possum, from which the name Goomalling
was derived.
The district was surveyed in 1854 by assistant surveyor Austin,
and the Benedictine Monks of New Norcia held extensive grazing
rights in the area. Goomalling’s settlement began when George
Slater secured a pastoral lease around Goomalling Spring in 1853.
Attractions
Slater Homestead, restored by the Goomalling Shire, symbolises
the pioneer experience, developing from a pastoral retreat in the
1850’s to a wayside inn during the gold rush days
of the 1880’s. Close by the homestead is the historic well,
located on the Goomalling-Merredin road. The heritage of the homestead
contrasts with the wheat domes, an innovative engineering feat
built in 1994. It is the only structure of its kind in the southern
hemisphere and a striking landmark.
Revisit the childhood of days gone by in the refurbished schoolhouse,
located in the grounds of the museum. Enjoy scenic views from local
lookout points that change with the seasons, offering varied photo
opportunities. Experience warm country hospitality at a diverse
range of establishments that treat guests to a memorable stay in
Goomalling and the Wheatbelt.
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DOWERIN
Green in winter, golden in summer, 156 kilometres north east of
Perth, has an array of attractions both natural and built providing
an entertaining and interesting experience for the visitor.
The first settlement for agriculture was in 1897 with the town
established in 1906 once the railway line was extended from Goomalling.
More than a century later, agriculture remains the dominant business
of the district with grain growing and sheep production for meat
and wool.
Attractions
A series of wells dating back 100 years offer an insight into the
importance of the route via Dowerin to the Yilgarn goldfields.
Visit the museum to view furnishings, household goods and artefacts
from the district complete with a shop in the back yard displaying
items related to the businesses of the era.
Explore the natural environment by taking the Tin Dog Creek Walk
Trail for a great introduction to the plants and birds of the Wheatbelt.
Rusty, the tin dog, stands guard at the west entrance to town.
Read how this project was initiated by students at Dowerin District
High School and the inspiration behind the idea. Ample parking
and picnic facilities are available at the Information Bay which
further offers a connection to the main shopping precinct, public
toilets and the Tin Dog Walk Trail.
Centenary Park is a lovely area to take a rest and enjoy a picnic lunch. A good
variety of play equipment will keep the children amused and for the older ones
the Skate Park is next door.
Dowerin’s premier event, the Dowerin Machinery Field Days, are conducted
over three days at the end of August each year.
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WYALKATCHEM
“Wylie” as it is called by locals, with a population
of 630 people is a proud and hospitable wheatbelt town, winner
of the title Australia’s Tidiest Town 2003. For a town of
its size Wylie is well endowed with services.
Pastoralists were active in the district from the late1860s and
they may have been preceded by sandalwood cutters. Permanent settlement
began in 1905 with the throwing open of land for selection.
The Yarragin Road, at first a pastoralist’s track, became
the Goldfields Road after the discovery of the eastern goldfields
and carried a heavy volume of traffic to and from the diggings.
The district lays claim to being the cradle of bulk handling because of the pioneering
construction of bulk grain facilities in 1931. Wyalkatchem is now a strategic
receival point for Cooperative Bulk Handling and is a far cry from those modest,
yet ground breaking facilities of 1931.
Attractions
The town boasts a main street that is an attraction in itself with its blend
of historic buildings, murals and landscaping. One of the wheat bins from the
1930s is preserved in the town and houses a large and varied collection of agricultural,
transport and railway equipment as part of the Wyalkatchem Museum
The shire has several reserves of remnant vegetation that contain a wide range
of species and are particularly attractive in the wildflower season.
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TRAYNING
Natural granite outcrops, native flora and fauna, woodlands and
panoramas of wildflowers in season are all found in the district
235kms from Perth and 70kms from Merredin.
The area was named after ‘Trayning Well’, derived from
two aboriginal names ‘Durri-iring’ or ‘Duranning’ .
The words mean ‘to crawl’, and ‘a camping place’ and
became known as ’snake crawling in the grass near campsite’.
The gold rush of the 1880’s saw substantial increases in
population as people took up farming leases or serviced those travelling
through the district to the gold fields. Social life flourished
and the first country trotting club in the state was registered
in 1923. The original grandstand can still be seen in Trayning.
The Shire has three townships each 11kms apart.
Check out the small roadside museum.
Trayning: The largest of the three towns. Wander around town and
see the tree library.
Kununoppin is the town amongst the tall salmon gum trees. Drive
around to discover the tin sculptures. Kununoppin has a rural hospital
servicing surrounding districts.
Attractions
Attractions are easily accessible but there are limited or no amenities
so be prepared and take everything for your picnic.
Billyacatting Hill means ‘Hill’ and was first recorded
by HS King in 1889. 27 km east of Trayning, this is a 2,500ha flora
and fauna reserve. Car park and walk trail. No overnight camping please. Nearby is the National Trust homestead of Mangowine.
Yarragin Rock, 24kms north-east of Trayning, has twin monoliths
rising from a flat granite outcrop visible from a great distance
while Whiteman’s Rock is a massive finger-like projection
of white quartz located at Moujakine, north-east of Trayning. Gold
was discovered here in 1887.
18kms north of Trayning are the gnammas, rock pools formed in granite
that collect water. Traditionally gnammas were used by aboriginals
as they moved from place to place inland. Birds and other wildlife
frequent the rock pools and the perimeters are ideal places to
search for orchids, insects and other wildflowers. Typically sun
dews occur in these areas, a bizarre plant that digests insects.
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NUNGARIN
Nungarin, with a population of a little over 300 people, has an
interesting history and vibrant local culture. The first European
into Nungarin was Surveyor General J. S. Roe, who on the night
of 25 October 1836 made camp at an old native well which years
later was to be the focus of the area’s first settlement
at Mangowine.
Mangowine Homestead
The homestead, which included an Inn, has been restored by the
National Trust and is furnished in the style of the early days.
It is well worth a visit. (Closed Wednesday).
McCorry’s Hotel, on the northern boundary of the town, was
built in anticipation of the coming of the railway line. It ended
up isolated from the main town when a different route was selected.
In 1909, after the decline of the gold rush, a new wave of farmers
began to arrive in Nungarin with the establishment of the Civil
Servants Re- Settlement Scheme, and Nungarin became a reality.
Attractions
During World War II, Nungarin was the site of a massive Army Base
Ordnance Depot, built for a total cost of around 10 million pounds.
One of the huge workshops is still in use today, and houses the
impressive Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. The museum
collection includes a rare Dingo scout car, a Stuart tank, Bren
gun carrier, various army vehicles, memorabilia and an outstanding
10th Light Horse collection. Other attractions include heritage
walks, nature walks, rock climbing at the awe-inspiring granite
rock formations throughout the Shire, and the popular Nungarin
Markets held on the first Sunday of the each month.
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MERREDIN
Merredin, with a population of 3,600 people, is the most substantial
settlement in the Central Wheatbelt. In 1836 Surveyor General J.
S. Roe described the region as arid and inhospitable. This did
not deter the sandalwood cutters and early prospectors. After the
water finding expedition by Charles Hunt in the 1860’s, based
on the catchments of granite rocks like Merredin Peak, the area
began to open up. The gold rush of the 1890’s and the coming
of the railway and water pipeline to service the growing city of
Kalgoorlie led to the development of the town, which is sustained
today by dry land agriculture. Around 40 percent of the State’s
wheat is grown within a 100 kilometre radius of the town. The town’s
name is derived from the Aboriginal word “merrit-in”,
the place of the merrit tree, a eucalypt used to make spears.
Attractions
The Railway Water Tower, which still advertises the formerly locally
produced Kalgoorlie Bitter, dates from 1893 and stands sentinel
for people arriving in Merredin. Located nearby, the Merredin Museum has a fine exhibition of railway memorabilia. Occupying an old station, it has a working signal
box and a beautifully preserved 1897 G117 steam engine. Across
Pioneer Park is the Military Museum, where information on other
impressive World War II military sites in the town can be obtained.
The Cummins Theatre is a heritage-listed building erected in
1928 by the local brewer from the remnants of some demolished
Coolgardie pubs. The pressed iron interior is from the Tivoli
Theatre in that town. A local tour Wheatblet Discovery Tours offer a late afternoon tour of the town which gives a great insight into the workings of a typical Wheatbelt town. Call the Central Wheatbelt Visitor Centre , Merredin for details.1300 736 283 .
The huge Cooperative Bulk Handling Grain Transfer Terminal is
impressive, with a capacity of 400,000 tonnes and the largest horizontal
wheat storage facility in the southern hemisphere. For a great
view, walk the Merredin Peak Trail, which highlights the water
catchment scheme designed in 1893. Nearby is the site of the First
Australian General Field Hospital, in use during World War II.
This, and the No. 4 Pumping Station, west of the town, are features
on the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail. Interpretation is provided
at both sites.
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