Arthur River, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Arthur River is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
, between Williams
and Kojonup
on Albany Highway
.
. The river was named by Governor James Stirling
in 1835 after Mr Arthur Trimmer who was a member of the exploring expedition led by the Governor.
Following the introduction of convicts in Western Australia labour to the Swan River Colony
in the early 1850s, the road from Perth to Albany
was completed and a number of small settlements sprang up along it to support pastoralists who had been granted grazing leases in the area from as early as 1854. Arthur River gradually developed into a thriving centre with a police barracks and gaol (1866), the Mount Pleasant Inn (1869), St Paul's Church (1885) still surviving to this day as remnants of the original settlement, and a post office, blacksmith, doctor and trading post also being built around that time. By the end of the century it was the major centre in the area.
The towns post office originally operated out of th inn. Mary Ann Spratt was appointed as the post mistress in 1866. Thre post office itself was not gazetted until 1992 which was the same year the telegraph lin was connected. The first telephone subscriber service commenced in 1913.
When the Great Southern Railway
opened in 1889, much of the existing trade moved to new railway town
s further east and many of the centres along the old "Coach Road" closed.
and sit-down menu, and the Arthur River general store, supplying basic grocery items, liquor and postal services, are located in the town, although neither are open 24hrs.
The Arthur Wool Shed Group, with shearing shed, shearers' quarters, sheep dip and concrete cricket pitch, is one of the most prominent buildings in the town. It was first established in 1910 and opened as a one-stop-shop for community shearers in the 1950s. It was extensively restored in the three years to 2002, at which point the complex was heritage listed by the Heritage Council of WA.
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...
, between Williams
Williams, Western Australia
Williams is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-southeast of the state capital, Perth along Albany Highway and 32 kilometres west of Narrogin. The Williams River passes through the town. At the 2006 census, Williams had a population of 338.-History:Williams is...
and Kojonup
Kojonup, Western Australia
Kojonup is a town located 256 km south-east of Perth, Western Australia along Albany Highway.The name Kojonup is believed to refer to the "Kodja" or stone axe made by Indigenous Australians from the local stone....
on Albany Highway
Albany Highway
Albany Highway is a generally northwest-southeast highway in the south of Western Australia which links the state's capital Perth with its oldest settlement, Albany. The highway is approximately in length, is designated State Route 30 and separates Western Australia's Great Southern region from...
.
History
Arthur River is named after the river that flows through it, a headwater of the Blackwood RiverBlackwood River
The Blackwood River is a major river and catchment in the South West of Western Australia.The river begins at the junction of Arthur River and Balgarup River near Quelarup and travels in a south westerly direction through the town of Bridgetown then through Nannup until it discharges into the...
. The river was named by Governor James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
in 1835 after Mr Arthur Trimmer who was a member of the exploring expedition led by the Governor.
Following the introduction of convicts in Western Australia labour to 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,...
in the early 1850s, the road from Perth to Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
was completed and a number of small settlements sprang up along it to support pastoralists who had been granted grazing leases in the area from as early as 1854. Arthur River gradually developed into a thriving centre with a police barracks and gaol (1866), the Mount Pleasant Inn (1869), St Paul's Church (1885) still surviving to this day as remnants of the original settlement, and a post office, blacksmith, doctor and trading post also being built around that time. By the end of the century it was the major centre in the area.
The towns post office originally operated out of th inn. Mary Ann Spratt was appointed as the post mistress in 1866. Thre post office itself was not gazetted until 1992 which was the same year the telegraph lin was connected. The first telephone subscriber service commenced in 1913.
When the Great Southern Railway
Great Southern Railway (Australia)
Great Southern Railway , owned by Serco Asia Pacific, is a tourism business and rail transport operator in Australia.GSR operates interstate passenger trains aimed at the tourist market:* The Indian Pacific...
opened in 1889, much of the existing trade moved to new railway town
Railway town
A railway town is a settlement that originated or was greatly developed because of a railway station or junction at its site.In Victorian Britain, the spread of railways greatly affected the fate of many small towns...
s further east and many of the centres along the old "Coach Road" closed.
Present day
Arthur River mainly serves as a fuel stop for travellers, with some of the historic buildings open to tourists. The Mobil Arthur River Roadhouse, which offers a takeawayTake-out
Take-out or takeout , carry-out , take-away , parcel , or tapau , is food purchased at a...
and sit-down menu, and the Arthur River general store, supplying basic grocery items, liquor and postal services, are located in the town, although neither are open 24hrs.
The Arthur Wool Shed Group, with shearing shed, shearers' quarters, sheep dip and concrete cricket pitch, is one of the most prominent buildings in the town. It was first established in 1910 and opened as a one-stop-shop for community shearers in the 1950s. It was extensively restored in the three years to 2002, at which point the complex was heritage listed by the Heritage Council of WA.