Narrogin, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Narrogin is a large town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
, 192 kilometres (119 mi) southeast of Perth
on the Great Southern Highway
between Pingelly
and Wagin
. In the age of steam engines, Narrogin was one of the largest railway operation hubs in the southern part of Western Australia.
name, having been first recorded as "Narroging" for a pool in this area in 1869. The meaning of the name is uncertain, various sources recording it as "bat camp", "plenty of everything" or derived from "gnargagin" which means "place of water".
The first Europeans into the Narrogin area were Alfred Hillman and his party who surveyed the track between Perth and Albany
in 1835. They passed only 10 km west of the present site of Narrogin. In time they were followed by the occasional shepherd who drove his sheep into the area seeking good pastures.
The area was first settled in the 1860s and 1870s when pastoralists moved and settled in isolated outposts. The population was so scattered that there was no incentive to establish a town.
The arrival of the Great Southern Railway
in July 1889 initiated the first hint of a town. The railway company was in search of good reliable watering points along the route from Perth to Albany. The company which had won the railway contract, the WA Land Company, duly purchased Narrogin pool and it was around this pool that the town developed.
Narrogin was officially declared a town in June 1897 and it was gazetted as a municipality on 13 April 1906. The early years of settlement were hard with farmers relying on sandalwood
cutting and the bark from mallet trees (it was used as a tanning agent) to compensate for poor returns from wheat
and sheep.
Narrogin remained a major rail centre until the late 1970s when competition from road transport saw a reduction in the railways workforce. By 1987, Narrogin as a rail centre was very much in decline, largely as the result of altered working of engines through from Avon Yard. The station ceased to see passenger trains from 1978. The number of employees had dropped from some 280 people to fewer than a dozen in 1995.
The Old Court House Museum is a major attraction for tourists. The building was designed by the architect George Temple-Poole and constructed in 1894. Since its inauguration until 1905 the building served as a Government school, when it became the local courthouse. A local branch of the Agricultural Bank worked in the building between 1924 and 1945, but in 1970 it was converted again into the local courthouse. Since 1976 the building is used as a museum, which exhibits displays of regional memorabilia.
the Australian Grand Prix
was held on a large seven kilometre circuit laid out the town's streets. The event attracted a crowd estimated at 35,000 and was won by Warwick Pratley driving an Australian developed car.
The town also acts as a hub for sporting competitions in the surrounding regions. Facilities were improved in recent years with the development of the Narrogin Leisure Complex, which houses a 50m outdoor pool, 25m indoor heated pool with leisure pool, gymnasium, café, squash courts, basketball stadiums as well as a world class wet synthetic hockey turf.
, the star Perth
and North Melbourne
Australian Rules Football
player came from Narrogin.
It is also the birthplace of field hockey player Bevan George
, who won the gold medal with the Australian Men's Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
. Also born in Narrogin is Brian Glencross, a retired Australian field hockey
player and coach of the Australian Women's Team
, Australian cricketers Brad Hogg
and Shaun Marsh
, and Australian Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith
.
Albert Facey
, author of A Fortunate Life
, lived a period of his life in Narrogin.
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...
, 192 kilometres (119 mi) southeast of 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....
on the Great Southern Highway
Great Southern Highway
Great Southern Highway is a highway in the Southern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, starting from Great Eastern Highway at The Lakes, 50 km from Perth, and ending at Albany Highway near Cranbrook. It is the primary thoroughfare for this part of Western Australia and runs parallel with the...
between Pingelly
Pingelly, Western Australia
Pingelly is a town and shire located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, from Perth via the Brookton Highway and Great Southern Highway. The town is also located on the Great Southern railway line...
and Wagin
Wagin, Western Australia
Wagin is a town and shire in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, approximately 225 km south-east of Perth on the Great Southern Highway between Narrogin and Katanning. It is also on State Route 107. The main industries are wheat and sheep farming.-History:The name of the town is...
. In the age of steam engines, Narrogin was one of the largest railway operation hubs in the southern part of Western Australia.
History
Narrogin is an AboriginalIndigenous 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....
name, having been first recorded as "Narroging" for a pool in this area in 1869. The meaning of the name is uncertain, various sources recording it as "bat camp", "plenty of everything" or derived from "gnargagin" which means "place of water".
The first Europeans into the Narrogin area were Alfred Hillman and his party who surveyed the track between Perth and 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....
in 1835. They passed only 10 km west of the present site of Narrogin. In time they were followed by the occasional shepherd who drove his sheep into the area seeking good pastures.
The area was first settled in the 1860s and 1870s when pastoralists moved and settled in isolated outposts. The population was so scattered that there was no incentive to establish a town.
The arrival of the Great Southern Railway
Great Southern Railway (Western Australia)
The Great Southern Railway was the name of a railway company that operated from Beverley to Albany in Western Australia between 1886 and 1896. In 1896 the Western Australian Government Railways took over this company and the railway route also kept the name.- Construction :The first sods for the...
in July 1889 initiated the first hint of a town. The railway company was in search of good reliable watering points along the route from Perth to Albany. The company which had won the railway contract, the WA Land Company, duly purchased Narrogin pool and it was around this pool that the town developed.
Narrogin was officially declared a town in June 1897 and it was gazetted as a municipality on 13 April 1906. The early years of settlement were hard with farmers relying on sandalwood
Santalum spicatum
Santalum spicatum, a species known as Australian sandalwood, is a tree native to semi-arid areas at the edge of Southwest Australia. It is traded as sandalwood and its valuable oil has been used as an aromatic, a medicine and a food source. S...
cutting and the bark from mallet trees (it was used as a tanning agent) to compensate for poor returns from wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and sheep.
Narrogin remained a major rail centre until the late 1970s when competition from road transport saw a reduction in the railways workforce. By 1987, Narrogin as a rail centre was very much in decline, largely as the result of altered working of engines through from Avon Yard. The station ceased to see passenger trains from 1978. The number of employees had dropped from some 280 people to fewer than a dozen in 1995.
Narrogin Today
Narrogin's previous role as a major railway junction has acted as an attractor for agricultural service industries as well as government departments and agencies. The town has accumulated significant public infrastructure - mainly in the health and education areas. This infrastructure serves as the base for the modern regional centre that Narrogin has become today. Unlike many other rural regional centres throughout Australia, Narrogin is enjoying a strong and constant growth of approximately 2% per year, though at the expense of surrounding areas.The Old Court House Museum is a major attraction for tourists. The building was designed by the architect George Temple-Poole and constructed in 1894. Since its inauguration until 1905 the building served as a Government school, when it became the local courthouse. A local branch of the Agricultural Bank worked in the building between 1924 and 1945, but in 1970 it was converted again into the local courthouse. Since 1976 the building is used as a museum, which exhibits displays of regional memorabilia.
Sport
In 19511951 Australian Grand Prix
The 1951 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula Libre motor race held at a street circuit in Narrogin, Western Australia on 5 March 1951. The race was held over 24 laps of the 7.1 kilometre circuit for a race distance of 170 kilometres....
the Australian Grand Prix
Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...
was held on a large seven kilometre circuit laid out the town's streets. The event attracted a crowd estimated at 35,000 and was won by Warwick Pratley driving an Australian developed car.
The town also acts as a hub for sporting competitions in the surrounding regions. Facilities were improved in recent years with the development of the Narrogin Leisure Complex, which houses a 50m outdoor pool, 25m indoor heated pool with leisure pool, gymnasium, café, squash courts, basketball stadiums as well as a world class wet synthetic hockey turf.
Notable residents
Barry CableBarry Cable
Barry Cable is an Australian former Australian rules footballer who played in the West Australian National Football League and Victorian Football League . Cable played as a rover. He won the Sandover Medal three times while playing with the Perth Football Club.-Club career:Cable played 225 games...
, the star Perth
Perth Football Club
The Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club plays its matches at Lathlain Park.-History:...
and North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
Australian Rules Football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player came from Narrogin.
It is also the birthplace of field hockey player Bevan George
Bevan George
Bevan George is a retired field hockey defender from Australia.George won a gold medal with the Australia national field hockey team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and captained The Kookaburras at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where they won a bronze medal...
, who won the gold medal with the Australian Men's Team at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Also born in Narrogin is Brian Glencross, a retired Australian field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player and coach of the Australian Women's Team
Hockeyroos
The Australia women's national field hockey team are Australia's national women's hockey team.Having played their first game in 1914,they are one of Australia’s most successful sporting teams, boasting three Olympic Gold...
, Australian cricketers Brad Hogg
Brad Hogg
George Bradley "Brad" Hogg , is an Australian cricketer currently listed with the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. He is a left-arm chinaman bowler, and a capable lower-order left-handed batsman, as well as an excellent fielder....
and Shaun Marsh
Shaun Marsh
Shaun Edward Marsh is an Australian cricketer who plays for the Western Warriors in Australian domestic cricket and has represented Australia at One Day International and Twenty20 International levels...
, and Australian Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith (Australian politician)
Stephen Francis Smith , is the Australian Minister for Defence. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993, representing the Division of Perth, Western Australia....
.
Albert Facey
Albert Facey
Albert Barnett Facey was an Australian writer and World War I veteran, whose main work was his autobiography, A Fortunate Life, now considered a classic in Australian literature. :)-Early life:...
, author of A Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life
A Fortunate Life is an autobiographical novel written by Albert Facey and was published in 1981 and tells the complete story of his life. It chronicles his early life in Western Australia, his experiences as a private during the Gallipoli campaign of World War I and his return to civilian life...
, lived a period of his life in Narrogin.
External links
| Pages associated with Narrogin, Western Australia |
|---|
|