Wokalup, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Wokalup is a town located in the South West region of Western Australia
along the South Western Highway
, between Harvey
and Brunswick Junction
. At the 2006 census
, Wokalup had a population of 449.
Wokalup's name derives from an Aboriginal
name meaning "the place of the carpet snake" (wokul). Such snakes were often found in farm sheds in the area prior to the commencement of irrigation but tiger snakes became more common subsequently.
The location was originally granted in 1830, but the title lapsed as the owner made no improvements to the property. The Western Australian Company obtained it in the 1840s, and the first resident was Thomas Hayward who commenced farming at Bundidup south of Harvey in 1859. He married Catherine Logue, daughter of Joseph Logue who had settled north of Harvey, in 1861. At this time, there were no made roads or bridges through the town, but during the 1860s the Harvey and Brunswick bridges were constructed and convicts built the road from Pinjarra
to Brunswick
. Hayward provided for the needs of both the convicts and the horse teams. When the railway came through in the 1890s a railway siding with the name Wokalup was opened, and a small private town developed. This was gazetted a townsite in 1963 at the request of the Shire of Harvey.
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...
along 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...
, between Harvey
Harvey, Western Australia
Harvey is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, 140 km south of Perth, between Pinjarra and Bunbury...
and Brunswick Junction
Brunswick Junction, Western Australia
Brunswick Junction is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Harvey and Bunbury.-History:...
. 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,...
, Wokalup had a population of 449.
Wokalup's name derives from an Aboriginal
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....
name meaning "the place of the carpet snake" (wokul). Such snakes were often found in farm sheds in the area prior to the commencement of irrigation but tiger snakes became more common subsequently.
The location was originally granted in 1830, but the title lapsed as the owner made no improvements to the property. The Western Australian Company obtained it in the 1840s, and the first resident was Thomas Hayward who commenced farming at Bundidup south of Harvey in 1859. He married Catherine Logue, daughter of Joseph Logue who had settled north of Harvey, in 1861. At this time, there were no made roads or bridges through the town, but during the 1860s the Harvey and Brunswick bridges were constructed and convicts built the road from Pinjarra
Pinjarra, Western Australia
Pinjarra is a town in the Peel region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, from the state capital, Perth and south-east of the coastal city of Mandurah. Its local government area is the Shire of Murray. At the 2006 census, Pinjarra had a population of 3,279.Pinjarra is an area...
to Brunswick
Brunswick Junction, Western Australia
Brunswick Junction is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Harvey and Bunbury.-History:...
. Hayward provided for the needs of both the convicts and the horse teams. When the railway came through in the 1890s a railway siding with the name Wokalup was opened, and a small private town developed. This was gazetted a townsite in 1963 at the request of the Shire of Harvey.