Boolading, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids BooladingWestern Australia |
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 Boolading
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1909 |
| Postcode(s) | 6392 |
| Elevation | 281 m (922 ft) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of West Arthur |
| State electorate(s) | Roe |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Boolading is a small place in the Wheatbelt area of Western Australia. You can find it along the Coalfields Highway, between the towns of Darkan and Collie.
What's in a Name?
The name Boolading comes from the Aboriginal language. Its exact meaning isn't known today. However, the word Boola in the local Nyungar dialect means "plenty" or "abundance."
How Boolading Started
Boolading began in 1907 as a railway siding. This was a short track next to a main railway line where trains could stop or pass each other. The Western Australian Government Railways built it.
In 1909, the area was officially made a "townsite." This means it was set aside for a town to be built. A local surveyor suggested the name. He named it after a property owned by his friend, William Gibbs. At first, the name was spelled Bulading. The spelling was changed to Boolading in 1955.
Life for Early Settlers
The land around Boolading was first made available for people to settle in 1894. This process was called "selection." The first settlers in the area were William and Sarah-Ann Gibbs. They arrived in 1874.
They chose a spot near a water-hole, also called Boolading. The Gibbs family built a simple home from split slabs of wood. In 1899, they replaced it with a mud brick house, which is still standing today! Their home was also used by hunters to store animal skins until they could find someone to buy them. William Gibbs later helped survey, or map out, the railway line between Collie and Narrogin.
Modern Boolading
Today, Boolading is located along the Collie River. The land here is very good for farming. It has rich pastureland, which means it's great for raising animals. It's also suitable for many different types of farming.
From 1925 to 1952, Boolading even had its own telephone exchange. This was a place where telephone calls were connected by hand before modern automatic systems.
