Katanning, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Katanning Western Australia
Austral Terrace, Katanning, 2018
Katanning Location in Western Australia
Established	1898
Postcode(s)	6317
Elevation	311 m (1,020 ft)
Area	[convert: needs a number]
Location	277 km (172 mi) SE of Perth 103 km (64 mi) SSE of Narrogin 170 km (106 mi) NNW of Albany 240 km (149 mi) E of Bunbury
LGA(s)	Shire of Katanning
State electorate(s)	Roe
Federal Division(s)	O'Connor
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 22.1 °C 72 °F 9.3 °C 49 °F 478.9 mm 18.9 in

Katanning is a town located about 277 kilometers (that's about 172 miles) south-east of Perth, Western Australia. It sits along the Great Southern Highway. In 2021, the town had a population of 4,057 people.

History of Katanning

King George Hostel, Katanning, 2018

Katanning Post Office, 2018

The name Katanning comes from an Aboriginal name for a camping place. The original name was 'Kartannup'. 'Kart' meant head, and 'annup' meant meeting or camping place.

Long ago, before the town was settled, many Aboriginal people lived in this area. When other groups visited each year, Kartannup was their main meeting spot. Some people today suggest the name means "clear pool of sweet water" or "spiders on your back." Others think it's named after a local Aboriginal woman.

The first Europeans to explore the Katanning area were Governor James Stirling and Surveyor General John Septimus Roe. They traveled through in 1835 on their way from Perth to Albany.

Around 1870, people who cut sandalwood trees moved into the area. But they didn't settle down permanently. The town really started when the Great Southern Railway was built. This railway was a special kind of project where a company got land in exchange for building the railway. It ran from Beverley to Albany and opened in 1889.

The West Australian Land Company first developed the town. The government bought the railway and the town land in 1896. Katanning officially became a town in 1898. At that time, about 226 people lived there.

In April 1891, the Premier Roller Flour Mill opened in the town center. Brothers Frederick Henry Piesse and Charles Austin Piesse started it. This mill was very important for local wheat farmers. It gave them a place to sell their wheat. The mill first supplied flour to the whole Albany area. This replaced more expensive flour that used to come from Adelaide. Albany was Western Australia's main port back then.

From the 1930s, the ground floor of the mill building became shops. There was a music shop, a butcher's, dress shops, a barber, and tearooms. By 2008, the Shire of Katanning owned the building. They sold it for just $1 to a developer. This developer fixed up the old building. It reopened in 2018 as a hotel and restaurant.

Katanning is still an important stop on the Great Southern Railway that goes to Albany.

Features of Katanning

Statue of Frederick Henry Piesse, Katanning

Hung Wins Restaurant (formerly a Baptist church), Katanning

You can see a statue of Frederick Henry Piesse next to the railway line. A famous sculptor named Pietro Porcelli made it in 1916. The Piesse family also built a grand house called "Kobeelya." For many years, it was a boarding school for girls. Now, it's a conference center run by the local Baptist church.

Katanning has a special "All Ages Playground" with giant structures. The town also has a modern recreation, leisure, and event center.

Katanning has a fairly large Muslim community, with about 350 people. Because of this, the town has a mosque. Most of the local Muslims came from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. They moved to Katanning to work at the local meat processing plant, which opened in the late 1970s.

Other religious buildings in town include churches for Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Seventh Day Adventist, Uniting, and Wesleyan groups. There is also a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall.

The town has a building that looks like a castle. It was originally built as a winery. At the town's entrance, you'll see an old truck loaded with fake wool bales. There's also a windmill and several sheep sculptures made from corrugated iron.

Katanning is a service center for the Great Southern region. It helps nearby towns like Broomehill, Tambellup, and Woodanilling. The town has three primary schools: Katanning Primary School, Braeside Primary School, and St Patrick's School. It also has a high school, Katanning Senior High School.

Transport

Katanning railway station is about 312 meters (1,024 feet) above sea level. It is about 362 kilometers (225 miles) by rail from Perth.

Climate

Katanning has a mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. January and February are the warmest months. The climate is classified as Csb under the Köppen climate classification system.

Famous People from Katanning

Many talented people have connections to Katanning:

• Shai Bolton is an Australian rules footballer.
• Kevin O'Halloran won a gold medal in swimming at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was born near Katanning, and the local pool is named after him.
• Percy Gratwick was born in Katanning. He received the Victoria Cross for his bravery in World War II.
• Angela Ryder is a Wilman Noongar woman.
• Tiah Toth is an AFLW player.
• Mark Williams is an Australian rules footballer.
• Lydia Williams is a goalkeeper for the Australia women's national soccer team.
• Alan Quartermaine was a WAFL footballer for East Perth. He won the Sandover Medal in 1975.
• Dave Shaw was a famous cave diver.

See also

In Spanish: Katanning para niños