Kellerberrin, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids KellerberrinWestern Australia |
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Massingham Street, Kellerberrin, 2014
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 Kellerberrin
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1901 |
| Postcode(s) | 6410 |
| Elevation | 254 m (833 ft) |
| Area | [convert: needs a number] |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Kellerberrin |
| State electorate(s) | Central Wheatbelt |
| Federal Division(s) | Durack |
Kellerberrin is a town located in the Wheatbelt area of Western Australia. It's about 205 kilometers (127 miles) east of Perth along the Great Eastern Highway. This town is a handy stop for the Prospector and MerredinLink train services. You can also find it on the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail, which is a cool way to learn about the history of water supply in the region.
Contents
Discovering Kellerberrin's Past
Early Settlers and the Railway
The first settlers arrived in the Kellerberrin area between 1890 and 1910. Many of these families came from Ireland. A railway line was built through the town in 1893-94, connecting Northam to Southern Cross. This part of the railway opened in 1895, and Kellerberrin was one of the first stations.
By 1898, more people wanted to live here, so the government measured out small plots of land. Kellerberrin officially became a town in 1901, and even more land was made available for new families.
The Agricultural Hall and Grain Storage
In 1898, the Agricultural Hall officially opened. This building was made with strong granite walls and a jarrah wood and iron roof. It's located near the railway line and the old post office. Today, this historic hall is used as a folk museum, where you can learn about the town's past.
In 1932, the Wheat Pool of Western Australia decided to build two large grain elevators at the railway siding. These tall structures help store and move grain. The areas around Kellerberrin are very important for growing wheat and other cereal crops. The town is a major collection point for Cooperative Bulk Handling (CBH), which manages grain for farmers.
What Does "Kellerberrin" Mean?
The name Kellerberrin comes from the Aboriginal language. It's named after a nearby hill. An explorer first wrote down the hill's name as "Killaburing Hill" in 1861. Later, in 1864, another explorer named Charles Hunt recorded it as Kellerberrin Hill.
There are a couple of ideas about what the name means. One idea is that Kellerberrin refers to the fierce ants found in the area. Another idea suggests it means "camping place near where rainbow birds are found." In this meaning, kalla means "camping place" or "place of," and berrin berrin is the name for the rainbow bird.
Kellerberrin's Weather and Climate
Kellerberrin has a semi-arid climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and winters that are a bit wetter.
| Climate data for Kellerberrin | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 46.5 (115.7) |
47.5 (117.5) |
44.4 (111.9) |
39.2 (102.6) |
34.3 (93.7) |
27.0 (80.6) |
24.9 (76.8) |
31.0 (87.8) |
34.5 (94.1) |
39.4 (102.9) |
43.1 (109.6) |
46.3 (115.3) |
47.5 (117.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 34.0 (93.2) |
33.3 (91.9) |
30.2 (86.4) |
25.7 (78.3) |
20.8 (69.4) |
17.5 (63.5) |
16.4 (61.5) |
17.6 (63.7) |
20.7 (69.3) |
24.7 (76.5) |
28.9 (84.0) |
32.0 (89.6) |
25.1 (77.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.9 (62.4) |
16.9 (62.4) |
15.1 (59.2) |
11.7 (53.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
6.8 (44.2) |
5.6 (42.1) |
5.4 (41.7) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.8 (47.8) |
12.3 (54.1) |
15.0 (59.0) |
10.8 (51.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) |
6.1 (43.0) |
2.1 (35.8) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
0.5 (32.9) |
4.1 (39.4) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 13.4 (0.53) |
14.4 (0.57) |
20.4 (0.80) |
21.1 (0.83) |
42.0 (1.65) |
53.6 (2.11) |
51.6 (2.03) |
41.0 (1.61) |
26.4 (1.04) |
18.2 (0.72) |
12.4 (0.49) |
13.4 (0.53) |
327.5 (12.89) |
| Average precipitation days | 2.0 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 8.3 | 11.5 | 12.7 | 11.0 | 8.2 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 75.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 27 | 30 | 34 | 42 | 50 | 60 | 62 | 57 | 48 | 35 | 30 | 26 | 42 |
Train Services in Kellerberrin
Transwa's MerredinLink and Prospector train services both make stops in Kellerberrin. This means there's at least one train service every day, connecting the town to other places.
| Preceding station |  Transwa |
Following station | ||
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| Tammin
towards East Perth
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MerredinLink | Doodlakine
towards Merredin
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| Prospector | Doodlakine
towards Kalgoorlie
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Famous People from Kellerberrin
Many interesting people were born in Kellerberrin, including:
- Barbara York Main (1929–2019) – She was an Australian arachnologist, which means she studied spiders! She also wrote books and was a professor at the University of Western Australia.
- Jessie Pengilly (1918–1945) – Jessie was an amazing cyclist who held world records for both road and track cycling.
- Derek Kickett – A talented Australian rules footballer. He played for teams like North Melbourne, Essendon, and Sydney. He won the Sandover Medal in 1987, which is a big award in Australian rules football.
- Byron Pickett – Another fantastic Australian rules footballer, known as one of the best Aboriginal players ever. He played for several teams, including Port Adelaide and Melbourne. He won the Norm Smith Medal in 2004, an award for the best player in the Grand Final.
- Peter Walsh (1935–2015) – Peter was an Australian Senator, which means he was a member of the Australian Parliament. He also served as a government minister, helping to manage resources, energy, and finance for the country.
- Nicky Winmar – A well-known Australian rules footballer who played for South Fremantle, St Kilda, and Western Bulldogs.
