Roelands, Western Australia facts for kids

Roelands is a small town in the South West region of Western Australia. It is located on the South Western Highway, between Brunswick Junction and Bunbury. In 2011, about 620 people lived in Roelands.

History of Roelands

Early Land Grants and Farming

The name Roelands comes from a property given to John Septimus Roe in 1830. He was the first Surveyor General of the Swan River Colony. A Surveyor General is like the main map-maker and land planner for a new area. Roe received 5,000 acres (about 20 square kilometers) of land. He got this land because he brought a lot of money to the new colony. Roe believed the area was excellent for farming. In the 1880s, the first farmers and shepherds arrived. They were looking for better places for their animals to graze.

Railway and Town Name Change

In 1893, a railway station was built in this area. It was part of the railway line connecting Pinjarra to Picton Junction. The station was first called Collie Siding, named after the nearby Collie River.

However, a town called Collie was officially named in December 1897. After much public discussion, Collie Siding was renamed Roelands. The first large amount of coal from Collie was transported by road to Collie Siding. From there, it was sent by train to Perth. The growing timber and coal industries in the area led to the building of the Colliefields Hotel.

Town Development

A school was opened in Roelands in 1903. Later, in 1916, a private company divided the land around the school into smaller plots. This was done to create more places for people to live. In 1963, the Shire of Harvey asked for this area to be officially recognized as a townsite.

Roelands Farm and Mission

From the 1940s to the 1970s, the Roelands Farm and Mission was a place where Aboriginal children lived. Some of these children could not be cared for by their families. Others had been removed from their families by the government.

The mission was started by Harry Lupton and Ken Cross. Missionaries from the United Aborigines Mission and later the Churches of Christ worked there. It is estimated that about 500 children stayed at the mission during its operation. Some children lived there for as long as 16 years. In August 2004, the Indigenous Land Corporation bought the land for A$1.92 million.

Roelands Today

Roelands is a small town located at the base of the Darling Range. It is an important meeting point for two main highways. The South Western Highway (Highway 20) connects Bunbury with Perth via Pinjarra. The Coalfields Highway (Route 107) leads to Collie, Darkan, and Arthur River.

Roelands has a small school called Hope Christian College. It was established in 1999 and is located on Government Road. Currently, about 500 students attend the college.