Tenindewa, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TenindewaWestern Australia |
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 Tenindewa
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1913 |
| Postcode(s) | 6632 |
| Elevation | 199 m (653 ft) |
| Area | [convert: needs a number] |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | City of Greater Geraldton |
| State electorate(s) | Moore |
| Federal Division(s) | Durack |
Tenindewa is a small town in Western Australia. It's located in the Mid West region, between the bigger towns of Geraldton and Mullewa. You can find it along the Geraldton – Mount Magnet Road. In 2006, about 143 people lived in the Tenindewa area.
Contents
A Brief History of Tenindewa
How Tenindewa Got Its Name
The railway line connecting Geraldton and Mullewa was built in 1894. It passed right through the area where Tenindewa is now. By 1908, a train station opened there. It was first called 55 Mile Siding.
Later in 1908, the station's name changed. It became Kockatea, an Aboriginal name from a nearby gully. Less than a year later, the name changed again to Tenindewa. This name is also Aboriginal, but its exact meaning is not known. The town itself was officially recognized, or gazetted, in 1913. This means it was formally declared a town by the government.
Grain and Farming
Farming, especially growing wheat, was very important in Tenindewa. In 1932, the Wheat Pool of Western Australia decided to build two large grain storage buildings in the town. These buildings, called grain elevators, helped farmers store their wheat safely. Each elevator had an engine to help move the grain.
Tenindewa also had a special place where farmers could deliver their grain. This was called a CBH grain receival point. It operated from 1936 until 1974. Today, a part of the old weighbridge is still there. It sits outside the historic store, reminding everyone of the town's farming past.
Connecting with the World
For many years, Tenindewa had a unique way of handling phone calls. It was home to the very last manual telephone exchange in Western Australia. This meant that a person, called an operator, had to manually connect phone calls for people. It was a bit like a human switchboard! This manual exchange finally closed on April 13, 1985. After that, phone calls became automatic, just like they are today.
Celebrating Together
The community in Tenindewa loves to celebrate. On December 21, 2013, they had a big party. They were celebrating 100 years since their very first Christmas tree event.
A woman named Kathleen Palmer shared a story about those early days. She moved to Australia from England in 1914 when she was 14 years old. Kathleen later married Alec Rumble in 1922. They were the first couple to get married in the Mullewa Anglican Church. In 1994, Kathleen wrote about her early life in the Tenindewa area. She mentioned that first Christmas tree:
The first Public Christmas Tree was held at the little settlement in 1914. A few public spirited people organized it in the Railway Goods Shed.
