Walgoolan, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WalgoolanWestern Australia |
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 Walgoolan
Location in Western Australia
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| Established | 1923 |
| Postcode(s) | 6422 |
| Elevation | 329 m (1,079 ft) |
| Area | [convert: needs a number] |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Westonia |
| State electorate(s) | Central Wheatbelt |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Walgoolan is a small town in the eastern Wheatbelt area of Western Australia. You can find it between the towns of Merredin and Bodallin. It sits right along the Great Eastern Highway, a major road in the region.
Contents
Discovering Walgoolan's Past
Walgoolan started as a simple stop for trains, called a railway siding. This was between 1895 and 1899. People decided to create a town there in 1913. They measured out land for homes in 1922. Finally, Walgoolan officially became a town in 1923.
What Does Walgoolan Mean?
The name Walgoolan comes from the Aboriginal language. It means "place where the short bushes grow." This tells us a bit about the land around the town.
Life in Early Walgoolan
After World War I, many new families moved to Walgoolan. About 100 settlers arrived to start new lives. They cleared the land to grow cereal crops, especially wheat.
Walgoolan quickly became a busy place. It had five schools for children. There were also tennis courts and a cricket club. People joined groups like the Country Women's Association. Farmers had their own group, the Wheat Growers Union.
In 1926, plans were made to build a big hall. This hall was made of brick and cement. It opened the next year and was used for many community events. The local government even voted to buy the hall for the town.
By 1932, the town was important for farming. The Wheat Pool of Western Australia built two large grain elevators there. These elevators helped store and move the wheat.
The Emu War Connection
In 1932, something very unusual happened near Walgoolan. About 30,000 emus, which are large birds, moved into the farmland. They caused a lot of trouble for farmers. The emus ate crops and broke fences.
This event led to the famous Emu War. Farmers asked for help from the government. The Australian military was sent to fight the emus. They tried to use machine guns to reduce the emu population. However, the military was not successful in stopping the emus. This strange event is a unique part of Walgoolan's history.
Walgoolan Today
Life in Walgoolan became difficult after the Emu War. The Great Depression hit, which was a time of economic hardship. There were also many droughts, meaning not enough rain. By 1940, most people had left. Only one shop remained open.
Today, Walgoolan is a very quiet place. By 2010, only about 10 families lived in the area.
In 2010, a special gazebo was built in the town. It was made to remember the early settlers. The gazebo has old photographs and a list of the names of the first people who lived there. It also marked the launch of a book called East of the Fence, which tells the story of the area.
