Wickepin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WickepinWestern Australia |
|
|---|---|
.JPG)
Wogolin Road, Wickepin, 2014
|
|
 Wickepin
Location in Western Australia
|
|
| Established | 1908 |
| Postcode(s) | 6370 |
| Elevation | 337 m (1,106 ft) |
| Area | [convert: needs a number] |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Shire of Wickepin |
| Region | Wheatbelt |
| State electorate(s) | Central Wheatbelt |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Wickepin is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It is about 214 kilometers (133 miles) south-east of Perth, the capital city. Wickepin is also 38 kilometers (24 miles) east of Narrogin. In 2021, about 380 people lived in Wickepin.
Contents
The Story of Wickepin
.JPG)
The name Wickepin comes from an Aboriginal word. It was first written down in 1881, but what it means is not known today. Before 1908, the area was sometimes called Yarling. This was the name of a natural spring nearby. Yarling Well is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) west of the town.
People started leasing land in this area in the early 1870s. The town began to grow more after the Great Southern Railway was built in 1889. The government made more land available in 1893. By 1906, a small town was already forming.
In 1908, plans were made to extend the railway line from Narrogin to Wickepin. The town was officially recognized in June of that year. Seven months later, the local council, then called the Road Board, was set up. The railway also started running. Before the First World War, Wickepin was a busy place. It had three banks, blacksmiths, other shops, a post office, and railway buildings.
Famous People of Wickepin
Two well-known Australian authors lived near Wickepin.
Dorothy Hewett's Childhood
Dorothy Hewett was a famous writer from the Wheatbelt region. She lived on a large farm about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north-east of Wickepin. This was from 1923 to 1935, when she was a child. Her grandparents also ran the General Store in Wickepin. Many of her stories and poems are set in this area. These include her plays The Man from Mukinupin and Field of Dreams. Some of her famous poems, like "Legend of the Green Country," also describe the area.
Albert Facey's Life
Albert Facey was a soldier who fought in Gallipoli. He wrote a famous book called A Fortunate Life. He lived south of Wickepin with his family from 1922 to 1934. His old house was moved to Wickepin's main street in 2000. Visitors can now go and see it.
Wickepin Today
Wickepin is an important service town for the farms around it. It has places for fun and sports. There are also old buildings from its busy times in the 1910s and 1920s. The town has a telecentre (a place with computers and internet), a public library, and a caravan park for travelers.
Wickepin has a primary school that first opened in 1911. Older students travel by bus to Narrogin for high school. From 1917 to 1964, Wickepin also held an agricultural show every October. This show celebrated farming in the area.
See also
In Spanish: Wickepin para niños
