Karlgarin, Western Australia
| Karlgarin Western Australia | |
|---|---|
  Karlgarin | |
| Coordinates | 32°29′49″S 118°42′36″E / 32.497°S 118.71°ECoordinates: 32°29′49″S 118°42′36″E / 32.497°S 118.71°E |
| Population | 120 (2006 Census)[1] |
| Established | 1931 |
| Postcode(s) | 6358 |
| Elevation | 308 m (1,010 ft) |
| Location |
|
| LGA(s) | Shire of Kondinin |
| State electorate(s) | Wagin |
| Federal Division(s) | O'Connor |
Karlgarin is a town located 321 kilometres (199 mi) south-east of Perth in the eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.
Th first European to visit the area was Surveyor General John Septimus Roe who passed through in 1848. He recorded the name "Carlgarin" as the name of a nearby hill. Karlgarin is an Aboriginal word that is thought to mean "place of fire". Karlgarin was selected as a soldier settlement site and a declaration of a townsite was sought in 1924. It was not until 1930 that the railway came to the area. The townsite was gazetted in 1931.[2]
The surrounding areas produce wheat and other cereal crops. The town is a receival site for Cooperative Bulk Handling.[3]
The town has an abandoned school, shop, telephone box, country club, church and a railway siding. Karlgarin is home to the annual yabbie races and is often considered 'the gateway to Wave Rock'. The town's proximity to Hyden, along with its location on the Brookton Highway, means reliable tourism potential which the town is yet to capitalise on.
The town also shares a football team with Hyden, the Hyden/Karlgarin Football Club, which competes in the Eastern Districts Football League it also shares a hockey team with Hyden, the Karlgarin Hyden Hockey Club.
A freak storm swept through the town 16 January 2013, with heavy rain and winds of 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph).[4] Only 25 millimetres (1 in) of rain fell but trees were uprooted and roofs were torn off buildings including the local school, general store and church. Twelve buildings were damaged and it is estimated it will take months to repair the damage.[5]
References
- ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Community Profile Series : Karlgarin (State Suburb)". 2006 Census of Population and Housing. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
- ↑ Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names – K". Retrieved 20 September 2008.
- ↑ "CBH receival sites" (PDF). 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
- ↑ "Storm ruins WA town". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
- ↑ "Roofs peeled from buildings in Karlgarin". WA Today. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2012.