Map of Walgoolan, WA 6422 - Census Demographics - Melway, Sydway, Brisway, Ausway, Street Smart (original) (raw)

Walgoolan is a small town located in the Eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It is situated between Merredin and Bodallin along the Great Eastern Highway.

Originating as a railway siding on the main eastern railway Walgoolan was established in between 1895 and 1899. Land was set aside for a townsite in 1913 and lots were surveyed in 1922. The townsite was gazetted in 1923.

The name of the town is Aboriginal in origin and means place where the short bushes grow.

Nearly 100 settlers took up land in the area following World War I which were cleared and planted with cereal crops mostly wheat. The town was a thriving community wit five schools, tennis courts, a cricket club, Country Women's Association and Wheat Growers Union.

The Great Depression and a succession of droughts took their toll on the area and by 1940 only one shop was left and the townsite was abandoned soon after. By 2010 only 10 families remain in the district.

A gazebo was erected in the town in 2010 to commemorate the early settlers and launch the book East of the Fence, the gazbo contains historic photographs and a list of the namesof the pioneers.