SHACKLETON

DESCRIPTION

 

Shackleton is a tiny wheatbelt town located between Bruce Rock and Quairading

The town relies on the wheat and sheep industry for its survival.

There is an excellent campsite located a few kilometres west of town at Kwolyin and north west from there is Kokerbin Rock that is said to be the third largest monolith in Australia.

 

HISTORY

 

When the Bruce Rock to Quairading railway was constructed in 1913 a siding was established and named after Ernest Shackleton the Antarctic explorer.

Kwolyin a few kilometres to the west was originally supposed to be the main town in this area but Kwolyin faded away to nothing and Shacketon survived - mostly due the the goldfields water scheme coming to Shackleton and never reaching Kwolyin.

By 1950 Shackleton was thriving and had a post office, co-op, agricultural agency, bakery, 2 butchers, drapery, news agency, greengrocer and a garage. The town was finally gazetted in 1951.

The town's major claim to fame is the 'world's smallest bank'. At 3x4 metres it is certainly small but we cannot verify that it is the smallest in the world.

Originally the building was used by the Bank of New South Wales in the 1930s and then by The R and I (Bankwest) until 1997. When we visited in 2016 the sign on the door indicated that Bankwest still operated from the building but just for 1.5 hours a week. (Friday 3-4:30pm).

A town hall was built in 1920.

 

TALL TALES AND TRUE

 

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MAP

 

 

VIDEO

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OTHER INFORMATION

 

ATTRACTIONS

 

Kokerbin Rock

 

BUILDINGS OF NOTE

 

World's smallest bank, Hall 1920.

 

ELECTORAL ZONES

 

State : Central Wheatbelt

Federal : O'Connor

 

OTHER INFO.

 

Postcode : 6386

Local Government : Shire of Bruce Rock

 

PHOTOS

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