WONGAN HILLS

HEMA Map reference 74/A4

30° 53' 35" S 116° 43' 00" E

Statistics

Caravan Parks

Wongan Hills           08 9671 1009

Services

Attractions

Mount O’Brien, Reynoldson’s Flora Reserve, Dingo Rock, Christmas Rock walk, Mount Matilda trail, Lake Ninan, Museum, Mt. Matilda guided walking tours, Flat Rocks Nature Reserve, Agricultural research station. Elphin and Rogers Nature Reserves.

Calendar of events

March: Bike it to Ballidu. September: Art exhibition. October: Agricultural show, Museum festival, Wongan drags. November: Reynoldson Reserve festival.

Church 20Km south

Description

The Aboriginal name for the area was Wongan Katta which means whispering hills (Another source quotes ‘sand plain’ but we much prefer ‘whispering hills’ – far more romantic.). The area was settled in the 1900s. It is surrounded by wheat & sheep country. Augustus Gregory recorded the name as 'Wankan Hills' in 1848.

The words 'typical wheat belt town' resonate through my brain as I read entry after entry on the wheat belt towns as I research this book, but what more can be said. Wongan Hills is a typical wheat belt town.

Wongan Hills has modernised in a big way. It is now quite a major service centre with a modern shopping centre and even 7 day supermarket access.

The ubiquitous J.S. Roe camped in the area in 1836 but settlement didn't occur until after 1906. In 1911 the railway was established and most of the area around the town had been taken up. It was at the same time that the town was gazetted.

The early life of the town was difficult with people living in tents and even the local bank operating from a tent until a building could be completed.

There are two detailed books on the town. R. R. B. Ackland’s book 'Wongan Ballidu Pioneering Days' was written for the local shire and is a very detailed history of the area and 'The Natural History of the Wongan Hills', published by the Western Australian Naturalists Club, is a detailed natural history of the region including a listing of every bird, mammal and piece of flora that anyone had ever found in the area. Both are available at the Shire Office.

In 2006 Birds Australia Western Australia Inc. carried out a survey of birds in the area over a long weekend. By the time the survey was complete 78 different bird species had been seen.