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Statistics
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Km from Perth |
204 |
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Population |
8700 |
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Rainfall |
400 |
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Max Temp |
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Min Temp |
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Autogas |
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Telecentre |
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Caravan Parks
See Busselton.
Services
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Visitor's Info |
08
9727 1217 |
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Hospital |
08 9722 1000 |
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Police |
08 9722 2111 |
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SES |
08 9727 2030 |
Attractions
Unknown
Buildings of note
Minninup homestead 1848.
Calendar of events
January: InZone holiday activities. February: Camp Draft. April:
Capelfest. Second and fourth Sunday monthly: Lions markets
Famous sons & daughters
Unknown
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Description
Early exploration of the area was undertaken by
Lt. Bunbury
who travelled along the Capel River in 1836. The original name was Coolingup and
the first settler in the area was a Mr. Child who arrived in 1843.
He constructed Minninup Homestead which is made from locally quarried limestone.
The name may originate from Capel Carter Bussell (John
Bussell’s eldest daughter), but
some sources say that Capel Carter
(a very close cousin) who the Bussels wrote to frequently was the origin of the
name. It seems most likely that John's daughter was named in honour of Capel
Carter (who died of consumption) and so the credit for the towns name should
really go to her in any case.
The
name chosen for the site was originally Coolingup
(1844) but when the site finally started to develop the official name chosen was Capel
and this was gazetted in
1899.
Mineral sand mining started in the area in 1956.
Tall tales & true: Horse whipped!
Road board elections for the Wellington district in 1873 were the catalyst for
an ongoing feud to boil over.
Dr. Lovegrove and Mr. Carey were standing against one another and at one point
they clashed in the street. Lovegrove attacked Carey with a horse whip and as a
result people voted Carey on to the board. Lovegrove was charged and brought
before a Perth magistrate who gave him a mere hour in gaol and a 25 pound fine.
Eye Eye Sir!
A local character in the area was one Denny Connell who was thought to be a bit
eccentric.
On one occasion he was blowing out stumps with gelignite and lost an eye.
Without mentioning it to anyone he walked to Bunbury for medical care.
Later after visiting a doctor and being told to take a dose of medicine in water, he waded into the Capel River to
take each dose.
On yet another occasion he was travelling to Perth by train and lost his much
loved hat out the window. Unperturbed he marked a cross in the dust on the glass
proclaiming that he would now know where to find it on the return journey.
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