Katanning Town Hall

Katanning
Major wheatbelt service centre
Located 277 km south east of Perth and 311 m above sea level, Katanning is one of the major centres in the Western Australian wheatbelt. The combination of a major railway line and a rich sheep–wheat area surrounding the town have made Katanning an important and thriving centre. It now boasts the largest stockyards in the state outside of Perth.

There is considerable disagreement as to just exactly what 'Katanning' means. Some sources argue that it is derived from the local Aboriginal word 'kartanup' meaning a 'clear pool of sweet water' while others suggest that it comes from 'kartannin' meaning 'meeting place'. A third suggestion combines these two interpretations suggesting that a 'clear pool of sweet water' would be an ideal 'meeting place'. Just to confuse matters there has been some people who insist that the town was named after an Aboriginal woman called Kate Ann or Kate Anning.

The first Europeans to explore the Katanning area were Governor James Stirling and Surveyor General John Septimus Roe who travelled through the area in 1835 en route from Perth to Albany. They both commented on the richness of the soil and the quality of the grasses and so by the early 1840s Elijah Quartermaine was grazing sheep in the area. He moved his sheep across from Beverley and then herded them back in the spring for shearing. By 1852 Quartermaine had a holding of 17 284 acres and by the 1870s he was the largest landholder in the district.

It was around this time that the sandalwood cutters moved into the area but they did not settle. It was not until the arrival of the Great Southern Railway from Perth to Albany in 1889 that the township really came into existence.

The founding father of Katanning was Frederick Henry Piesse, an entrepreneurial merchant who, seeing the potential that the Great Southern Railway would bring to the area, designed a mobile store to follow the railway's construction. It is wonderfully appropriate that the railway, which was being constructed from both Perth and Albany, met only 5.5 km from the present site of Katanning. The point where the two railways met is marked by a cairn west of town on the road which runs from Carew Street.

The beginnings of Katanning can be described specifically because in May 1888 Piesse had three wagonloads of goods unloaded near Elijah Quartermaine's house and a heap of sandalwood was dumped beside the railway. This was the beginning of F & C Piesse's store which eventually became the town of Katanning. A statue of Piesse which was erected in 1916 stands beside the railway line in Austral Terrace.

Things to see:  

Katanning Flour Mill Museum
In 1891 Frederick Henry Piesse built the Roller Flour Mill. It had the effect of encouraging farmers in the area to grow wheat and was very much at the heart of the town's early economic success. The mill, which is located prominently on the corner of Clive Street and Austral Terrace, is now the successful and interesting Katanning Flour Mill Museum. The machinery is still intact and the museum has a number of interesting displays recalling the early history of the town.

Piesse's Buildings
To appreciate the importance that Piesse had on the early development of the town it is worth noting that virtually every building between the Mill and Piesse's statue was either built by Piesse or built using bricks from Piesse's brickworks. The man's hand is on everything in the town. The Piesse Complex in Austral Terrace, now a modern shopping centre, was built in 1901 as a kind of department store. The Katanning Unit Hotel was built in 1889 using bricks from Piesse's brickworks and the King George Hostel, on the corner of Albion Street and Austral Terrace, was built for Piesse's son in 1913 and originally used to house mill workers.

Katanning Town Hall
Walking back up Austral Terrace and crossing Clive Street the visitor is struck by the huge Katanning Town Hall. Piesse donated 10 000 bricks to help with the construction of the building which was completed in 1896. The ornate plaster ceilings in the Town Hall are well worth inspecting.

St Andrews Church
Around the corner in Amabel Street is St Andrews Church which was opened by Mrs Piesse in 1898 after her husband had donated 40 000 bricks. Surprisingly, for an area where timber is plentiful, the pews are made from imported New Zealand kauri.

Kobeelya
It is appropriate to finish a tour of Piesse's involvement with the town by visiting the grand family mansion 'Kobeelya' which F. H. Piesse built in 1902. Given that Katanning was only 14 years old at the time it is a remarkably urbane building. It must have seemed incongruous in a small country town to have had a seven bedroom mansion with a billiard room, hot and cold running water, a ballroom, tennis courts and a croquet field. It is a fitting monument to the man who created the town. It is now owned by the Baptist Union of WA, however it is possible to visit this remarkable mansion by contacting (08) 9821 1922

Katanning Museum
Across the railway line in Amabel Street is the Katanning Museum which is located in the town's first Government School. Open from 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm on Sundays or by appointment, the Museum houses an interesting collection of memorabilia and artifacts relating to the early history of the town.

The Katanning Mosque

Katanning's Mosque and Winery
Two of Katanning's most interesting buildings lie on Andrews Road (turn west onto Conroy Street from Clive Street and north into Andrews Road). Here are the unusual sights of a mosque and the ruins of a Winery.

The mosque was built in 1980 by the local Islamic community who arrived in Katanning in 1974 after moving from Christmas Island. The community has continued to grow with relatives from the Cocos Islands moving to Katanning.

The ruins of the winery are one more reminder of the domination of the Piesse family. The Winery was built by A. E. Piesse in 1904 to process grapes from the Piesse vineyards. Many of the casks and wine making tools were subsequently sold to the monks from the New Norcia Mission.

An excellent short history of Katanning, combined with directions to most of the town's major sights, is contained in the Katanning-Piesse Heritage Trail.

	Tourist Information
	Katanning Tourist Information Centre Austral Tce & Clive St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 2634
	Motels
	Katanning Motel Albion St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1657 Rating: ***
	New Lodge Motel 170 Clive St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1788 Facsimile: (08) 9821 1364 Email: newlodge@katel.net.au Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Federal Hotel 111 Clive St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1010
	Katanning Hotel 43 Austral Tce Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1900 Rating: *
	Royal Exchange Hotel 66 Austral Tce Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1034
	Caravan Parks
	Sunbeam Caravan Park 68 Cornwall St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 2165 Rating: **
	Restaurants
	Federal Hotel Clive St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1657
	Hung Wins Chinese Restaurant 6 Carew St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 2086
	Katanning Hotel 43 Austral Tce Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1900
	Katanning Motel Albion St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1657
	New Lodge Motel 170 Clive St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1788 Facsimile: (08) 9821 1364 Email: newlodge@katel.net.au
	PM's Restaurant 72 Clive St Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 4424
	Royal Exchange Hotel Austral Tce Katanning WA 6317 Telephone: (08) 9821 1034