The spring at Kojonup

Kojonup
Small and typical wheatbelt township
Kojonup is located on the Albany Highway 256 km south of Perth and 305 m above sea level. It is a typical wheatbelt town with a wheat silo and a bulk loading facility. Like so many of the towns in the region the origin and the meaning of the town's name is somewhat obscure. It is possible that it comes from the local Aboriginal word 'kodja' meaning 'stone axe' which would mean that it is 'the place of the stone axe'. There are numerous granite outcrops in the area and they may well have been sources of axe blades for the local Aborigines.

The town came into existence in 1837 when the surveyor Arthur Hillman was directed to a spring by the local Aborigines. At the time Hillman and his party were surveying the road from Perth to Albany.

Although today Kojonup looks like a typical modern wheatbelt town its origins are some of the oldest in Western Australia. People were travelling through the town as soon as the road had been completed. The original barracks, which had to be abandoned, were established in 1837. There was some development of sheep grazing in the 1840s but it dwindled because poisonous plants killed off the herds. The local farmers turned to grain and the first crop was grown in 1850. Around this time there was some interest in the sale of kangaroo hides which were sent to Albany.

In terms of the age of the town it is interesting to note that the Commercial Hotel in the main street has been operated on the same site (although it is not the original building) since 1868.

The town's future was sealed in the late 1880s when the Government made the decision not to route the Great Southern Railway along the Albany Highway. Kojonup, which had grown slowly over the previous forty years, declined in importance and was soon overshadowed by Katanning which prospered with the arrival of the railway.

There is an excellent book on the history of the area by Merle Bignell titled First the Spring: A History of the Shire of Kojonup, Western Australia which covers the early history of the town and the development of the area around the town in interesting detail.

Things to see:  

Kojonup Spring
The spring, now rather tastefully presented complete with a neat bridge and a pleasant little pool, lies at the western end of Spring Street which runs off the Albany Highway at the top end of town.

Kojonup Military Barracks
Near the springs are the Kojonup Military Barracks which were built in 1845 by soldiers of the 51st Regiment. The function of the barracks was to offer protection to travellers on the lonely road between Perth and Albany. A placard outside proudly declares that 'Many of the colony's most prominent pioneers spent a night within these walls. In 1850 the barracks was occupied by the Pensioner Force until it was disbanded in 1880. It has been used as Kojonup's first school, for church services, local dances and as a private dwelling. In 1963 it was purchased by the Shire Council and given to the Historical Society as a museum. It is classified by the National Trust.'

The barracks have been given a special, non–military feeling by the peppercorn trees which were planted around the building in the late 1840s. Although the walls of the barracks are thick and the windows are small the basic design of the building is more like a Scottish crofters house than a fortress.

Elverds Cottage built in 1854 and open for inspection

Elverds Cottage
Around the corner from the Barracks (in Soldier Road) is Elverds Cottage which was built in 1854. The plaque outside explains that 'The original building was two rooms which were 14 ft by 13 ft built of stone, rooved with strong bound timber and well thatched.'

The property was acquired by the Elverd Family in the 1880s and donated to the Historical Society. It now houses some interesting pieces of local memorabilia. There are no regular times of opening and people wanting to inspect the cottage should contact (08) 9831 1066. Over the years the thatch has disappeared to be replaced by corrugated iron.

	Tourist Information
	Kojonup Tourist Information Centre Ben Pde P.O. Box 107 Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 6395 Facsimile: (08) 9831 8085
	Motels
	Hillview Motel Albany Hwy Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1160 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Royal Hotel 81 Albany Hwy Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1028
	Farm & Eco Holidays
	Kalpara Farmstay Cottage Tenner Rd Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9832 3016 Facsimile: (08) 9832 3038 Rating: ***
	Karana Farm Holiday Units Blackwood Rd Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9832 2072 Facsimile: (08) 9832 3058 Rating: **
	Proandra Flowers Farmstay Cottage Albany Hwy Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9832 8065
	Te Opu Farm Cottage Lowden Rd Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1447
	Caravan Parks
	Kojonup Caravan Park 75 Newstead Rd Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1127 Rating: **
	Restaurants
	Hillview Motel Albany Hwy Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1160
	Kojonup Commercial Hotel/Motel Albany Hwy Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1044
	Royal Hotel 81 Albany Hwy Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1028
	Cafés
	Betty¹s Travel Stop 24 Albany Hwy Kojonup WA 6395 Telephone: (08) 9831 1152