Monday, August 19, 2013

G is for GOOMALLING and GNOWANGERUP

These are two farming towns in Western Australia (both of which we have visited):

GOOMALLING is a townsite in the wheatbelt region of Western Australia 142.5 kilometres north-north-east of Perth; a 90-minute drive.  The name Goomalling was first shown on maps for a spring found by explorers Hilllman and Lefroy in 1846.  Hillman noted on his plan "rich grassy country" and squatters subsequently moved into the area.  George Slater was the first in the Goomalling area, establishing a property around Goomalling Spring in the early 1850s.  When the Northam-Goomalling railway line was opened in 1901 the government decided to establish a townsite at Goomalling.  It was gazetted in 1903.  The name of the town comes from an aboriginal word which means "the place of the silver-grey possum". Goomal is the 'noongar' word for this possum (isn't he just so cute?):


The surrounding areas produce wheat and other cereal crops.  The town is a wheat receival site for Co-operative Bulk Handling.   During the spring there are many beautiful wildflowers to be seen in the area:


Many years ago we took our 2-person tent to the wheatbelt and spent a delightful few days in Goomalling and other wheatbelt towns.



GNOWANGERUP township is situated in the Great Southern part of Western Australia, 354 kilometres south-east of Perth and 140 kilometres north of Albany via the Chester Pass Road which passes through the beautiful Stirling Ranges.  The Shire also includes the towns of nearby Borden and Ongerup.  We have passed through Gnowangerup several times on our way home from Albany and at least once stopped for a coffee and snack about here:


Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Ranges wearing a mantle of low cloud:


Snow on Bluff Knoll (we seldom get snow in W.A. but occasionally the Stirling Ranges does, although it is not very long lasting).  When he was quite young my son and a friend of his climbed to the top of Bluff Knoll and were delighted to find patches of snow under the bushes up there.:


Gnowangerup was first gazetted in 1908 under the spelling of Ngowangerupp.  Local dissatisfaction with this spelling led to it being altered to Gnowangerup in 1913.  (I can't say I blame them for wanting to simplify the town name somewhat).  The name of the townsite is Aboriginal, being derived from nearby Gnowangerup Creek and Spring, both names being first recorded in 1878.  The name means "place where the mallee hen (Gnow) nests".  The bird is the Shire emblem:


The surrounding areas produce wheat and other cereal crops and, as with Goomalling, it is a wheat receival site for CBH.  There are 150 wildflowers species to be seen in this area.

I wanted to include these two small towns under G as they are a very important to Western Australia as primary producing areas.  I am also going to post Geraldton-Greenough as we have been there and they are both very interesting.

14 comments:

  1. I do love the indigenous names - so very musical. And, some day I will get to WA to see the wild flowers in bloom. Some day...

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    1. Yes some of our indigenous names are really wonderful.
      I too hope to get to see the wildflowers again one day...one day. Not sure when.

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  2. Just saying those lyrical town names out loud makes me feel like a bit of an Aussie. (But I never did get the hang of throwing a boomerang...)

    That little goomal is adorable, but he looks a lot different than the possums we have here.

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    1. Those names are quite enchanting aren't they? I doubt there are many people in Australia that can actually throw a boomerang although some learn to do so and I think have competititons.
      I think there are many different types of possums and opossums in the world but I think this chap is adorable with those big eyes.

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  3. Oh I also love the names. Beautiful place to see the mountain with the overhanging fog. Oh Mimsie this is a place I do need to see. Thank you for sharing. Hug B

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    1. Actually Buttons is is really cloud over Bluff Knoll, not fog. It often reminds me of Table Mountain in S.Africa with its tablecloth of cloud. No, I've only seen it in photographs but have seen our Ranges many times.
      Perhaps one day I should show a list of indigenous names...you would be surprised how many there are and so varied too.
      Glad you enjoyed this post and thanks for visiting. x

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  4. Fantastic post Mimsie, great shots of the town and I enjoyed its history. I enjoyed all your other photos too, loved the little silver gray possum and the bird. Aboriginal names are always neat. I am also enjoying the Native Indian names in the area we are traveling through. Gorgeous scenery out there. Another reason I love to blog, you get to see some amazing sights out in the world. Have a great day :)

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    1. Glad you enjoyed this post and I wish I could accept praise for the photos but I found them all either on Wikipedia or on a set of free pics when I googled.
      Like you, I do enjoy seeing and learning about other parts of our world. : )

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  5. Is Gnowangerup pronounced with a silent G? I like the cute little possum, but only as long as he stays in the bush. Possums in your roof are a dang nuisance.

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    1. Yes River the G is silent as in carrot (as the saying goes).
      People have problems with possums here too but not in the inner metropolitan area. I remember years ago camping with a girlfriend in Busselton and people were having trouble with possums in their caravans etc. They can be nuisance no matter how cute they are.

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  6. Can't wait till you get to Geraldton. I have such lovely memories of our brief stay there in 2003...and I was fortunate to visit WA at the peak of spring wildflowers.

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    1. Geraldton coming up soon. I don't think I have covered everything about that city but have done my best and found as many lovely photos as I could steal for the free ones on offer.
      We only passed through Geraldton but spent several hours there many years ago. It would have changed a lot since then, some 40+ years back.

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  7. You sure have some wide open spaces over there.

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  8. Well Delores it's a very big country and mostly people only live around the edges. Much of the rest is desert and although some aborigines live there, not many white folk do.

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