Gnowangerup History

Welcome to the Gnowangerup History Web Site

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WELCOME

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to this web site. My passion about the history of Gnowangerup and surrounding areas commenced after I had been involved in researching local history of Pickering Brook, where I now live. Over many years I had gathered together a huge collection of
material relating to the early history of Gnowangerup. Then in 2022 I met Merilyn Stewart who had created a huge Facebook page on Gnowangerup, having interviewed and gathered together dozens of stories and images over many years. Her enthusiasm and passion rubbed off onto me. So started this remarkable journey back through time. We have worked together, combining our gathered material, to create this web site.

History evolves and changes constantly over the years. Old memories sometimes get forgotten with the hectic lives we live today. On this web site, with the input of many contributors, we have been able to record much of the past history and memories of the early pioneering days of Gnowangerup and its surrounding areas. This history could easily have been lost as time moved on, but now it has been saved for everyone to enjoy.

This is an on-going project and new history is coming to light as the search continues. If you wish to be part of this record of memories and history, I would welcome you making contact and we can help you gather it all together.
As with all historical records there will be errors so I ask that you please let us know of them, so they can be corrected. Also many references have been lost over the years, so if you know some that are missing please let us know.

I have personally researched the local history for many years. This has meant travelling many kilometres and spending hundreds of hours, collecting interviews of families, scanning photos, searching archival records, maps and newspaper articles and compiling all that material into a record to add to this web site.

I am very excited to welcome on board with me, the support of a team of very passionate local specialists in their own fields, to help with the recording of our history.

Please enjoy your trip down memory lane with us.

GORDON FREEGARD and TEAM

Gordon Freegard
HISTORIAN & WEB MASTER

GNOWANGERUP, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Agricultural relics stand proudly on show in Gnowangerup, sharing the wheat and sheep town's pioneering heritage with all who stop to soak up its country charms and to the south, Stirling Range National Park displays some of Australia's most unique flora and fauna.
Only a four-hour drive south east of Perth, the journey to Gnowangerup will take you through picturesque farmlands of livestock, wheat, lupins, barley, canola, clover seed, peas, oats and fava beans.
Another hour's drive to the south will transport you to the striking natural landscape of the Stirling Ranges - a haven for over 100 species of birds and more than 1,500 varieties of plants, including dazzling and delicate orchids. From here, you can join some spectacular bushwalks, pretty wildflower trails and challenging mountain hikes through the ranges.

For a stroll through the region's pioneering history, head for the main street of Gnowangerup, where you'll find many fascinating buildings dating back to the town's early settlement in the early 1900's.
In the gardens adjacent to the shire office, the original steam tractor imported in 1889 to clear much of the surrounding land stands as a tribute to the town's founders. Venture to the showground at the southern end of the main street and you'll see more of the early agricultural machinery that helped Gnowangerup grow and thrive.
For Stirling Range hikers, the town makes for a comfy base camp, with hotel and motel accommodations available, as well as restaurant and cafe dining.
For those still wondering where the name Gnowangerup originated, it's derived from the Indigenous Nyoongar word "gnow", meaning mallee fowl - a native ground-dwelling bird that's now endangered.
 

NAMING OF GNOWANGERUP

During the year of 1906 there were considerable discussions among many of the local people about the name of “"Gnowangerup".

Many said that the name was too long, too hard to spell and pronounce. “Why not change it with a short easily spelt name and why not use a good old British name etc etc?”.

This matter was brought up for discussion during one of our Progress Association meetings. It was then unanimously agreed that out of honour to the first pioneer of Gnowangerup James Quinn - the name of “Gnowangerup” be altered to that of “Quinton”. On this nickname being submitted to the consideration of the ruling authority -- the Lands Department -- we were given to understand that the name of “Quinton” could not be approved of, as already that was the name of the town in Queensland and they could not agree to the duplication.

Then the name of “Warrington” was chosen as that is the name of the town in England where James Quinn was born. The name of “Ashton” - the name of another town in England near to where James Quinn was born - was selected as a second choice and sent on to the Lands Department for their approval.

This time the Lands Department informed us that they could not see their way to approve of either of those two names, as it was the policy of the government to retain all the native names so nothing further was attempted to alter the name of Gnowangerup and I now wish to point out how inconsistent the Government was in this respect.

Take for example the names of the sidings and stations on the Tambellup - Ongerup line which by the way was constructed after the government’s decision to retain all the native names. Beginning at Tambellup - a native name - and going easterly towards “Ongerup” the first siding was named “Dartnell” - certainly not a native name but called after Mr Dartnell the engineer in charge of the construction of this railway whose camp was then there.

The name of the next siding easterly is “Toolbrunup” the native name is retained, also Pallinup and Gnowangerup. Then on the next siding further east the native name of “Chirellilup” was dropped and the name of Formby substituted.

At the next siding back it comes to the native name of “Kebaringup” then at the next siding of it goes to faraway Canada for the names of “Borden” and “Laurier” - two well-known Canadian Premiers of about that time.

On further east to the next siding back they swing again to the native names of “Toompup” and “Ongerup”!! All of which goes to prove how ridiculously inconsistent government can be, and how they can “get away with it”.

Finally, although Gnowangerup was spelt and pronounced in many different ways, eventually Gnowangerup was adopted. Even the name on the local railway station gave the spelling as N-g-o-w-a-n-g-e-r-u-p-p and remained so for a considerable time but was altered to G-n-o-w-a-n-g-e-r-u-p eventually.