Wokalup, Western Australia

Wokalup is a town located in the South West region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Harvey and Brunswick Junction. At the 2006 census, Wokalup had a population of 449.[1]

Wokalup
Western Australia
Wokalup
Coordinates33.11°S 115.88°E / -33.11; 115.88
Population449 (2006 census)[1]
Postcode(s)6221
Location
  • 146 km (91 mi) from Perth
  • 6 km (4 mi) from Harvey
LGA(s)Shire of Harvey
State electorate(s)Murray-Wellington
Federal Division(s)Forrest

It lies just north west of Mornington Mills and was the junction for railway access to the Millars Mornington network of timber railways.[2]

Wokalup's name derives from an Aboriginal name meaning "the place of the carpet snake" (wokul). Such snakes were often found in farm sheds in the area prior to the commencement of irrigation but tiger snakes became more common subsequently.[3]

The location was originally granted in 1830, but the title lapsed as the owner made no improvements to the property. The Western Australian Company obtained it in the 1840s; the first resident was Thomas Hayward, who commenced farming at Bundidup south of Harvey in 1859. At this time, there were no made roads or bridges through the town, but during the 1860s the Harvey and Brunswick bridges were constructed and convicts built the road from Pinjarra to Brunswick. Hayward provided for the needs of both the convicts and the horse teams. When the railway came through in the 1890s a railway siding with the name Wokalup was opened, and a small private town developed. This was gazetted a townsite in 1963 at the request of the Shire of Harvey.[4]

Present day

Wokalup is a small agricultural town with services offered from nearby Harvey. A former deer park is being reconstructed as a cheese making and tourist facility, taking advantage of its location in the Harvey-Brunswick dairy district. A tavern and basic accommodation facilities are nearby.

Climate
Climate data for Wokalup, Western Australia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average precipitation mm (inches) 14.7
(0.58)		 15.5
(0.61)		 20.6
(0.81)		 51.4
(2.02)		 134.6
(5.30)		 181.2
(7.13)		 182.1
(7.17)		 134.0
(5.28)		 96.9
(3.81)		 57.7
(2.27)		 36.2
(1.43)		 15.1
(0.59)		 966.5
(38.05)
Average rainy days 2.6 2.6 4.0 8.0 13.4 17.3 19.4 17.0 14.6 10.2 7.5 3.8 120.4
Mean daily sunshine hours 10.6 9.9 8.6 6.4 5.1 4.1 4.5 5.7 6.7 7.8 8.5 9.9 7.3
Source: www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_009642_All.shtml
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References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Wokalup (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  2. Map 5, page 266 of Gunzburg, Adrian; Austin, Jeff; Rail Heritage WA; Gunzburg, Adrian; Austin, Jeff (2008), Rails through the bush : timber and firewood tramways and railway contractors of Western Australia (2nd ed.), Rail Heritage WA, ISBN 978-0-9803922-2-7
  3. Shire of Harvey. "Local Towns - Wokalup". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2006.
  4. Western Australian Land Information Authority. "History of country town names – W". Retrieved 17 January 2007.
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