Merredin, Western Australia

Merredin is a town of about 2,500 inhabitants in the Australian state of Western Australia. Merredin is located 256 km east of Perth and 326 kilometers west of Kalgoorlie on the Great Eastern Highway. The place is located in the Wheatbelt region ( German: corn-belt ) and is the seat of the administrative area ( LGA) Merredin Shire.

History

Merredins history different from other cities in the corn-belt of Western Australia, as it was initially only a stopover on the way to the gold fields to the east. The first European was John Septimus Roe, who came to this area in 1836. He was, however, disappointed by the drought and low rainfall.

In the 1850s, loggers came to beat sandalwood, but only with Charles Hunt in the years 1864 to 1866 the area was opened up. On a total of five trips he built next to a road, a number of waterholes and dams. For a long time this was the only known connection from the coast to the gold towns of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie, later as York Goldfields Road.

The name of the town goes back to Charles Hunt, the exact origin is unclear. Firstly, the resident Aborigines could make a big granite rock located just to the north, as Merredin Peak have referred. The other explanation is that it derives from merrit - in, which translates as the place of Merrit ( Merrit is a type of tree whose wood can be finished spears ) means.

The first settlers can be in Merrdin only to the gold rush in the years 1892/93 down. The numerous prospectors used the path of Charles Hunt along the water holes at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie to arrive. In the same year the railroad reached the city, and with the clever idea at the Merredin Peak to collect water, the city grew in the years to significantly influence. 1893 to 1896 a wall was built along the contours of the granite rock that fell with every drop of rain on the rocks, over a 100 -meter-long canal in a 25-million- liter, Reservoir was conducted. In order for the water supply, both the railway, and the city could be ensured. The interior is still intact and provides water for the fountains at the Merredin Railway Museum.

Climate

Merredin has in the Effective Köppen climate classification BSh a steppe climate.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Tully Bevilaqua (born 1972 ), a basketball player