A List of Places
| Arthur
River is the original settlement area of the West Arthur Shire situated approximately two hundred kilometres south east of Perth on the Albany Highway, which follows the original coach route between Perth and Albany. Arthur River was a stopover point hence you will find historic buildings from that bygone era such as St Paul’s Anglican Church, the Mt Pleasant Inn, the old Post Office and the Police Barracks (now a private residence), which were all, built in the mid to late 1800’s. The Roelands-Lake King Rd and the Boyup Brook-Arthur Rd meet the Albany Hwy at Arthur River. |
| Duranillin is a small township located near the junction of the Arthur and Beaufort Rivers, twenty-one kilometres south of Darkan was originally established to service the Collie –Wagin railway line and surrounding farming area.Points of interest around Duranillin include Lake Towerrinning, which has water skiing/swimming facilities and a nature reserve for aquatic bird life, Wandoo Farm Winery and the Duralyn Patchwork Barn Retreat. |
| Bokal was a railway siding on the Collie- Wagin line beside the Boyup Brook – Arthur River Rd; today it is a Cooperative Bulk Handling grain receival point and shire locality. |
| Bowelling is a former railway junction (Collie-Narrogin, Collie-Wagin) and sawmill township. Today it is a shire locality with several residents still living in the former township. Points of interest around Bowelling include the old Railway Station and Station Masters house, sawmill and the Bennelaking Nature Reserve. Bowelling is the halfway point of the Collie Darkan Rail Trail. |
| Boolading is a former railway siding on the Collie – Narrogin line, now a shire locality. The siding area will become a set down/pick up and information point on the Collie – Darkan Rail Trail. A nearby point of interest is Maxon farm, used by WA’s Conservation and Land Management for the reintroduction of native wildlife species. Tours availa |
| Capercup was a railway siding on the Collie – Wagin Line, now a shire locality. |
| Gibbs
Crossing and James Crossing were railway sidings on the Collie – Narrogin line, now shire localities. The siding areas will eventually be information points on the Collie – Darkan Rail Trail. |
| Hillman was a siding on the Collie – Narrogin line, northeast of Darkan and approximately half way between Collie and Narrogin, thus it became a point where train crews changed over, going back to their respective towns and where steam trains were replenished with water. Nearby Hillman (Julikin) Rock was used as a rainwater catchment, which was channelled to a dam and piped to a storage tank and standpipe at Hillman siding. The channels and dam, constructed in the 1930’s are still used today as a water supply for bushfire control and stock in dry summers. Tours available by appointment with the West Arthur Tourism Promotio |
| McAlinden is a locality situated at the southwestern corner of the shire near the junction of the Bowelling-McAlinden road and the Collie Southeast road. Nearby points of interest are the Olive Farm on Sandalwood Rd, the Halcyon Steppe Iris farm and Beryl’s Riding School. The area now also has many tree plantations. |
| Moodiarrup is a locality situated thirty-one kilometres south of Darkan and thirty-seven kilometres southwest of Arthur River on the Boyup Brook-Arthur Rd beside the Arthur River, two kilometres from Lake Towerrinning and ten kilometres from Duranillin. Points of interest around Moodiarrup include Lake Towerrinning, Lakeside Camping, the old weatherboard Community Hall, the Moodiarrup Sports Complex (9 Hole Golf course, Lawn bowls & Tennis club) and Haddleton Reserve (wildflower & wildlife). |
| East
Arthur and Kylie were railway sidings on the Collie – Wagin Line, now shire localities. Steam trains used to take on water at Kylie siding; today the large water tank is all that remains as a reminder of that era. |
| Cordering was a railway siding on the Collie – Wagin line that had a sawmill close by, now a shire locality. |
