Australia So Much to See

We commenced our tour heading east into the wheatbelt. A few days prior the road at between Moodiarup and Bokal looked like this for some way. Not daunting, but we were pleased to see the road no longer under water. However, with the river so high, the ground roadside was under water or sodden.

Our first stop was at Tarin Rock Nature Reserve, in a different section to our August 2019 visit. The spring flush of wildflowers had already started, with a wonderful array of flowers. Dampiera juncea above. The Tarin Rock field bin was also being prepared for the coming harvest.

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Hakea multilineata, known as Grass-leaf Hakea

Grevillea cagiana, known as Red Toothbrushes, opening

Banksia cirsioides, (formerly Dryanda cirsioides), Thistle Dryandra

Heading north from Lake Grace, recent rains had left water across the road in a number of places, and wheat crops were growing nicely from the wonderful wet winter. Our route north took us through Karlgarin and Kondinin.

South Kumminin is eighteen kilometres south of Narembeen, a townsite in the 1920s, now only a grain receivals bin and a picnic area marking the original school site with information boards remain. There is a nature reserve, but due to heavy rain were unable investigate.

By 1910, the Narembeen district consisted of a collection of small centres. The siding of South Kumminin was opened in 1917, using the name Arrowsmith. The South Kumminin School opened in 1925, and now a stand of Yuccas marks the location. In 1934 the school was moved to a new building 100 metres west of the picnic area. The school operated until 1949.

The South Kumminin Siding was established in 1917 when the railhead was established at the Narembeen Siding. However this locality had agency and store for the surrounding pioneer settlers for some time prior to the railway. In its prime, South Kumminin had a hall, a store, a bank, a post office and sporting facilities for tennis, cricket and golf. The post office and store remained into the 1990s.

Synaphea tripartita, a priority 3 flora as it a found only in a small area of the Wheatbelt.

Hibbertia pungens

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Narembeen

It was too wet for sightseeing at Narembeen.

Above mural introduces the town and it long term main industry; wheat farming.

Clock tower above right.

The Grain Discovery Centre at right focuses on grain growing in Western Australia. Learn more about farming in Narembeen and browse at the interpretive displays as you discover some of the history and future of grain growing in Narembeen.

References

Landgate historical town names

Inherit - South Kumminin

What to see in Narembeen

Narembeen history

Narembeen accommodation

Where to stay ? There is a caravan park close to the Grain Discovery Centre, and there is a section with free 72 hour parking for fully self-contained travellers.

Coltricia cinnamomea, a small wood-like patterned fungus above.

Caladenia dimidia, known as Chameleon Spider orchid, dancing in the wind at South Kumminin school site.

Exhibits include a 1950s farm house kitchen, a ‘humpy’, a grain stack, an interactive CBH area with weighbridge and hut, displays on the future of farming and a supermarket showing end products, like breakfast cereals and bread. The centre also has an interactive agribusiness section, an export area detailing the journey of grain from farm paddock to overseas markets and displays on the future of farming. All for just a gold coin donation on entry.

South Kumminin

The first European explorer into the Narembeen area was Surveyor General J. S. Roe who, in 1836, camped near a rocky outcrop which he named Emu Hill. The name Narembeen is believed to be the Aboriginal name for what Roe called Emu Hill.

The whole area was sparsely populated until the beginning of the twentieth century when land was opened up and farmers moved in to graze sheep and grow wheat.

The siding of Emu Hill was five kilometres south of the present Narembeen townsite. In 1920 Emu Hill was the largest centre but the local community, when confronted with the possibility of building a hotel, opposed the plan and suggested a coffee palace or temperance hotel.

Perth lawyer, Henry Hale, and a Perth publican, Paddy Connolly realised the problems that were being created by the teetotal community at Emu Hill. They purchased thirty acres (about twelve hectares) of land at Narembeen, obtained permission to build a pub, then sold off the rest of the land to prospective residents of their ‘private town’. Although local government was established and administered by a Road Board in Narembeen in 1924, the private town status was not rescinded until 1968.

The pub was all that was needed to overwhelm the struggling nearby settlements and become the centre for the whole area. By 1925 Narembeen had a population of 2100.

Narembeen is now a thriving centre for an agricultural area. Gold mining had recently commenced near the town.