Kalgan, Western Australia Explained

Type:town
Kalgan
State:wa
Lga:City of Albany
Local Map:yes
Zoom:10
Coordinates:-34.9481°N 118.0128°W
Postcode:6330
Est:1912
Elevation:32
Stategov:Albany
Fedgov:O'Connor
Dist1:388
Dir1:south east
Location1:Perth
Dist2:17
Dir2:north east
Location2:Albany
Dist3:42
Dir3:south east
Location3:Mount Barker

Kalgan is a small town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

The town is situated on the banks of the Kalgan River and was first known as Kalganup which means "place of first camp" or "place of many waters". Indigenous Australians used the area as a meeting place up to 19,000 years ago.[1] The name was first recorded in 1831, when explorer Alexander Collie charted the area.

Land was set aside for a townsite in 1837 and was sparsely settled, with approximately a dozen people living in the area in 1900.

The town was gazetted in 1912 following land being opened up in the area.The Upper Kalgan Hall was constructed in 1912 and became a focal point for the community. By 1913, the population was approximately 150 people.[2]

The Lower Kalgan Hall was constructed in 1954. Both the lower and Upper Halls are on the Heritage Council of Western Australia listed places.[3]

An independent school, Great Southern Grammar, was built along Oyster Harbour near where the Kalgan River discharges into the harbour. The school was established in 1999 and is the only school in Kalgan.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Albany Gateway – Kalgan Settlers' Association Inc.. . 2006 . 29 October 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080822051349/http://www.albanygateway.com.au/Town/Kalgan/default.asp . 22 August 2008 . dead .
  2. News: The Kalgan Hall . . XXIV . 3115 . Western Australia . 1 January 1913 . 25 April 2016 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  3. Web site: Lower Kalgan Hall. 27 February 2016. 14 June 2016. Heritage Council of Western Australia.