Westwood, Western Australia Explained

Type:other
Westwood
State:wa
Lga:Shire of Woodanilling
Local Map:yes
Zoom:10
Coordinates:-33.6028°N 117.3421°W
Postcode:6316
Dist1:227
Dir1:SE
Location1:Perth
Dist2:169
Dir2:N
Location2:Albany
Dist3:10
Dir3:W
Location3:Woodanilling
Fedgov:O'Connor
Stategov:Roe
Near-Nw:Kenmare
Near-N:Boyerine
Near-Ne:Woodanilling
Near-W:Kenmare
Near-E:Woodanilling
Near-Sw:Cherry Tree Pool
Near-S:Carrolup
Near-Se:Marracoonda

Westwood is a rural locality of the Shire of Woodanilling in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The eastern border of the locality is formed by the Great Southern Highway. The Strathmore Hill Nature Reserve is located within Westwood.[1] [2]

History

The Shire of Woodanilling is predominantly located on the traditional land of the Wiilman people, including Westwood, with just the south-west of the shire being on the land of the Kaniyang people, both of the Noongar nation.[3] [4] [5]

The heritage listed Marracoonda Baptist Church, located in the far south-eastern corner of Westwood, on the Great Southern Highway, straddles the border to the neighbouring Shire of Katanning and the locality of Marracoonda. Also located on the Shire of Woodanilling side of the border, it is on the heritage register for both shires, Katanning and Woodanilling, and dates back to 1903.[6] [7]

The site of the Westwood School, in the north-west of the locality, is also listed on the shire's heritage register. It was constructed in 1912 as the Dowlering School and officially opened on 13 April 1913 but moved to the Westwood site in 1918. Typical for small school buildings in the state, attendance rose and fell, and buildings were moved to new locations based on demand. The Westwood School was moved to Boyerine in 1928, after the local teacher at Westwood had left the school to get married, and no replacement was appointed. The seven or eight remaining pupils were moved to different schools nearby in the area. The former school building is now located at the Wagin Historical Village.[8]

Nature reserve

The Strathmore Hill Nature Reserve was gazetted on 5 May 1989, has a size of 1.71km2, and is located within the Avon Wheatbelt bioregion.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SLIP Map . . maps.slip.wa.gov.au . . 5 November 2024 .
  2. Web site: NationalMap . . nationalmap.gov.au . . 5 November 2024 .
  3. Web site: Kaneang (WA) . . www.samuseum.sa.gov.au . . 4 November 2024.
  4. Web site: Wiilman (WA) . . www.samuseum.sa.gov.au . . 4 November 2024.
  5. Web site: Map of Indigenous Australia . . aiatsis.gov.au . 14 May 2024 . . 4 November 2024.
  6. Web site: Marracoonda Church (Shire of Woodanilling entry) . . inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au . . 5 November 2024.
  7. Web site: Marracoonda Baptist Church (Shire of Katanning entry) . . inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au . . 5 November 2024.
  8. Web site: Westwood School Site . . inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au . . 5 November 2024.
  9. Web site: Terrestrial CAPAD 2022 WA summary . . www.dcceew.gov.au/ . . 5 November 2024.