Woodanilling, Western Australia

The town is {{convert|254|km|mi|0}} south of Perth on the Great Southern Highway, {{convert|24|km|mi|0}} from Katanning and {{convert|30|km|mi|0}} from Wagin.

The town is in a sheep and grain producing area and was named after a spring in the Boyerine Creek, found about {{convert|1|km|mi|1}} south of town.

The Wiilman people of the Noongar nation are the traditional owners of the Woodanilling area. The name Woodanilling means in Noongar language "the place of little fishes".

During 1830–31, the area was first explored by Europeans, in expeditions by Captain Thomas Bannister. The construction of Albany Highway in the early 1850s and the Great Southern Railway in 1889 brought settlers to the area and helped to establish the town, which was located on a railway siding that was initially known as Round Pool. The townsite was gazetted in 1892. In 1895 it was renamed Yarabin and changed finally to Woodanilling the following year (1896).{{LandInfo WA|c|W|8 June 2007}} The name Woodanilling is Aboriginal in origin and means either "lots of minnows" or "place where the bronzewing pigeon nests".

An agricultural hall and public school were built in the town prior to 1903 (when the school was closed temporarily after the teacher, a Mr Campbell, was transferred).{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37379485 |title=Woodanilling. |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=17 October 1903 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=21 |via=National Library of Australia}}

By 1906, the Woodanilling Road Board was formed and the population of the shire swelled to 800, during its most prosperous period (1905 to 1920).{{cite web|url=http://www.woodanilling.wa.gov.au|title=Shire of Woondanilling|year=2008|access-date=2008-09-12}} At around this time the town boasted five general stores, a blacksmith, post office, bakery, hotel, railway station and trotting track.{{cite sign|title=Heritage Walk Signage}}

"Mallet" (marlock or mallee) bark was also exported from the area in large quantities by 1907.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28834952 |title=Country|newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=27 December 1907 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The foundation stone of the local Baptist church was laid in 1908 in front of a large gathering including the local pastor, Rev. W. Kennedy.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37574650 |title=Woodanilling notes |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=22 February 1908 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The Western Australian Bank branch and new hotel were erected in the town in 1908, along with many improvements being made to the school. Local farmers were confident of a bumper crop after experiencing favourable conditions for the year.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37577968 |title=Woodanilling|newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=5 September 1908 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} The railway station yard was upgraded later the same year, a weighbridge, new crossing, tracking yards and enlarging the current yard were all completed the following year.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37815160 |title=Woodanilling |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth|date=12 December 1908 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}} The school changed teachers four times in 1908, with finding suitable quarters being the main problem. The school was also enlarged to cater for the growing enrolment.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37817659 |title=Woodanilling notes |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=10 October 1908 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=41 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Between 1920 and 1960 migrants from Ireland, Germany, England and even China arrived contributing to the fabric of the local community.

The local school was destroyed by fire in June 1949,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47746960 |title=Woodnailling School |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=3 September 1949 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} the school had 64 students enrolled at the time.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47735347 |title=Woodanilling School |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=7 July 1949 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}} By November the minister of education decided that a new primary school would be built but older students would travel to Katanning for their classes.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47680603 |title=Building of School|newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=2 November 1949 |access-date=7 June 2012 |page=15 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The town services the surrounding area which is primarily concerned with sheep and wheat.

The Woodanilling Nature Reserve, east of the townsite, was gazetted on 8 September 1911, has a size of {{convert|1.34|km2|mi2}}, and is located within the Avon Wheatbelt bioregion.{{cite web |url=https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/capad2022-terrestrial-wa.xlsx |title=Terrestrial CAPAD 2022 WA summary |author= |website=www.dcceew.gov.au/ |publisher=Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |access-date=9 November 2024}}

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{{Towns Great Southern WA}}

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Category:Shire of Woodanilling

Category:Grain receival points of Western Australia