Kojonup - WA

Kojonup is small rural township that lies on the Albany Highway. It is a pleasant stop over for travellers between Perth - Albany with two bakeries, petrol stations, some historic buildings, and nice parks to stop for a rest.

Kojonup has a long and proud history stretching back centuries to the days when nomadic Aborigines were first attracted to the area by the freshwater spring and abundance of game. The name Kojonup has historical significance, referring to the “Koja” or stone axe made by the Aborigines from the local stone.

The first white man arrived in Kojonup in 1837, just nine years after the founding of the Swan River Settlement. Alfred Hillman had been sent north by Governor Stirling to blaze a trail from King George Sound (Albany), by way of York to the Swan River Settlement. He was guided to the freshwater spring by local Aborigines, and his favourable report back to Governor Stirling resulted in a military outpost being set up for the protection of travellers and the mail By 1845 this outpost had grown to support a military barracks, built on the site of the freshwater spring. Today, the Barracks still stands on its original site and houses the Kojonup Pioneer Museum.

The museum holds many relics from the Kojonup of old and tells the history of the town. A four room stone structure , the Barracks is in near perfect condition and is one of the oldest buildings in Western Australia. The first farms in Kojonup were set up by soldiers with settlement grants.

The town’s first Police Station was built in 1869 and the first hotel licence was granted in 1868.

In 1871 the town came of age with the election of the first District Road Board.

The appointment in 1865 of a mounted Police Constable marked the phasing out of the military presence at Kojonup. By the late 1860’s the Military had left and the Barracks became a focus for community gatherings, much as it is today.

More recent history is commemorated in a beautiful memorial to the young men of Kojonup who gave their lives in the World War. Located in the foyer of the Town Hall, the memorial has a beautiful lead light ceiling surrounded by wood paneled walls inscribed with the name of each of those who died. It is a beautiful and fitting testimony to a sad, yet proud period in the long history of Kojonup.