Burracoppin, Western Australia

Burracoppin is a townsite on the Great Eastern Highway, east of Merredin in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.

Burracoppin
Western Australia
The former Burracoppin Hotel, 2017
Burracoppin is located in Western Australia
Burracoppin
Burracoppin
Coordinates31.397°S 118.477°E / -31.397; 118.477
Population114 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established1891
Postcode(s)6421
Area312.7 km2 (120.7 sq mi)
Location
  • 283 km (176 mi) east of Perth
  • 25 km (16 mi) east of Merredin
LGA(s)Shire of Merredin
State electorate(s)Central Wheatbelt
Federal division(s)Durack

History

The town was gazetted in 1891. It takes its name from Burracoppin Rock, a nearby granite rock, the name of which was first recorded in 1864 as Burancooping Rock. It was also shown as Lansdowne Hill in 1836. It is an Aboriginal name said to mean "near a big hill".[2][3]

It is situated on the Eastern Railway and is a stop on the Prospector rural railway service.

It is the setting for the novel Mr Jelly's Business by Arthur W. Upfield, one in the series of Napoleon Bonaparte whodunits.

Burracoppin is also the site where the first Rabbit Proof Fence (No. 1) was started in 1901, with construction heading south to Esperance and north towards Port Hedland. Burracoppin was the main depot for the Rabbit Proof Fence. All gates through the fence and wells for the fence runners (those who look after the fence) were numbered from this town. Parts of the original fence are still viewable in Burracoppin along with some of the original gates.

In 1932 the Wheat Pool of Western Australia announced that the town would have two grain elevators, each fitted with an engine, installed at the railway siding.[4] The first was installed the following year and was able to handle 1,800 bags of wheat per day.[5]

The main industry in town is wheat farming with the town being a Cooperative Bulk Handling receival site.[6]

Rail services

The Prospector service, which runs each way between East Perth and Kalgoorlie once or twice each day, stops at Burracoppin.[7]

Preceding station Transwa Transwa Following station
Merredin
towards East Perth
 Prospector Carrabin
towards Kalgoorlie

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Burracoppin (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  2. "History of country town names – B". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2007.
  3. "Shire of Merredin - Our Towns". Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  4. "Country elevators". The West Australian. Perth. 6 July 1932. p. 10. Retrieved 6 April 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Bulk Handling". The West Australian. Perth. 1 February 1933. p. 5. Retrieved 7 April 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "CBH Receival Sites – Contact Details" (PDF). 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  7. "Prospector Timetable" (PDF). Transwa. Public Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.

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