Brookton

History

The first settler and founder of the Brookton district, John Seabrook (1818–1891), moved to the area in 1846 soon after marrying, and named his property "Brookton House". He remained the only European in the area, aside from itinerant sandalwood cutters, until his stepson, Robinson, took up adjacent land in 1864. During the 1860s and 1870s, more settlers moved into the area, and took on sandalwood cuttingit sold for as well as wheat and sheep farming. In June 1889, when the Great Southern Railway opened, Brookton was one of the original stations. The station proved to be the catalyst that created a centre for the isolated farms, and the government gazetted a townsite here in 1895 and named it "Seabrook" but local acceptance of the station name and confusion with another Seabrook near York resulted in the townsite's name being changed to Brookton in 1899. The townsite attracted a few businesses and by 1903, the tiny settlement comprised a school, hotel, bank and a few shops. The Old Police Station Museum located in the town is the base of the local historical society and contains artifacts and memorabilia of the early settlement days. A bulk wheat bin was opened in December 1940 and began receiving large amounts of grain immediately. In 1941 the wheat harvest of the surrounding area was about all delivered to the local bulk wheat bin. This was about bushels down from the previous year.

Most-observed species

• Australian Ringneck

  Barnardius zonarius (Shaw, 1805) · Aves
  159
• Australian Raven

  Corvus coronoides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  133
• Weebill

  Smicrornis brevirostris (Gould, 1838) · Aves
  94
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  89
• Striated Pardalote

  Pardalotus striatus (Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  88
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  84
• Singing Honeyeater

  Gavicalis virescens (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  80
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  76

Most recent

• M 4 — 2025-01-25
  59 km ENE of York, Australia
• M 4.2 — 2022-01-24
  29 km NE of Narrogin, Australia
• M 4.2 — 2022-01-05
  41 km E of Narrogin, Australia
• M 2.9 — 2005-11-06
  32 km ENE of York, Australia
• M 3 — 2005-06-02
  52 km ENE of Northam, Australia
• M 2.6 — 2005-05-12
  31 km ENE of Beverley, Australia