Grass Patch

History

The townsite was proposed in 1910 when land in the area was being opened up, and as a watering spot for the planned Esperance to Norseman railway, Of the three nominated, "Warden" was chosen. However, objections were soon raised about this name and later the same year it was changed back to Grass Patch. The poor quality of the soil in the surrounding district made the development of farming in the area difficult and unproductive. In 1949 the Esperance Downs Research Station was established and it was discovered that the soil in the Esperance region was deficient in certain trace elements. The addition of these trace elements to the soil has since improved fertility and crop yields a great deal, and the region has become an important agricultural district, successfully producing wheat, barley, canola, sheep and cattle. The town is a receival site for Cooperative Bulk Handling. The townsite of Red Lake, in the north of Grass Patch, on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway and the railway line, was gazetted in 1922. It was originally a siding on the railway line, established in 1916. The part of the townsite west of the highway is now the Red Lake Townsite Nature Reserve. The former townsite of Truslove was located in the south of Grass Patch but, unlike Red Lake, is no longer listed as a townsite.