Kendenup

History

Alexander Collie led an expedition from King George's Sound (Albany) in April and May 1831 accompanied by the Noongar man Mokare. The expedition commenced by journeying up the Kalgan River and overland to the base of the Porongorups. Collie was granted in the Kendenup area having been satisfied with its agricultural potential. Other early land grants in the district were made to: * John Lawrence Morley, * Lieutenant William Preston, * George Cheyne, at "Location 27" * in June 1830, Captain Thomas Banister, In 1838, Captain John Hassell sailed from England en route to Van Diemen's Land in the Da Hassell's partner and brother-in-law was Frederick Boucher who had established the British and Australian Bank in London in 1838. The bank failed in 1841 and as Boucher's assets were tied in with the collapse, Hassell found himself having to work closely with the bank's trustees as partners. Lieutenant Peter Belches was appointed as the bank's trustees agent to realise on Boucher's assets. After establishing the farm, Hassell lived mainly in Albany using managers to run the day-to-day operations on the station. In Albany he ran an import/export business which included managing the farm's wool sales to England. He travelled to Kendenup regularly to oversee the business. Encouraged by the prospects, the Standard Gold Mining Company was registered on 15 December 1874, with a capital of £3,000. A mine about south of the town with a nearby five-stamp battery were built. The operation became the first to start mining in the state. However, recoveries failed to live up to expectations and the battery crushed only ten tons of ore before being closed when the company went into voluntary liquidation on 5 June 1876. The mine and battery are still visible, although in poor…

Most-observed species

• Australian Ringneck

  Barnardius zonarius (Shaw, 1805) · Aves
  220
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  173
• Australian Raven

  Corvus coronoides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  165
• New Holland Honeyeater

  Phylidonyris novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  151
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  147
• Gray Fantail

  Rhipidura albiscapa Gould, 1840 · Aves
  104
• Maned Duck

  Chenonetta jubata (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  97
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  88

Most recent

• M 4.2 — 2026-03-02
  47 km E of Katanning, Australia
• M 5.2 — 2023-08-05
  64 km E of Katanning, Australia
• M 4.2 — 2019-08-01
  2 km ENE of Mount Barker, Australia
• M 5.2 — 2018-11-08
  64 km SSW of Kojonup, Australia
• M 4.5 — 2018-10-12
  63 km SSW of Kojonup, Australia
• M 5.3 — 2018-09-16
  57 km E of Manjimup, Australia