Myalup

History

The name Myalup is a local Aboriginal name for a nearby swamp (the word "mya" meaning the bark of a paperbark, which abound in the area). Prior to European settlement, the Noongar Ganeang people wandered around the eastern shores of Lake Josephine, east of the town. The name was first recorded by Lieutenant Bunbury in 1836 as Miellup, then by a surveyor in 1849 as Myerlup. The land east of the Old Coast Road was farmed principally by the Crampton and later the Manning families. The pastures in the area were poor, so farmers were given a minimum of 4,000 acres (16 km2) for grazing. In around 1890, the soil in the district was found to be phosphate deficient, so superphosphate was introduced to the pastures. Other additives were introduced in the mid-1900s as soil technology improved. In 1972, following demand for beachside blocks in the area, the townsite was gazetted.

Most-observed species

• Australian Ringneck

  Barnardius zonarius (Shaw, 1805) · Aves
  364
• Australian Raven

  Corvus coronoides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  323
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  310
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  309
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  280
• Australian Shelduck

  Tadorna tadornoides (Jardine & Selby, 1828) · Aves
  277
• White-faced Heron

  Egretta novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  272
• Australian Ibis

  Threskiornis molucca (Cuvier, 1829) · Aves
  262

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2006-03-04
  9 km ESE of Donnybrook, Australia
• M 2.5 — 2002-02-18
  22 km SE of Collie, Australia