balingup history and profile


Balingup - Brief Profile and History


town corner

Balingup is nestled at the intersection of three smaller valleys in the heart of the Blackwood River Valley.  It is located on the South Western Highway halfway between the towns of Donnybrook and Bridgetown, and is a gateway to the South West of Western Australia.


The name Balingup was first recorded by a surveyor in 1850.

First Settled
The first white explorers came across the Blackwood River at the site of Southampton and Wrights Bridges in 1842 when they were trying to find a route from Albany to Vasse.  In the 1850s and 1860s pastoral expansion lead to the establishment of large leases, and the names "Southampton", "Brooklands" and "Ferndale" can be traced back to this era.

Expansion
In the mid 1890s a railway was planned from Donnybrook to Bridgetown, and Balingup was selected as the site for one of the stations.  The government also decided it would establish a townsite at Balingup.  Land was purchased from private owners in 1896, and a schemed subdivision promptly approved, with lots surveyed in 1897.  The townsite was gazetted in 1898, the same year the railway was opened.  The town was a thriving community with its own Shire Council and became known for its dairy farming, timber industry and cheese making.  Fruit orchards were introduced at the turn of the century, and these remain an important industry in the area today.

Decline
The dairy quota system of the early 1960s, along with the hilly terrain, combined to make dairy farming non viable.  A crisis in both the dairy and orchard industries saw a decline in population as farmers left the district and farms were planted with pine trees.  During the period of the 1960s and 1970s many facilities in the township were closed down and the Shire of Balingup amalgamated with the Shire of Donnybrook.

Renewal main street

Vitality and a new enthusiasm returned to Balingup as new residents began to arrive in the 1980s, combining with the existing community to create a culture of innovation and "getting things done". 

Although a small community (the Balingup/Mullalyup population from the 2001 census was 803), Balingup now boasts three successful events annually which attract thousands of visitors each year.  It is also the chosen destination for many small landholders, crafts people, artisans and those who love the beauty of the area.

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