Pinjarra Pinjarra is located 87km south of Perth and only 19km south-east of Mandurah on the banks of the Murray River in Western
Australia's South-West agricultural region. The town is one of the oldest in the State and began as a farming
community. The area later developed into a lucrative bauxite mining and timber milling town. The town derived
its name from the local Aboriginal tribe known as Pindjarup (meaning 'Place of a swamp').Pinjarra was shown
on earlier maps as either Pinjarrup or Pinjarrah however in 1880 the townsite was gazetted as Pinjarra.
Brief history of Pinjarra Prior to the arrival of European settlers the area was inhabited for
thousands of years by the Bindjareb Bilyidar (river) Nyungars. In 1830 (following the establishment of the
Swan River Colony in 1829) Thomas Peel was granted a substantial area of land (250,000 acres) from Cockburn
Sound to the Murray River . The area, now known as the Peel Region, was intend for farming use, as all of the
fertile land near the Swan River Settlement had already been taken up. Included in the Murray region was
Pinjarra and in 1831 land for the town site was reserved.  Unfortunately the town did not get off to a very good start. Conflict between
the new settlers and the Nyungars slowly increased as tribal lands near the river were taken up by the
farmers. Cattle were speared and so too some settlers. The area became a treacherous and dangerous place to
be. Apart from stock and both settlers and Aborigines being killed or speared, some crops and buildings were
also destroyed (mainly by fire). As unrest continued an incident involving the death of a servant Hugh Nesbit
brought the conflict between settlers and Aboriginals to a head.  Stirling, along with John Septimus Roe, Captain Ellis and a detachment of
soldiers headed to the banks of the Murray River to confront the Bindjareb Bilyidar Nyungars. On October
28th, 1834, they surrounded the Nyungars and opened fire on them. The Battle of Pinjarra, otherwise known as
the Pinjarra Massacre , would go down in Western Australian history as one of the State's darkest
and bloodiest days. Ironically, in following years, the farming families in Pinjarra praised the vital role
the Bindjareb Nyungars played in the community following the massacre. Together they worked in clearing land
and working the farms. In 1836 Lieutenant Bunbury sent a detachment of soldiers to be stationed at the new
town of Pinjarra. The following year it was allocated for settlers. In the 1840's the first of five bridges
was built over the Murray River, even though transport via the river was still the most popular mode of
transport. In 1865 the town was surveyed and 6 years later the Murray Roads Board was established. Pinjarra
was shown on earlier maps as either Pinjarrup or Pinjarrah however in 1880 the townsite was gazetted as
Pinjarra.
Interesting Facts About Pinjarra The post code for Pinjarra is 6208.
During the 1840's a ghost known as Kate haunted the Pinjarra Bridge every anniversary of her death. The Hotham Valley Tourist Railway's Pinjarra Steam Ranger train service, which was suspended following the Dwellingup fire of January 2007, is back in full swing. You can once again experience the magical journey between Pinjarra and Dwellingup from May to October on Wednesdays and Sundays. Please contact the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway on 9221 4444 for more information. Things Are Looking Up in PinjarraThe architecture of Pinjarra is best explored through the heritage trail walk, where you can see fine examples of Colonial architecture. Many of the buildings were constructed by locals from locally made mud bricks. It is a lasting reminder of the pioneers who did well to survive the harsh conditions of the early years of settlement. Click here for a closer look at the Architecture of PinjarraImportant Links To PinjarraShire of Murray |
Western Australian Vista>Pinjarra
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