Cunderdin
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Cunderdin Western Australia |
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Aerial view of Cunderdin
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 Cunderdin
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| Coordinates | 31°40′S 117°14′E / 31.66°S 117.24°ECoordinates: 31°40′S 117°14′E / 31.66°S 117.24°E |
| Population | 681 (2011 census) |
| Established | 1906 |
| Postcode(s) | 6407 |
| Elevation | 237 m (778 ft) |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Cunderdin |
| State electorate(s) | Central Wheatbelt |
| Federal Division(s) | Durack |
Cunderdin is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia 156 km east of Perth, along the Great Eastern Highway. Due to it being on the route of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme it is also on the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail. It is a rural community consisting of a district high school and an agricultural college.
The Shire of Cunderdin (2014) reported the first European visitor to the area was Charles Cooke Hunt, who explored the area in 1864 and recorded the name Cunderdin, from the Njungyar Aboriginal name of a nearby hill. The meaning of the name is thought to mean either "place of the bandicoot" or "place of flowers" (Shire of Cunderdin, 2014).
Like many small towns in the area, Cunderdin developed as a stop-off town during the gold rush in the WA Goldfields (Reeves, Frost, & Fahey, 2010). Significantly in 1894 the railway arrived signalling the earliest settlement in the town (Shire of Cunderdin, 2014). In 1901 the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, designed by C. Y. O'Connor, led to a renewed increase in population of the town (Water Corporation, 2015). The townsite was gazetted in 1906.
In 1932 the Wheat Pool of Western Australia announced that the town would have two grain elevators, each fitted with an engine, installed at the railway siding. An elevator was duly erected the following year next to the Westralian Farmers grain-shed.
In late 1933 the local tennis courts were first opened in front of a crowd of about 100 players, a tournament was held the same afternoon. The local hospital also had an X-ray plant installed and commissioned a week later.
Cunderdin Agricultural College is formally known as the Western Australian College of Agriculture Cunderdin- WACoA (Western Australian College of Agriculture Cunderdin, 2015). According to the Department of Education the college has well-maintained facilities for practical agricultural training, the trade training centre, an academic classroom area, and a residential campus which houses 125 year 11 and 12 students. The Shire of Cunderdin (2014) states The Western Australian College of Agriculture is located 158 km east of Perth and is a part of the wheatbelt region. It is one of the five recognised public agricultural colleges of Western Australia, and Cunderdin was awarded WA Secondary School of the year in 2014 (Department of Education, 2015) According to the Department of Education (2015) the college has been successful in winning the national award for vocational education in schools excellence. The secondary school of the year report by the Department of Education (2015) found an average Australian Tertiary Admission Rank for the agricultural college of 39.6 in 2011, increasing to 62.7 in 2012. The Department of Regional Development (2014) states with the funding from the Royalties for Regions and Department of Education, the college farm will expand by more than 1000 hectares to provide better education opportunities for students within the cropping and livestock sectors. This will result in the college farm holding more than 3000 hectares, with the addition of the additional 1000 arable hectares (Department of Regional Development). The Department of Education (2015) acknowledges that all students graduating from WACoA gain two or more Australian Quality Training Framework qualifications and complete a range of short courses in order to obtain their OH&S cards, certificates in chemical safety, bush fire fighting courses, firearm safety certificates and senior first aid qualifications. Students are given the opportunity to present their work and talents throughout a range of shows such as Dowerin Field Day, Wagin Woolorama, the Perth Royal Show and other community days held by small town shires in the Wheatbelt (Department of Education, 2015). These shows enable students to be a part of the shearing team, led steer team, fencing team and other trade subjects such as furnishings and engineering, where their achievements and efforts are recognised within the community through local newspapers and college newsletters (Department of Education). The Department of Education (2015) suggests the agricultural college provides students with excellent facilities, resulting in many awards and commendations for the level of training provided and maintains a good status holding an annual open day with approximately 600 people each year.
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