Pinjarra, Western Australia

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Pinjarra, Western Australia

Location and population
Pinjarra is a town in the Peel region of Western Australia, along the South Western Highway. It is about 82 kilometres from Perth and 21 kilometres southeast of Mandurah. It sits in the Shire of Murray. In 2021, about 3,883 people lived in Pinjarra.

History
The town’s name has appeared in different spellings. It is commonly linked to the Pindjarup people who visited the area. European settlement began in 1830 when Thomas Peel established a settlement at the Murray River. Land for a townsite was set aside in 1831, and more land was given to settlers in 1836–37. In 1834, colonial forces attacked Noongar villages near Pinjarra, an event now recognised as a massacre. By 1898 the population was around 400.

In the early 1900s, Kingsley Fairbridge started a farm school in the area, educating hundreds of orphaned children until 1981. A chapel was built in 1924. The town later became important in industry when Alcoa opened an alumina refinery nearby in 1974, helping to grow the local population. Pinjarra is also known for being near the world’s largest bauxite mine.

Facilities
Pinjarra has several schools: Pinjarra Primary School, Pinjarra Senior High School, and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. It is the base for the Hotham Valley Tourist Railway, and Peel Zoo is located nearby. The town’s shopping centre, Pinjarra Junction, opened in 2008.

Future and growth
Pinjarra’s proximity to Mandurah and recent investments are expected to drive population growth with new subdivisions around the town. There are plans to extend the Armadale railway line, which could reach Pinjarra in the second phase of the project.

Sport
Pinjarra hosts Thoroughbred and Harness racing at Pinjarra Park and Pinjarra Paceway. The main annual races are the Pinjarra Cups.

Transport
Pinjarra has a railway station on the South Western Railway, served by Transwa’s Australind service between Perth and Bunbury. Since 2012, a Transperth bus service connects Murray Hospital to Mandurah railway station via Pinjarra town centre. The town sits on the South Western Highway, and heavy holiday traffic has led to calls for a bypass.

Notable people
- Harley Bennell – AFL footballer
- John Butler – musician
- Peter Dawson – cyclist
- Sabrina Frederick – AFLW footballer
- iOTA – entertainer
- Kamdyn McIntosh – AFL footballer
- Sir Ross McLarty – politician

External links
- Shire of Murray (local government)