South East Triangle
Trip Start
Jul 25, 2012
1
79
136
Trip End
Ongoing
Where I stayed
Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia
Friday, November 9, 2012
Balingup.
"The town takes its name from Balingup Pool, located on the Balingup
Brook which flows through the town. The name was first recorded by a
surveyor in 1850, and is said to be derived from the name of Noongar warrior, Balingan.
The town is on the South Western Highway. It originally had a station on the railway line, opened in 1898, the same year the town was gazetted."Just before reaching Balingup I turned off down a dirt road that led me to a very picturesque river crossing, so I stopped and let the dogs have their little bit of freedom for a few minutes while I occupied my time taking photos. I was tempted to cross the river as it wasn't running very fast but thought better of it, considering my luck so far...Then it was on to Balingup, not much to see there. A short drive up the road to an INN built in 1864, bushes and trees now block the entire facade, a funny metal 'sculpture' decorating the highway and then there are a few local wares to be found along the main street and of course the 'antique shop'. Next stop Greenbushes a short 10kms down the road and lunch by the Pool Boardwalk. Greenbushes was founded as a mining town in 1888 following a surveyor's discovery of tin in 1886. Greenbushes was named after the bright green bushes that contrasted against the grey eucalyptus trees. The railway from Donnybrook to Bridgetown opened in 1898, with Greenbushes station located approximately six kilometres north of the main townsite. The area surrounding the train station was renamed North Greenbushes to reduce confusion.
The town experienced a period of economic boom until the international price of tin slumped in 1893, which caused the Greenbushes industry to collapse.
By 1913, approximately one quarter of Greenbushes' inhabitants were
working in the timber industry, which was established shortly after the
first mine.Greenbushes' two major industries are mining, producing tantalite concentrates, lithium minerals, tin metal and kaolin; and timber milling. Agriculture, viticulture, tourism and art galleries are also part of Greenbushes' industry.
Greenbush c,1920Last section of the triangle, direction... Manjimup and Fonty's Pool Caravan Park 
