Focus on Katanning — food at cultural heart of tourism hotspot

They call it the heart of the Great Southern — and if a recent rise in visitor numbers forms a long-term trend, Katanning could become the heart of a Great Southern tourism awakening. In a six-part series, the Great Southern Herald is examining the character of Katanning to find out what sets the town apart and how it could realise its tourism potential. Home to more than 40 nationalities and about 50 language groups, Katanning is arguably the most multicultural town in regional WA. Many residents trace the town’s multicultural success to the 1970s, when it experienced an influx of migrants from Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands. They came to Katanning with the promise of work at the local abattoir and the town’s biggest employer — the WA Meat Marketing Co-operative. Alep Mydie was a young boy when he left Christmas Island in 1974 with his family of seven, after his par-ents were given a job at the WAMMCO. “It was very different to our lifestyle on the island and it took time to settle in,” he said. “Multiculturalism didn’t happen overnight. “It was us, the islanders, that came here and opened the door, but we also learnt a lot from the Italians and the Greeks who were here before us and how they integrated. Sport was a great way to do it. “We participated in all the sports. We played soccer, hockey, cricket, basketball — you name it.” The recognition of ethnic diversity as an economic driver is one of the big factors in Katanning’s cohesive sense of community. While it started with a strong migrant workforce supporting industry staffing requirements, many new migrants set up businesses that reflected their cultural heritage, transforming Katanning’s streets as well as the palates of its residents. Mr Mydie said food was an easy way to win over the community. “I remember I would bring curry puffs and spring rolls to school for lunch and people had never seen or tried them before,” he said. “And now they love them.” Mr Mydie sells about 100 curry puffs per day at the cafe he opened six years ago — The Daily Grind. The local imam and former councillor of 15 years knows most of his local customers by name but said he saw more new faces every day. “Every day I see more and more tourists coming to the cafe — from Queensland, Tasmania, even New Zealand.” Another restaurateur, Sam Tang, moved to Katanning from Hong Kong when he was a teenager in the 1977, not knowing a word of English. His father set up Katanning’s first Chinese restaurant, Hung Wins, on Clive Street in 1980, but six years later he decided to move to a more quirky venue. “We had a crazy idea to convert the Baptist church into a Chinese restaurant — it was one of the oldest buildings in town, actually,” he said. “In those days people were old-fashioned and they were shocked. “But we made it happen and 40 years later, it’s only getting busier.” Like Mr Mydie, Mr Tang joined local sports clubs to make friends and in his early 20s, he took over the restaurant. Mr Tang said there was cultural harmony in Katanning because of residents’ openness about their cultures and religions. “People will find reasons to dislike you because they don’t understand your culture, language, customs,” he said. “But once you open up to them and talk to each other, you realise underneath the skin we’re all the same.” Shire of Katanning chief executive Julian Murphy said the authenticity of the community’s rich culture could be tasted in the cuisines on offer, including his favourite Karen soup spot “It’s a bit of a hidden gem, a small supermarket run by a Karen family just next to our co-op,” he said. “It’s very unassuming when you go in there — plastic chairs at very modest tables and rows of various Asian ingredients and spices. You can order a bowl of chicken or beef soup and when you eat it, it’s like a big hug.” Mr Murphy said one of the most important community events in Katanning was the Harmony Festival this Saturday. He said the festival brought locals together to celebrate and learn about the cultures in their town, through food, fashion, history and entertainment. Mr Mydie was excited to be MC. “It’s a really special, vibrant festival and shows exactly what Katanning is all about,” he said. “This is how harmony comes about — the grassroots and the foundation of it is respect.”