Shire of Kojonup celebrates 150th anniversary with council meeting at historic memorial hall

It might have been a few months late, but the Shire of Kojonup has officially celebrated its 150-year milestone. Councillors and community members swapped council chambers for the Kojonup Memorial Hall on April 12, holding the Shire’s monthly council meeting in the historic venue to mark the milestone. The Kojonup Roads Board was founded on December 12, 1871, ending the situation where the construction and maintenance of local roads was delegated to trustees by the State Government. The first official meeting of the new board was held in 1872. Speaking during a presentation at the council meeting, Kojonup Historical Society chair Susanne Bilney explained how the town had missed out on gaining a road board earlier. “When 18 road board districts were defined in January 1871, the Kojonup district did not qualify,” she said. “So despite residents meeting and electing a road board on May 31, 1871 at Elverd’s Hotel, it was not until December 12 that the district met the (requirements).” While the Kojonup Road Board originally extended all the way to the South Australian border, it gradually shrunk. In 1892, the entire road board resigned after Katanning and Tambellup became eligible for their own road boards. The Kojonup Road Board became the Shire of Kojonup in 1961 and now covers just over 2900sqkm. Shire chief executive Grant Thompson said the 150-year milestone was worth celebrating. “Kojonup is a strong community with a lot of history and one which is invested in its future,” he said. “It is important for the community to understand where we have come from but also where we are going.”