County Peak

County Peak,[1] also known as Mt Quajabin[2] or Quajabin Peak[3] is located in the western zone of the West Australian Wheatbelt, about 120 km south-east of Perth.

Quajabin is this mountain's Noongar Aboriginal name, which predates European settlement. The name Quajabin is derived from the Western Australian Aboriginal native word quabin, meaning "good camp".[4]

Although not high, it offers an impressive view over some of the upper catchment of the Avon River and also of the Yenyenning Lakes, taking in points of seven shires Beverley, Brookton, Pingelly, Corrigin, Quairading, Kelleberrin and York.[5][6]

County Peak was given its English name when the first surveyors drew up the original counties for the Swan River Colony in 1829. County Peak was at that time the geographical intersection of Howick County, Minto County, Grantham County and York County, Western Australia.[7] Today these counties have been divided up into local government areas known as shires. Seven shires can be seen from the summit, namely the Shire of Beverley, Shire of Brookton, Shire of Pingelly, Shire of Corrigin, Shire of Quairading, Shire of Kellerberrin and the Shire of York.[8]

The area was first settled by Europeans in 1898 by the pioneering McLean brothers John, Thomas, Kenneth and Donald Jr.[9] The McLean brothers selected their land including County Peak, using as their guide tree lines indicating rich, fertile soil.[10][11] From 1910 to 1933 the County Peak School taught children of the settlers in the district.

References

  1. "COUNTY PEAK". Western Mail. XXIX (1, 505). Western Australia. 30 October 1914. p. 5. Retrieved 19 November 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  2. "Welcome to Beverley WA, 'Be very you'", Shire of Beverley. September 2017. Beverley Community Resource Centre. Beverley WA.
  3. "Indigenous Land Use Agreement - Gnaala Karla Booja ILUA". Commonwealth of Australia. 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  4. "Aboriginal place names", A.W Reed. 1967.Reed Books Pty Ltd. Sydney NSW.
  5. "Tourist Attraction". The Beverley Times. 62 (18). Western Australia. 13 May 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 19 November 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  6. "THE AVON RIVER". The Avon Gazette and York Times (363). Western Australia. 20 August 1921. p. 2. Retrieved 19 November 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  7. Arrowsmith, John, 1790-1873; Roe, John Septimus, 1797-1878 (1839), The colony of Western Australia [cartographic material] : from the surveys of John Septimus Roe Esqr. Surveyor Genl. and from other official documents in the Colonial Office and Admiralty / compiled by John Arrowsmith, Pubd. by J. Arrowsmith, 35 Essex Street StrandCS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "Landgate""Western Australian Land Information Authority"(https://www0.landgate.wa.gov.au/about-us)
  9. "County Peak Pioneer Passes". The Beverley Times (1876). Western Australia. 22 April 1960. p. 1. Retrieved 23 October 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  10. "The History of Beverley 1946" pg 78, compiled and published by Alf. T. Thomas. West Lederville, Perth, WA.
  11. "Tourist Road at County Peak". The Beverley Times. 62 (22). Western Australia. 10 June 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 22 October 2017 via National Library of Australia.


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