Towns in Australia

Exploring Australia, town by town

Tambellup WA

Tambellup

Postcode: 6320

Tambellup is located 317 km south east of Perth, Tambellup is a typical small wheatbelt town. It came into existence as a result of the substantial sandalwood stands in the area. The first European settler, Joseph Norrish, took up land west of the township in 1872 and proceeded to make a living cutting sandalwood for the oriental market while breeding sheep.

Today Tambellup is about as small as any town reasonably can get without disappearing. Still it has its sense of community and civic pride calling itself ‘The Town of Friendship’.

Located off the main road Tambellup is spread out on either side of the railway line. Its sole function is to serve the surrounding farms and to catch just a small amount of the passing trade.

It was not until the Great Southern Railway was built in 1889 that a large number of settlers were attracted to the site. The town was officially established in 1899. The town’s main income today is generated by serving the surrounding sheep and wheat farms.