DESCRIPTION
The gateway to wildflower country, Bindoon is surrounded by rolling hills and is pretty all year round but from August to September during wildflower season, it is breathtaking.
Today Bindoon is primarily a fruit growing district and visitors to the area will find many fruit growers selling their products along the road.
Situated in the Chittering Valley the best time to visit is in Spring (August-September) when the wildflowers bring a riot of colour to the already beautiful countryside.
There is no caravan park in town but an overnight stopping point is available at the Visitor Centre and camping on the oval is permitted from April to September. Fees apply.
There are a number of walk and drive trails in the shire. Walk trails include: Bindoon Tale Trail, Blackboy Ridge, Carty Reserve, Lake Needonga Trail, Stonehouse Trail,
Spoonbill Lake, Wannamal Heritage Trail, Peace Be Still, Kyotmunga Trail and the Camino Salvado Pilgrim Trail.
Other trails include: Sculpture Trail, Wine Trail, Bridle Trails and mountain bike trails.
A number of wineries are located in the shire and the area has a growing reputation for quality wines. For more information you can contact the wineries:
White Dog Farm - 9571 8880 (2035 Chittering Road, Lower Chittering)
Stringybark - 9571 8069 (2060 Chittering Road, Chittering)
Kyotmunga - 0407 009 399 (287 Chittering Valley Road, Lower Chittering)
Glenowen - 9576-1041
Briery Estate - 9576 1417 (37 Briar Lane, Bindoon)
Bindoon Estate - 0427 506 084
HISTORY
George Fletcher Moore
opened up the area in 1841.
The name is supposed to mean 'meeting place where yams grow' in Aboriginal language. I tend to think it sounds a bit Scottish.
The local Catholic Agricultural College, that opened in 1937, is heritage listed and is one of four such institutions that were operated by the Christian Brothers.
Formerly known as Keaney College, the institution has an unfortunate history of institutional cruelty to some of the children who were educated there.
In December 2014 a Royal Commission upheld complaints about cruelty and that the organisation "failed to manage the homes to prevent the systemic ill-treatment for decades."
It must be understood that the complaints relate to an earlier period in the college's history and in no way relate to the operation of the institution today.
The name was first used by William Locke Brockman for a property he owned in the area in 1843.
Development in the area was very slow and even as late as the 1950s the town was little more than a post office and general store. It was not actually gazetted until 1953.
Many people are unaware that an S.A.S. training facility exists in the area, including live firing ranges and urban terrain training.
TALL TALES AND TRUE
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OTHER INFORMATION
ATTRACTIONS
Marron farm, Braeside Farm, Bullsbrook Cottage Craft, Catholic Agricultural Keaney College, Golden Grove Citrus Orchard, Golden Grove Observatory,
Neroni Wines, Old Macdonald's Farm, Stringybark Cottage Winery and Restaurant, The Maze, Walyunga Terracotta, Spoonbill Lake, Clune Park,
Museum, Blackboy Ridge, Julimar Lookout, Brockman Historical Precinct, Carty Reserve Walk, Aquila Reserve, Sculpture trail, Peace be still, Wildflower drive
trail, Winery trail, Farmers Market (contact the Visitor Centre for dates).
BUILDINGS OF NOTE
Town hall, Road board,
ELECTORAL ZONES
State : Moore
Federal : Pearce
OTHER INFO.
Postcode : 6502
Local Government : Shire of Chittering
Rest area - Robert Hindmarsh GPS -31.16455, 116.05820, Rest area corner Great Northern Hwy. and Bindoon-Dewars Pool
Road. Access from Dewars Pool Rd. opposite college entrance.
PHOTOS
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