Merredin, Western Australia

Merredin is a town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It is about 260 kilometers (160 miles) east of the capital city, Perth. Merredin is the largest town in the eastern Wheatbelt area. The area is a very important part of Australia for growing grain, especially wheat. About 40% of Western Australia's wheat is grown near Merredin.

The town has one of the longest grain storage facilities in the Southern Hemisphere. The name Merredin is thought to come from an Aboriginal word for the Merritt trees that grew near a local water source.

Merredin was the location of number 4 pumping station of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme,
which was rebuilt a number of times.

 History 
Merredin started as a place where people could stop to get water on their long journey to the rich gold mines of Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in the 1890s. The town grew quickly when the railway line from Perth was built to Merredin in 1893. This made it an important train stop. Because water was scarce, a large wall was built around the local granite rock, Merredin Peak, to catch rainwater for the town and the trains. This water source was later replaced by the famous Golden Pipeline, which brought water all the way from Perth. During World War II, Merredin was important for the Australian defense. You can still see old military places and a Military Museum in the town today.

 Attractions 
Attractions include:
Cummins Theatre: An old and famous theatre that was moved from the gold rush town of Coolgardie and put back together in Merredin in 1928.
Merredin Peak: A large granite rock where you can walk to the top and see the old water catchment system.
Silo Art: The huge grain silos are painted with a large, colorful mural as part of the Public Silo Trail.
Museums: The town has a Railway Museum and a Military Museum to tell its history.