Waroona is a town located 112 kilometres or 1½ hours’ drive south of Perth, Western Australia, and is located along the South Western Highway between Pinjarra and Harvey.
The town was originally named Drakesbrook, and John Fouracre was the first to settle in the area in 1891. The railway station was named “Drake’s Brook” after William Henry Drake, an Assistant Commissioner General and the original landholder in the area. The town was gazetted in 1895 and subsequently, the name was changed to Drakesbrook.
A timber mill was constructed in the present day Mill Street and due to the unpopularity of the allocated subdivision, new lots were surveyed near the mill and this new area became known as Waroona. The name is believed to be a corruption of the word Werroona meaning “resting place” in the local Djadja Wurrung Aboriginal language.
Drakesbrook and Waroona were two separate important towns located 2 kilometres apart. Eventually, the two towns merged into one in 1946 which was named Waroona.
Waroona Dam originally named Drakesbrook Dam was constructed in 1932 by unemployed people on work programmes during the Great Depression. The completion of the dam was the beginning of considerable development for Waroona. Today, Waroona Dam situated 8 kilometres east of the town is a popular place for water skiing, canoeing, fishing and camping.
Drakesbrook Weir situated 5 kilometres south of the town is another popular spot for anglers and picnickers.
The railway cottages built in 1896 to accommodate railway workers, are heritage listed as they are the only surviving timber and iron clad platelayers’ cottages in Western Australia.
In Waroona, there is a courthouse, recreation centre, two public sports ovals, supermarkets, local businesses and art and craft shops to support the needs of local residents and tourists. The Waroona Agricultural Show is a major local attraction that occurs in October.
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