Shire of Brookton

Being less than 100km from the Perth metropolitan area, Brookton is a comfortable one hour drive from Karragullen and residents enjoy the lifestyle benefits of outer metropolitan country living whilst retaining many creature comforts such as five commercial television stations and digital mobile telephone coverage. The Shire includes the localities of Kweda and Aldersyde and the township is well appointed with facilities, including 20 hectares of parks and gardens. The first settler and founder of the Brookton district, John Seabrook (1818-1891), moved to the area in 1846 soon after marrying, and named his property Brookton House. He remained the only European in the area, aside from itinerant sandalwood cutters, until his stepson, A.W. Robinson, took up adjacent land in 1864. During the 1860s and 1870s, more settlers moved into the area, and took on sandalwood cutting (it sold for 9 per ton) as well as wheat and sheep farming. In June 1889, when the Great Southern Railway ope...