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Gorge Rock Pool
Gorge Rock lies 20 kilometres south east of Corrigin on the road to Kondinin.
It is one of the many granite outcrops that lie scattered across the wheatbelt and like most, it was an important source of water for both the European
settlers and the Aborigines.
From up on the rock you get a good view of the surrounding countryside and there is a large semi-permanent pool of water that was once used for swimming.
The pool was created around 1956 by damming off one end of a depression in the rock. At one time there was a diving board, change rooms and toilets and to keep water levels
up in the long hot summer months, a bore was put down and a pump was used to replace water lost by evaporation.
Eventually a proper Olympic size swimming pool was built in Corrigin and the pool at Gorge Rock fell out of use.
These days swimming is prohibited at the rock but it makes for a picturesque setting and helps to attract native animals to the rock.
A telephone exchange and school were also located near the rock at one time.
There is a rest area near the rock where travellers can stop for the night. The facilities at the rest area include seats, tables, shelters, bins and a water tank.
Water in the tank is of varying quality so drinking it might not be advisable.
There first time we visited Gorge Rock there was an old hall standing in what is now the parking area where the shelter now is. It was moved to Gnerkadilling in 1916
and later moved to Gorge Rock in 1920. The hall had served the community for many years.
Monthly dances attracted people from all over the district and the annual Christmas tree event saw as many as 100 children would attend the festivities.
Over time the old hall fell out of use and was not maintained.
In 2007 it was demolished due to its poor state of repair and sadly, an enormously important piece of local history was lost.
This seems to the fate of many small halls around the state that were once hubs of their community.
Gorge Rock is a lovely tranquil place to sit and relax, have a picnic, watch local birds and wildlife or take a walk to see the views from the top of the rock.
Gorge Rock Hall - before it was demolished
Best time to visit:
This is a Snippet page on
Western Australia Now and Then
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