CRANBROOK
Cranbrook is the next town encounted
if travelling north from Albany towards Perth. Cranbrook is both a
crossroads town, but also now b-passed by the main hgy. The commercial
impact of the by-pass is on display with empty streets and empty
businesses.
The name is taken from the
town of Cranbrook in Kent, England, about 65 kilometres south east of
London. It is believed to have been named by Mr J A Wright, who was
manager of the Western Australian Land Company which built the
railway.
Cranbrook is a small town
in the Great Southern region of Western Australia between Katanning,
Kojonup and Mount Barker, situated 320km south of Perth. It is billed
as "The Gateway to the Stirlings", referring to the nearby Stirling
Range National Park.
The settlement grew after
it was one of the original railway stations on the Great Southern
Railway when the railway opened in 1889, and was gazetted a townsite
in 1899.
The town of Cranbrook does
have a nice feel about it. The wide open avenues obviously abet this
feeling.
Cranbrook has a great
century plus classic corner hotel.
The Cranbrook Museum is
located opposite the pub. The word is this great little museum.
The Cranbrook War Memorial
is sited opposite the ‘council’ building.
This War Memorial goes out of its way to pay the ultimate respect to
those that gave their lives. 
The Cranbrook Catholic
and Anglican
Churches are potential heritage listings. The Baptist is modern
and the United humble.
Cranbrook is off the main highway, but the place does deserve the
diversion. The Museum and the treatment of the war dead determine this 
Heritage diary
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