DOWERIN Dowerin is the next town on the Wheatbelt loop road. Nice little town this; and time to pause will be in order. There is no doubt a commercial buzz does exist in Dowerin, and closer proximity to Northam is most likely the catalyst. In 1906 the government extended the railway from Goomalling to the developing Dowerin Agricultural Area and decided to develop a townsite at the terminus. The Aboriginal name of the site chosen was "Wuguni", but "Dowerin", also an Aboriginal name, was already in local use for the place, and was the name gazetted in 1907. The name is derived from nearby Lake Dowerin, first recorded on maps around 1879. One source suggests Dowerin is the Aboriginal word for the twenty eight parrot (Dow-arn), and another suggests it means "place of the throwing stick" (dower).[ The Dowerin Hotel is a grand classic 100 year plus pub that continues to be driving positive for the town. The church denominations in Dowerin are all modern. The War Memorial is a modest and appropriate cenotaph. When passing through refreshment or a coffee may be in order, but that said a diversion to this Wheatbelt loop of towns is not necessary.