NANNUP Heading northeast from Augusta the traveler will come across Nannup. Wow, what a great place to spend a few hours or a stopover. The monument to Marinko Thomas is a unique (a first) where the memorial is a worked cast of the individual. This is a very moving acknowledgement. Be sure to stop. Nannup's name is of Noongar Aboriginal origin, meaning either "stopping place" or "place of parrots", and was first recorded by surveyors in the 1860s. The area was initially known as "Lower Blackwood", and was first explored by Thomas Turner in 1834. In 1866, a bridge was built over the river and a police station was established. Timber milling and agriculture (principally beef cattle) dominate the local economy although wine; floriculture and tourism are industries of growing importance. Furniture production and other local timber value-adding activities is also a minor employer. The Nannup business strip is viable, colourful and entrepreneurial. The Nannup Museum is on the western area of the town. The Churches are on the main street. The Nannup War Memorial is a wonderful and colourful garden acknowledgement. The Nannup Hotel is an old classic. What a pleasant surprise Nannup turns up. Though on a ‘off the beaten track’ be sure to visit.