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Business in Katanning

Katanning is one of the few country towns in Western Australia that was started with a secondary industry (sandalwood cutting) rather than with a primary industry (farming). At the completion of the Great Southern Railway, this was quickly followed by the Katanning Roller Flour Mill in 1889.

business

Frederick and Charles Piesse’s second store and their roller flour mill c1895

From its inception, Katanning has played a major role as a regional centre based on its secondary, retail, and service sectors – all supporting a robust primary industry of farming,

The arrival of the Great Southern Railway was the catalyst of the formation of the town. Several pioneering families had moved into the area and commenced farming. Frederick Piesse and his brother Charles had sold their business in Williams and provided a mobile store for the men constructing the railway from Beverley to Katanning. When the construction of the railway joined with the section being constructed from Albany to Katanning the brothers decided to set up their shop permanently where Katanning now stands.

As there were already families farming in the area Frederick decided to construct a roller flour mill as he felt he would have a regular supply of grain. When people learned of the mills construction more settlers arrived as the felt they would have a market for their produce… and the rest is history!

A large number of businesses have come and gone over the years. Katanning’s oldest surviving business is the Great Southern Herald newspaper. It produced its first edition of 5 October, 1901, although it has moved several times due to fire or growth of the business. It moved into its current site in 1965.

The oldest surviving business still on its original site is Katanning Stock & Trading Co. It started life as A.E .Piesse & Co but the business grew quickly. In 1907 the business was made a public company and changed its name to Katanning Stock & Trading Company Ltd. The word “Stock” was included in the name because at the time it owned the towns only stock sale yards.

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