Group Chats
The Lost Katanning Facebook group now has a Live CHAT page where you can interact with other members from around the world about your memories of Katanning. It’s FREE to participate so join in today here.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
Rosie O’Donnell
We moved to Katanning when I was 5 then moved to Broomehill. My brothers were both born there and one still lives in our family home.
Vicki Green
Hi all… I moved to Katanning when I was 14yrs old with my mother and father and two brothers and a sister. I got married to Glen Green and we moved to Broomehill for a few years. Glen is from Broomehill. We then moved back to Katanning and then in 1991 we moved to Mandurah.
Margaret Paterson
Hi everyone. My grandfather moved to Katanning in 1914 to work for the Piesse family at Kobeelya, and Kwobrup before joining the 10th Light horse and heading off to WW1. I came to Katanning in 1981 to teach at Kobeelya, then married and moved to Pingrup before heading to Perth. Loved my time in the Great Southern. Now in Busselton and love it there too.
Irene Kemmie Anderson
Born and bred in Katanning. Lived on the farm near Ewlyamartup Lake for first six years then into Katanning. I lived on Conroy Street up from the pool. I went to St Pat’s then on to Katanning High School. I worked in David Jones then the Emporium and loved my life there
Robyn Lea
Hi Irene
I worked at David Jones in early 70s. I was in office.
Irene Kemmie Anderson
I was in grocery only for six months then went to the Emporium. I worked with Lyn Van Zyle, My girl friend and I both had jobs there where she worked in make up with Verlie Addis. So hard to comprehend we had a David Jones in Katanning
Alf Williams
Well now I’m question myself as I’m not sure if I went to school in Broomehill or Katanning. What I do remember is I was in grade 1 and had a lovely friend who’s father worked in a bank as I remember. We both got on really well but then we moved. I’m unsure why we moved, but I can say I have very fond memories of this little girl. We would be the same age as in our 60s now.
Susan Ford
Hello Susan. I worked a Coolingah Pre Pre in Beaufort street with Mrs Caldwell, Helen Taylor and Penny Kowald. I was born in Katanning and my mother was Olive Hart. Some of you might remember her.
Yvonne Clapp
Was born at Coleraine in 1952 and I am related to the Fleays. Worked in David Jones and lived with my gran Elsie Fleay in Aberdeen Street. Came back for a visit last year, boy the place has changed.
Susan Ford
It sure has. I remember the white seats in Clive Street near the rail line. We all use to sit and have a yarn with anyone who came along. Now there is nothing.
Greg Barbara
Hello my name is Greg Rogers. I’m a great nephew of William John Rogers of W. J. Rogers Central Store and great grandson of Edward Rogers of Rogers Limited.
Susan Riley
I’m from Katanning. Having been back home, it has changed a lot. Hardly any shops open and it looks like a ghost town. Only good thing about it these days is THE ALL AGE PLAYGROUND. At least they spent good money there. My dad was Percy Riley, mum was Vera Smith.
Roz Frazer
Dad is Garry Coyne and mother is Alice Ninyette (Nicknamed Bunny). My name Roslyn Frazer nee Coyne. My mum and dad were living at Badgebup camps when I was born at Katanning hospital. He lived and worked in the area most of his life, with only a period in Toolibin and Albany taking him from the town. His father, Fred Coyne, and mother, Elsie nee Eades, also lived and worked in and around the area. His siblings were Irene Rodd, Ernie Coyne, Mavis Flugge, Betty Flugge and Marjorie Polmeer was Sclazak.
Sue Hackett
Halpin family. We lived in Katanning from 1949-50, then Dad left the Agriculture Dept and we went to Kellerberrin, We then moved to Moora before Dad rejoined Ag Dept and we returned to Katanning in 1955 with him as OIC of the Dept (at that stage, the office was the little white building near the rail line, I think historical society now?). We lived at 8 Braeside and all four of us, over the next 16 years’ attended St Pat’s. Bought Dr Pope’s home at 40 Clive at the end of 1961. Mum and Dad lived there until 1972 when they moved to Yokine. I still visit for Harmony most years. Sue
Leanne Cooper
I grew up in Broomehill and went to primary school there, and high school in Katanning.
Robin King
Hello, I went to high school in Katanning from 1971-1975 After checking out the South Australian chapter of the Kings, thinking Tambellup was my only roots in WA, I learned that I had some strong connections in Katanning.
Laline Ford
This is a bit serendipity… the past seems to visit me most nights, and last night I remember recalling two of the most beautiful gentlemanly indigenous people, Arthur Morrison, who was always so well turned out with a lovely disposition and Herbie Jackson, a character in his own right. He would meet the Perth / Albany passenger train at 3a.m and carry my case home for me.
Bronwyn Brown
My Great Grandparents, Thomas and Jessie Pethick, moved to the west from Aldinga in South Australia around the turn of last century and are both buried at Katanning Cemetery. They moved there with their rather large family around 1920 . Two of their sons, Gordon and Peter (Thomas), served during war time. I have fond memories of visiting our Great Aunt Dorothea Bell as a child in the late ’60s and early ’70s, often with Mum and my Nan. In Trove, I have found numerous Letters to the Editor that my Great Grandmother had published on a huge array of subjects under the name of JMP. Those clippings show me where my Mother’s intelligence and my own opinionated personality came from! Great Grandmother was an incredibly smart lady who seemingly was well liked in the community.
Jonathan Filmer
My dad was born in Katanning in the 1940s and moved to Queensland in the ’80s, where I grew up. I have only just moved to Albany recently. If anyone has any stories or info about the Filmer family it would be greatly appreciated as I don’t know much.
Leigh Wardell-Johnson
Does anyone have any information on a Robert Halsall. He was born in Lancashire and worked in Katanning, possibly with the WAGR, and Catherine Olive Page? Time frame: 1937-1938.
Carol
Hi, I was born in Katanning. My parents worked for Ross Hersey’s farm doing farm work. Ross was married to Norma Filmer. Later on I did some nursing with Norma’s sister in Albany. I went to school with a Valerie Page.
Frank Daniels
I was born in Katanning in 1947, and lived there until 1966. My mother arrived in Katanning from England in 1912. She was the third youngest of nine Applin family. My grandfather had the Katanning dairy. My father, Ern Daniels went to Katanning in 1928. My parents married in 1937. My brother Stan born in 1939, and my sister Freda in 1940. We lived in 10 Britannia Street. Although left so many years ago, I still call Katanning home.
Stacey Jung
My grandfather Maxwell Pearce was born in Katanning in 1926. His parents were Harold and Ethel Pearce. I believe Harold worked/had something to do with the banks.
Kat Kain
Hi, I moved there in about 1989, and stayed a couple of years. I really enjoyed my time there. Worked at Woollies, Chicken Treat and the Katanning Bakery closest to Conroy Street where I lived in flats. Loved the Chinese in the old church.
Lea Worth
I have never lived in Katanning. I grew up in Corrigin and married and lived in Narrogin. I belonged to the Narrogin Repertory Club and occasionally we went to Katanning with a stage show we performed at the Theatre . My friends, Noelene and Malcolm Graham, lived in Katanning for many years . Malcolm worked for CALM and Noelene was a teacher aide. They were both very well known and were active in the Katanning Repertory Club. I have attended the Katanning Harmony Festival and enjoyed it immensely. Thank you for including me on this chat.
Michael Hobley
I was born in Katanning, as where all my siblings and my wife. Katanning, being a regional centre, was our major shopping centre. Went to school in Nyabing where my brother’s and nephews are still farming on land that was purchased by Bill Hobley (my grandfather) and, subsequently, my father Richard Hobley. My wife Jenny and I owned and operated Pingrup Traders from 1983 to 1995 then we purchased a small property in Katanning and also operated Hobley’s Farm Machinery from1996 to 2002. Our to children attended KSHS and then progressed to university. Both are successfully working in their chosen professions. We lived in Katanning until 2017 and enjoyed it, moving to Albany for semi retirement… which we are still trying to define, life is good.
Amy Sclater
I was born in Katanning in 1993 to Tanya (Ricketts) and Jeffery Sclater (son of Roger and Judith Sclater). Mum worked as a Councillor for many years at the Shire. Dad had his own workshop on Daping St (Jeff’s Auto Electrical Services) but got sick of books and has been at McIntosh for over ten years now. I believe my Pop, Roger, owned a servo near Broome St. Our family home is on Bokarup Street and Dad still resides there. I’m in Albany with my partner and 19 month old but go back regularly to see Dad and Kayleen (my step Mother maiden name Hull – Tambellup).
Amy Sclater
I attended St Patrick’s from grade 1-6 and left Katanning with Mum to move down to Albany in 2004. Graduated from Denmark High in 2010, tried Uni which didn’t work too well so I took a gap year and I returned to Katanning in 2012, to work at The Daily Grind. I then worked at Toyota before taking a job in Perth at Barbagallo Motors. I moved back to Albany in 2020 to rehabilitate my dachshund with a ruptured disc, worked at Toyota and Albany City Motors since then.
Ray Hunt
My mother was Olive Langley. She grew up on a farm at Nyabing.
Carol Rodd
I attended Nyabing school with my sister Lola and the Coyne family. Most of my family also live in Albany, including grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Robyn Gornall
I was born in Katanning in 1950. Family still on family farm. Now live in Eaton.
Hazel Ball
My family are the Ball family. On the maternal side of Dads family were the Tylor’s. My great grandmother was Annie Louise who was a midwife and lived in a brick residence in Piesse Street. Great Uncle Horace was the bookkeeper/accountant for the Max Richardson store. Max was also a relative.
Susan Ford
My name is Susan Ford. My dad was Ted Ford and mother Olive Hart (nee Morrison). I grew up out near Nyabing then, in 1964, I grew up on the Katanning Reserve called the Five Acres, I am currently trying to get that small price of land back and put a Memorial there for heritage and cultural purposes and to acknowledge our ancestors. The Reserve was two miles from town along the Nyabing railway near the wheat bin. I am asking for any information of how or who I can go to. Thanks.
Jenny Gibbs
Hi. It’s lovely to read all the messages here. I am one of four children to Bertram and Carla Dorizzi. Dad was an accountant in town and had his own business for many years until his passing. Unfortunately, Mum passed away at the age of 46 years old. I left Katanning in around 1971. Mum’s parents came from Italy and were very hard workers in the community there. I haven’t been back for many years but am planning to do so soon, mainly to visit the grave-sites of both my parents and grandparents.
Alison Comparti
My Katanning connection started in 1970, when my mother, Ruth Bettenay, got a job as matron of Kobeelya. arriving at Easter time that year. I lived at St Andrew’s Hostel and went to KSHS. My mother worked at Kobeelya, then at Roger Kennon – the dentist. I worked at Coles variety store and for Barry Tassiker’s pharmacy during school holidays. I finished year 9 and my junior certificate in year 10. I went back to my Melbourne high school after a couple of years, then came back to Katanning and lived in Blantyre St (my mother married Lesley Radford, manager of Katanning Oat Milling Company) for a couple of months, working at Southern Meat Packers, before starting nursing at PMH in 1974. I have kept up with several friends over the years – the Hilder family from Flat Rocks, now Sheryl Lee and Julie Faulkner in Albany; Gloria Hilder in Tambellup; Janet Haines (née Bahr); Lynette Clarke (née Harris); Sheryle Browne (née Harris, through Facebook; Beryle through Facebook; Gaye Bushell (nee Philpott) – our grand daughters are best friends at GMAS; Jenny Fisher (née Hill), as well as Ollie Kickett, John Dye, Wayne Butler, Peter Flugge, Pam O’Neil, all through reunions. Ralph and Astrid Chapman and Ross and Keryl Henderson medical connections and friends. Sue (nursing buddy) and Bernie Dwyer, Beryle Morgan (through local government). Hilder Meldrum, Mary and Fred Smith, Nessie Browne, Vera Moir and Joyce Hams were particular friends of my mother.
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