Merredin Attractions
Cummins Theatre
Bates Street Merredin. Constructed of bricks salvaged from several old Coolgardie Hotels and with stage, fly tower, and pressed metal ceiling from the Tivoli Theatre in Coolgardie, Cummins Theatre opened in Merredin on the 11th of October 1928. Brewer James Cummins had the theatre built. He and later, his daughter Alice, operated a brewery in Merredin until the 1940’s. Their graves can be seen at the Pioneer Cemetery. The Theatre archives boast one of the best collections of Australian performers in the State. On the register of heritage places.
Pioneer Park
Situated along the Great Eastern Highway in Merredin. Pioneer Park contains the Railway Water Tower, a 50 foot high tower built in 1893. The water from the railway dam was pumped to the tower where it was used by steam locomotives until the 1960’s. The park is also a good place to have lunch over looking the Bronze Horse, Man, Dog and Plough a statue commemorating early farming ways. The Water Tower is on the Register of Heritage Places.
Merredin Railway Museum
Address: Great Eastern Highway, Merredin
Phone: Gemma Romeo +61 438 814 339
Open: Monday – Saturday 9am – 3pm & Sunday 11am to 2pm
Admission: Entry fee applies
The museum is run by volunteers so times may change due to unforseen circumstances.
The museum and arts centre displays the 1897 locomotive that hauled the Kalgoorlie Express, along with the old signal box with its array of 95 switching and signal levers. You can also see the early history of the Merredin area including the Pioneer Women’s Room and Memorial Rose Garden.
Merredin Military Museum
Address: Great Eastern Highway, Merredin
Mobile: Rob Endersbee +61 429 411 204
Open: Monday – Friday 10am to 3pm and Weekends by appointment
Admission: Entry fee applies
The museum is run by volunteers so times may change due to unforseen circumstances.
A fine collection of memorabilia, uniforms, vehicles and equipment relating to most conflicts from World War 1 onwards. Some vehicles have been restored to working order. In September 2014 the museum took delivery of “huey” a former RAAF and Army Aviation Iroquois UH-1H helicopter. The only other Iroquois on public display in WA is at Perth’s Bull Creek Aviation Heritage Museum.
Merredin Silo Art
Urban artist Kyle Hughes-Odgers transformed 4 of the 8 concrete silo cells at CBH Merredin. Through his characteristic geometric yet playful style, Kyle depicts the importance of the agricultural industry to Merredin and the Wheatbelt region. The colours are taken directly from the Wheatbelt’s natural environment: the burnt oranges, yellows, and blues are from the landscape and sky.
Merredin Peak
The rock wall built around Merredin Peak between 1893-1896 leads to a storage dam that provided water for both the town and the railway until the construction of C.Y.O’Connor’s water pipeline. Today it is a popular picnic spot and a climb to the peak provides 360 degree views of Merredin and surrounds.
Adjacent to Merredin Peak is the World War II remains of the 2/1 Australian General Hospital. A short self-drive trail explains this inland hospital’s significance with interpretive signs.
Merredin Heritage Walk
A 2km walk around Merredin’s CBD looking at Merredin’s Heritage listed buildings, including Cummins Theatre, Merredin Courthouse and Townhall. Collect the Merredin brochure from the Central Wheatbelt Visitor Centre for a map of the trail including a detailed history of the buildings and their significance in Merredin.
No 4 Pump Station
A point of interest on the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail located 3km west of Merredin off the Great Eastern Highway. This once significant structure is now a stabilised ruin with a water pipeline interpretive sign at the site near the Information Bay rest stop and picnic shelter.
Collgar Wind Farm
Located 25km south east of Merredin, the Collgar Wind Farm covers 18,000 hectares and contains 111 turbines which generate enough power to supply 125,000 homes. It is the largest single stage wind farm in the southern hemisphere to date. An informative interpretive shelter on this renewable energy industry is located on Bulls Head Road.
Totadgin Conservative Park
Just 14km south of Merredin on the Bruce Rock Road is one of Charles Hunt’s historic hand built stone wells, also part of the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail. Interpretive walk trails lead to a mini wave rock in a natural Wheatbelt woodland setting. Springtime wildflowers make it an ideal picnic spot.