First School in Katanning Print Page 
The cairn commemorates the site of the first school in Katanning. It was erected in 1989 and a time capsule placed inside.
This time capsule was made up from some of the items in the time capsule originally placed under the Piesse Memorial in 1914, with some additional items added. The memorial is a pyramid shape and has a bronze plaque attached. It records the site of the first school which was held in the former kitchen of the railway station. The first school building was erected in 1894.
The first Europeans to explore the Katanning area were Governor James Stirling and Surveyor General John Septimus Roe who travelled through the area in 1835 en route from Perth to Albany
In about 1870, sandalwood cutters moved into the area but they did not settle. It was not until the arrival of the Great Southern Railway from Perth to Albany in 1889 that the township came into existence.
Location
| Address: | Austral Terrace, Katanning, 6317 |
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| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.691827 Long: 117.556485 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Education |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 1989 |
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This plaque commemorates the site of the first school in Katanning.
It was opened in October 1890 and the first teacher was Miss Mary Saunders Bell who instructed 16 children in the small tin shed previously used as the railway station kitchen
Officially unveiled on the 9th September 1989 by Dr. L. W. Louden, BA MBA (WA) PHD Alta Face. Director of Education as part of Katanning`s Centennial Celebrations.
