"Keeweechic's Dongara" a Dongara Travel Page by keeweechic

Dongara is a small town on the Brand Hwy, around 359kms north of Perth. It was discovered in 1839 when Lieutenant George Grey crossed what he later called, the Irwin River after his friend Major Frederick Chidley Irwin. He reported that the land was good and in 1846 the Gregory brothers arrived from Perth to confirm that there was in fact suitable grazing land as well as a coal seam in the Mingenew area. It took another 4 years before settlers arrived in the area and it took another 2 years to establish a town.

Dongara was originally called Dhungarra (or Thungarra) which was supposed to mean ‘a meeting place for seals’ in Aboriginal. The town grew with the harvesting of wheat and also the establishing of a port just south of the town (Port Denison).

This sleepy little town has some wonderful Morton Bay Figs lining a couple of the streets There is a heritage walk you can do which will show you some of the wonderful old buildings and homes that are still in existence.