Dudinin is situated 37 kilometres south east of Kulin on the Number 2 Rabbit Proof Fence Road. The name Dudinin is believed to have Aboriginal origins which means ‘place of much water’. The town ship of Dudinin was surveyed by H Hastings in March 1914. A year later Dudinin was gazetted on April the 23rd 1915. A store was also built in 1915 marking the beginning of the township of Dudinin.
A large dam was built in the valley in 1912 in preparation of the forthcoming railway line thus enabling steam engines to be refilled with water. The railway line was opened on March the 16th 1915. A mud brick, weather board and iron boarding house was also built in 1915. This catered for travellers and the teams of men who came to work on the grain stacks as well as land clearers and casual workers. The Wogalin School that was about 6 miles from Dudinin School was closed down in 1919. This was dismantled and relocated in Dudinin and reopened in 1921.The Wogalin Hall was also relocated to Dudinin in 1921 and slowly the town of Dudinin began to grow.
In 1923 Mr. Jack Mullan senior opened a butcher shop under the bough of a tree. In 1924 a weather board and iron shop was built. Mr. Robinson was to become the qualified butcher. Then in 1924 a bakery built.
Church services were held in the hall on a fortnightly basis, the priest travelled from Narrogin to hold the services. In 1928 the large Irish Catholic settlers decided to make plans to build a church but plans were dashed when wheat prices fell drastically at the start of the depression. These plans were then put on hold for a further period of time due to WW2. Christ the King Church was opened in August 1953.
In the mid 1920’s clay tennis courts were built on the site that was previously Masons Blacksmith Workshop. A small golf house was established in1950. Football and Cricket were well supported up until the early 1990’s. The first Co-operative Bulk Handling grain bin was built in 1934, a large concrete storage facility built in 1973 and a garner bin in 1983. These facilities are still used at harvest time each year. In 1968 a new Hall was built and still gets used for a variety of functions through out the year.
The government water scheme allowed water to be pumped to Dudinin from Wellington Dam in Collie in 1970. This was followed by electricity in 1973.
A Dudinin Action Group (DAGS) was formed in 2002. This is a proactive group of volunteers that are responsible for the town’s beautification, town heritage, Hall Committee, Progress Association and general up keep of the town.
A very strong tennis club is in operation with 6 new synthetic courts laid in 2010.
Unfortunately as the population has grown smaller the golf club is no longer functioning. It was only recently in 2012 that the Country Women’s Association decided to cease their monthly meetings.
Public amenities have been built to service the travellers as the pass through the quaint township.
Dudinin Action Group
John Waters
PH: (08) 9889 8030
Dudinin Tennis Club
Deborah Doney
PH: (08) 9864 7899
Interesting reading on the history of Dudinin can be found in the book written by Pat Arundel. Dudinin "Sitting on the Fence" - The History of Dudinin
We do not wish to fill the shoes of the pioneers of Dudinin but we are proud to following the footsteps they have taken. (Extract taken from Dudinin "Sitting on the Fence" - The History of Dudinin)