Our Story

 ABOUT FRANKLAND RIVER

Frankland River is a small town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The town is in the shire of Cranbrook.

Frankland River is situated approximately 120km from Perth, the states capital, 120km north west from the city of Albany, 83km southwest of Kojonup, 19km north of Rocky Gully and 90km east of Manjimup.

Frankland River has a population of 367.

Frankland was named by the surgeon Thomas Braidwood Wilson in 1829. Wilson had left Albany to explore while his ship, Governor Phillip, was being repaired. He named Frankland River and Mount Frankland after George Frankland who was the Surveyor General in Van Diemen’s Land in 1829.

Wilsons explorations helped to show that conditions inland were suitable for farming and settlers soon began to move to these inland areas such as Frankland River. The area was settled in 1857. In 1909 a hall and school were built, the town was not declared until 1947.

The town and region were known as Frankland River until 1935, when after the post office was built, it was shortened by the postmaster to ‘Frankland’ because Frankland River was too long to fit on signs and documents.

In 2007 it was renamed Frankland River again.