Balingup Heritage Display

Apple growing has been a major industry in Balingup for over a hundred years, so an old apple packing shed is a fitting location for this small, well presented Heritage Display. The shed, in the centre of town, is now home to a café, fruit winery and pharmacy and, at the rear, some of Balingup’s interesting history is presented. The wooden packing boxes have been cleverly re-purposed as display cabinets and shelving, keeping the apple growing history firmly in mind. A display of the major families in the Balingup area includes photos and information of Hawterville. This was the home of Swiss migrant, Jacob Hawter, a horticulturalist who grew and sold citrus, apple and stone-fruit seedlings, which started the orchard industry. As well as photographic displays, the permanent exhibits include a domestic setting of a small kitchen and bedroom, through which you enter a display about World War I. Photographs of local men who served in the war are joined by a mock-up trench display. Every six months, a new exhibition is presented, drawing on items from the collection and from long-term residents. Since the WAnderland project team visited Balingup, a new exhibition has opened, featuring material collected by senior Aboriginal artist Sandra Hill. The display shares the story of her life, her family and her community and is a significant addition to South West visitor opportunities.