Chinocup is a district in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. It is situated between the towns of Nyabing and Pingrup
Originally a station on the now abandoned Nyabing to Pingrup railway, land was soon in demand in the area around the station and blocks were surveyed and released in 1923. The townsite was gazetted later the same year as Chinokup; the spelling was changed to its present form in 1962.
Lake Chinocup
The name is taken from the nearby Lake Chinocup, which had been recorded when the area was explored in 1879. The name is Aboriginal in origin but its meaning is unknown.
A freak storm hit the area in January 1951, stripping leaves from trees and any hay left standing. Large hailstones caused some damage to properties and heavy rain filled dams and washed out fences. 250 points of rain were recorded in a few hours in some areas.
Stock yards were erected alongside the railway station in 1929 to assist farmers in moving stock by rail and to encourage further production of sheep and other stock in the area.
PEOPLE
GORDON JOHN GRINDELL
Group Captain Gordon John Grindell RAF DFC (1910-1966) was the son of James Grindell and his wife Elizabeth Esther née McLay. He married Winifred Dorothy Oakes on the 11 Dec 1933 in The Old Church, Chelsea , London, England.
Born in Geraldine, New Zealand, Gordon Grindell was a highly decorated pilot during World War Two. After the war he took up land at Chinocup where he remained until his death. He died aged 55 on the 15th of March 1966 at Katanning, Western Australia and was buried in Katanning Cemetery. Continue reading
CHINOCUP NATURE RESERVE
Located to the east of the town, just off the main road, this area is a treasure trove of spring wildflowers and unique marsupials such as the black gloved wallaby and brushtail possum.
FARMS HIT BY FREAK STORM KATANNING
West Australian
3 January 1951 – p11
Jan. 2: A freak storm hit farms in the Chinocup area, about 50 miles east of Katanning, last night. Leaves were stripped from trees and plants and any hay left standing was flattened. The rain began about 5 p.m. and huge hail stones were responsible for most of the damage. The path of the storm was about two miles wide and it left in its wake filled dams and washed out fences. Falls were patchy but the heaviest reported was 250 points by Mr. A. Larter.