Karlgarin, Western Australia
| Karlgarin Western Australia | |
|---|---|
Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Karlgarin | |
| Coordinates | 32°29′49″S 118°42′36″E / 32.497°S 118.71°E |
| Population | 105 (SAL 2021) |
| Established | 1931 |
| Postcode(s) | 6358 |
| Elevation | 308 m (1,010 ft) |
| Area | 1,048.5 km2 (404.8 sq mi) |
| Location |
|
| LGA(s) | Shire of Kondinin |
| State electorate(s) | Wagin |
| Federal division(s) | O'Connor |
Karlgarin is a town located 321 kilometres (199 mi) south-east of Perth in the eastern Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. A small traditional farming town, in 2010 Karlgarin made national papers, as the poorest town in Western Australia, with an average of $34,054 taxable income.
The first European to visit the area was Surveyor General John Septimus Roe, who passed through in 1848. He recorded the name "Carlgarin" as the name of a nearby hill. the town name, Karlgarin, was derived from the Noongar word, karl, meaning fire. Karlgarin was selected as a soldier settlement site and a declaration of a townsite was sought in 1924. It was not until 1930 that the railway came to the area. The townsite was gazetted in 1931.