History of Kellerberrin
The origin of the towns name comes from the local indigenous language. In the 1860s a nearby hill was always known as ‘Killabin’ (there are various spellings). The hill was first recorded as “Killaburing Hill”. In 1864 the explorer Charles Hunt recorded it as Kellerberrin Hill. The meaning of the name is up to interpretation one source claims that Kellerberrin is the name for the fierce ants that are found in the area, while another gives it as meaning “camping place near where rainbow birds are found” – “kalla” meaning camping place and “berrin berrin” being the rainbow bird.

The area of Kellerberrin was settled around 1880s and in 1895 Kellerberrin was surveyed as a townsite with the town being gazetted in March 1901. The town then developed quickly soon after boasting a hotel, post office, flour mill, three churches and a number of businesses. The discovery of gold at Southern Cross seemed to assure the local community’s prosperity as prospectors passed to and from between Perth and the Goldfields. The Railway between Perth and Kalgoorlie secured Kellerberrin a permanent spot on the map and life within the town has grown to become as rich as the landscape it’s found in.