Green Head

Green Head
Green Head was first gazetted on 7th January 1966. In 1969, the first freehold lots in the Green Head Townsite were auctioned at the Coorow Shire Hall.
While there is no conclusive evidence of aboriginal activity in the Green Head area, it is known that in the 1600’s the first known white men to visit the Green Head coast were Dutch sailors sailing to Indonesia for trade. Several Dutch ships were wrecked on the West Australian reefs, among them the ‘Gilt Dragon’. Abraham Leeman and crew from the ‘Waeckende Boey’, while searching in the ships small boat for survivors of the gilt Dragon, were marooned on Fishermans Island just south of Green Head in 1658.
The coastal strip with its masses of wildflowers has been visited by Beekeepers since the 1930’s with many a tale of being bogged in treacherous sand.
There are many personal accounts from inland families, particularly the Bates family from Three Springs, who holidayed at Dynamite Bay in the early 1920’s. They came from Three Springs in a truck and carried all they needed with them including water.
The 25th Battalion of the Army were based in Green Head in 1941 on Coast Watch for enemy craft. Captain Kemp and Johnny Della created a useable track pushed through with a Bren Gun Carrier. The first fishermen to settle in Green Head were Chris Russell, Les Wilkes, and Ken Walton. Prior to building shacks on the mainland Chris and Les lived in tents on Fisherman’s Island. Later Keith House and Doug Morphett moved to the area, and as more fishermen moved in more shacks were constructed.