The ‘Gillamii' Centre Inc (pronounced gill-am–eye) is a not-for-profit organisation driven by a volunteer committee, representing the best interests of the community in 'Sustainable Agriculture in Practice', including Natural Resource Management. The Gillamii Centre caters for all enterprises related to farming and continues to expand its agricultural services.
The concept originated in 1993 when local farmers had the idea for a community based centre to promote and streamline lancare. It could also help service the local Land Conservation Districts (LCD’s). A meeting to gauge interest and ideas was quickly followed by a presentation to the Cranbrook Shire which agreed to fund a building to house the centre.
So where did the name ‘Gillamii’ come from? The Gillamii Centre was named after Mr Alf Gillam who was awarded an OAM (Order of Australia Medal) for his work in conservation. The Gillam Bell (Darwin Oxylepis) was named after Mr Gillam who found that there were differences between this and the very similar Cranbrook Bell, both of which are found in the Stirling Range National Park.
By 1994 the Tunney Land Conservation District Committee (LCDC) was able to hold the first meeting in the Gillamii Centre. In 1996 the Department of Agriculture WA moved into the Gillamii Centre to allow the local community access to all the Departments services and to compliment what the Gillamii Centre already had to offer the local community.
The Department of Agriculture & Food WA joined the Gillamii Centre in 1996, when it established the Gillamii Community Agriculture Centre (CAC). Cranbrook was considered a strategic location for the Department, as previously it was one hours drive for the Cranbrook community to access a district office in either Albany or Katanning. The CAC established within the Gillamii building so the local community could access all the services and resources, and as a first point of contact with the Department of Agriculture & Food.
Today the Gillamii Centre is based in Cranbrook (140 Climie Street). The Gillamii Centre provides a number of services to the wider region which encompasses the Shires of Cranbrook and Broomehill-Tambellup and parts of the Shires of Kojonup and Plantagenet.