SOLDIERS HONOUR AVENUE KALAMUNDA

By David Mizen

For: Edward NANNUP WX14716. Missing: 5 Mar 42 (2/2nd. Pioneer Btn) Kalamunda WA. For the little that is know of Edward Nannup see (http://pickeringbrookhistory.com/local40.html, accessed 22/12/2022).

An ‘Honour Avenue’ is listed in the City’s History Inventory. The inventory places it in Stirk Park, that listing does not account for its creation, nor does it account for its movement. The evidence below will show that the true Honour Avenue is not inside Stirk Park.

Most Western Australians will be familiar with the State War Memorial in Kings Park and the dawn ceremony that takes place each year on ANZAC Day. Fewer would be aware of the Honour Avenues in the park. Conceptually (and typically) Honour Avenues are tree lined roads. However, in an Honour Avenue the function of each tree, typically, is to commemorate one of the fallen soldiers of the relevant war, the Boer War, World War I and /or World War II, in many cases the trees have a plate or cast metal plaque bearing the name of the fallen soldier the tree commemorates. Trees were often planted by family members wishing to remember those that did not return. Trees were also planted as a result of community organisation, as appears to be the case in Kalamunda, or a combination of the two.

There are said to be 547 honour avenues in Australian, more than half are in Victoria. The most expansive of these appears to be Ballarat Victoria with 3912 trees spread over 22 Kilometers. What follows arose as an attempt to determine how many avenues were planted in Western Australia, where they are, and, what relationship the walkway in Kalamunda’s Stirk Park has to the other Avenues.

The exact number of Honour Avenues in Western Australia does not appear to be definitively known. The best known are the avenues in Kings Park. However, there are others in Western Australia, a limited amount of research (confined to a newspaper search) has identified the following locations as having some form of honour avenue:

1. Kalamunda (refer below);

2. Kalgoorlie (Kalgoorlie R.S.S & AIL Sub Branch Kalgoorlie Miner 27 March 1945);

3. Armadale (Future Progress, Western Mail. 16 January 1930. Pg 43);

4. Albany (Mt Clarence Drive, Albany Advertiser 15 August 1949. Pg 3);

5. Balingup (Balingup Honoured, Manjimup and Warren Times, 25 August 1932. pg 2);

6. Busselton (Proposed Honour Avenue, South-Western News, 8 October 1926. pg 3);

7. Collie (Governor at Collie, West Australian, 17 May 1921. Pg 7);

8. Wyalkatchem (RSL Matters, Dampier Herald, 28 March 1929. Pg 1);

9. Point Walter (West Australian, 23 October 1922. Pg 9);

10. Nabawah Cemetery Chapman Valley (Geraldton Guardian, 21 August 1919. Pg 2);

11. Cranbrook (Cranbrook Road Board, Mount Barker and Denmark Record, 17 March 1947.Pg 7).

It is noted that most of these places are or where at the time of the newspaper report, small country towns. The creation of the avenue of honour was recorded usually as a result of a report by interested folk to a country newspaper. It is probable that there are avenues that are not reported, and, therefore it is likely there are others yet to be found. The above list does not disclose all material in relation to all sites found, as an example there is a large body of material in relation to Albany and Point Walter. It is not intended to deal with sites 2 to 9, the reports generally revolve around the sites becoming degraded over time. This then leaves item 1, Kalamunda.

Kalamunda’s Honour Avenue.

A commemorative avenue in Kalamunda appears to have been first mooted in 1947. In August of that year an advertisement was run in the Listening Post calling for the submission of names of permanent residents of the district who had died while on service in World War II. The names were to be supplied to the Secretary of the Kalamunda and Districts Progress Association no latter than 30th September 1947 (Kalamunda Honour Avenue, Listening Post, 1 August 1947 pg 21) see also (West Australian 23 August 1947 pg 21). The names were to be entered on a Honour Roll and plaques to be placed on trees planted for the purpose of remembering the fallen soldiers. Collie RSL ran a similar advertisement on 23 August 1947. (Collie War Memorial, West Australian, 23 August 1947 pg 1.). The back ground to these advertisements is set out in an article that was published in October. The Kings Park Board had received many requests from family members of deceased service men requesting that a memorial trees be planted for their deceased family member in the existing Honour Avenue. Three hundred trees had been planted in 1932 but had not been dedicated. These trees were offered to the RSL to be dedicated to those who fell in World War II. The Public Service Sub Branch of the RSL undertook to have name plates made, and, to arrange the location and placement of the plate on a tree in Lovekin Drive. The article contains a general request for names to submitted so that a name plate could be made, the first 300 names received would be given the opportunity of acquiring plates at a cost of 21/. The article then sets out the information required to be supplied. (Dedicating Another 300 Trees, West Australian 8 October 1947, pg 18). This does not explain how Kalamunda obtained its plaques. It is assumed that demand exceeded the available space on Lovekin Drive and/or that some families wanted their memorial closer to home. It appears that the Point Walter Honour Avenue also received plaques in this process (Honour Avenue, The West Australian, 3 August 1949, pg 25). It is highly likely that all name plates were made in one batch and distributed to the groups that ordered them. From this it appears likely that the RSL produced name plates for those organisations who placed orders, those organisation then created other memorial avenues in other locations including Kalamunda.

It was reported in 1948 that:

“...at the annual meeting of the Kalamunda Progress Association [it was] stated that ... [an] avenue of jacaranda trees had been planted on Guildford-road approaching Kalamunda and would be dedicated at an early date in honour of district servicemen who fell in World War II” (Hills Affairs, West Australian. 6 May 1948, Pg.11).

It took a little less that two years for the rest of the project to come together. The Kalamunda and Districts Progress Association advised that their plaques were available on the 9 March 1950. The association further advised that a dedication service would be held at the end of March (Darling Range Road Board, Swan Express 9 March 1950. Pg 1).

The Kalamunda dedication service was held on Sunday 26th March 1950. The dedication was performed by Mr W.J. Hunt, President of the Returned Serviceman League. The avenue is described as consisting of “a double row of Jacaranda trees lining Canning Road, the main entrance to the town”. The march was led by Major-General G.W Barber and consisted of ex service men, boy scouts and girl guides (Dedication of Avenue. West Australian 29 march 1950, Pg.12). The avenue “was dedicated to the 28 men of the district who lost there lives during World War II” (Honour-Avenue. West Australian. 27 March 1950, Pg.12). This establishes conclusively that Kalamunda has an Honour Avenue, but it does not definitively locate it. For various reasons the reference in the article to ‘Canning Road’ is dubious at best. A definitive location can be derived from two latter articles, the first, a competition entry referred to in the Daily News. Lex Hill, an architectural student and Kalamunda resident won a “Kalamunda competition” to design a rehabilitation project for a “historic site” and convert it to park land. The ‘parkland’ is described as:

“...bounded on one side by an honour avenue of Jacaranda trees, at the foot of which are the memorial plaques bearing the names of Kalamunda’s fallen. The original house built in 1891 and 1892 by Mr and Mrs Fred Stirk will remain.” (Winning Entry Was Student’s First. Daily News.

14 July 1950, Pg.18)

From the above Honour Avenue borders the now Stirk Park. There is a further later description: “entering Kalamunda by the main Kalamunda Road, and continuing southwards along that highway, one soon comes to its end where it merges into the west end of a short street, Honour Avenue and turning towards the east one is struck by the sight of a long row of jacaranda trees, on the right hand side of the road, with metal plaques at their feet commemorating and in honour of the men who gave their lives in the recent war.” (Greater Love Hath No Man, Kalamunda and District News, 30 April 1953, pg 2).

From the above, Stirk Park did no exist when ‘Honour Avenue’ was dedicated, and , ‘Honour Avenue’ in its original (and true position) is the section of the now Kalamunda Road from the intersection of Boonooloo Road up to Canning Road. A number of jacaranda trees are still in this location. The only issue remaining with respect to description and location is the difference in the descriptions of “double row” described at the dedication and the subsequent description of “a long row of jacaranda trees, on the right hand side of the road” in the article from Kalamunda and District News presumably by F.J. McNamara. The F.J. McNamara description is preferred as the Kalamunda and District News covered the issue on a number of occasions and was more familiar with the issue and geography. The collective evidence implies that Honour Avenue ran from Boonooloo Road to Canning Road and was comprised of a single row of trees with the name plates at the foot of each tree. Each tree is significant.

The significance of each tree is illustrated by the following letter: “Sir:- I have just read of the theft of trees from our roads. Here is another mean theft. Recently we went to the Guildford Cemetery Kalamunda Road to put flowers on our daughter’s grave but found that a brass jardiniere and a blue vase had been taken. The jardiniere a wedding present was used as it held plenty of water to keep flowers fresh. The blue vase was one of a pair; the other is in front of our son’s memorial tree in Kalamunda Honour-avenue. Yours etc,

LESMURDIE VICTIM.”(Graves Looted, West Australian, 2 July 1951 pg 10).

The trees were planted for a purpose, to commemorate the fallen. The trees in the absence of a true grave have the same emotional function. Evidently the trees mattered. They still matter today. Honor Avenue played an important part in ANZAC Day services after its dedication. Honour Avenue was the commencement point for services after that date. It is not clear why, or when, that tradition fell away.

There does not appear to be a record of the 1950 Kalamunda ANZAC Day service. The 1951 service is recorded in the Swan Express:

“ANZAC Day was observed by a service held at the War Memorial at 3:00pm and was attended by a large crowd. Dr Barber lead the march which started from Honor [sic] Avenue and proceeded to the Memorial headed by the Seventh Day Advent Band”. (Kalamunda News, Swan Express, 3 May 1951. Pg 5).

The 1952 service is also recorded in the Swan Express:

“ANZAC Day, April 25, was observed with the memorial Service held at the War Memorial at 3.00p.m. Veterans of both wars assembled in Honor [sic] Avenue and marched to the Memorial” (ANZAC Ceremony at Kalamunda, Swan Express, 1 May 1952. Pg 4).

The 1953 ANZAC day service is described in the Kalamunda and District News:

“The Kalamunda commemoration service was preceded by a parade of servicemen which fell in at Honour Avenue and later marched to the Memorial Shrine headed by the Cameron kilted Scotch College Pipe Band, under Drum Major Ned Gmeiner, whose skill and bearing were a remarkable feature of the days proceedings. ... The veterans marched in a soldierly style, and at least two members were Boer War veterans”. (ANZAC Remembrance. Kalamunda and District News, 30 April 1953 pg 1).

In 1954 the process was repeated , “a large crowd gathered to see the veterans march from Honour Avenue...”. (Pipers Lead Darling Range ANZAC Day Service. Swan Express. 29 April 1954. Pg 1). The upshot of these reports is that Honour Avenue appears to have been a named road, in the alternative it was known by that name as a matter of legend, a matter of special and important local knowledge. That knowledge seems to have disappeared, likewise the tradition of commencing the ANZAC Day march at Honour Avenue. Honour Avenue and the trees in the avenue matter from a functional perspective as a starting point for the ANZAC Day marches after its dedication, but they also matter from a personal perspective. They are significant for those reasons. The relevant perspective is captured below.

The following was published in the Kalamunda and Distinct News 1952 : IN TRIBUTE TO HONOUR AVENUE KALAMUNDA WA

To honour someone’s presence, Or alonged for baby’s birth, A little tree is planted In the breast of Mother Earth, To tend this growing emblem And watch the leafage grow Helps the miracle of Nature Whose gift each of us know,

An Avenue of Honour grows In Kalamunda town, Fine trees of jacaranda And when they are full grown A feast of shade and beauty For each one to behold, Recalling thoughts of someone Who never will grow old.

Let us regard maturing Of the trees with interest, In the years that are to be Will planters names be blessed, Heed this quiet, restful place, Cherish it with care, In a world of great unrest, Peaceful spots are rare.

(Shaw, M.P. Kalamunda and Districts News 19 June 1952, pg 3).

The letter above and the poem illustrate the importance of the trees. That is to remember the fallen. Those remembered in Honour Avenue are :

Cpl. G.B. Wood

Pte. G.E Woodall

Stoker A.L Stirk

Dvr. J.O. Street

Pte. H.W. Smith

F/L. C. Robertson, D.F.C.

F/Sgt. C. Sherwood

Pte. W.D. Spain

F/O. J.F. Pettit

Pte. C.J. Pepper

Stoker A.J. Noell

Pte. Edward Nannup

F/Sgt. G.H. Newman

F/Sgt. I.R.M. King

Sgt. C.E. Johnson

Pte. D. Jackson

Sgt. M.R. Hodgson

O/Seaman E. Hallett

Cpl. E.H. Ford

Pte. A.W. Findlay

Stoker E.E. Francis

(Greater Love Hath No Man. Kalamunda Districts News, 30 April 1953 pg 2.)

F/O. R.K. Dorrington

Gnr. W.H. Cunnold

P/O. W.E. Brine

Pte. N.G. Barron

Pte. W.H.G. Anderson

There is one issue remaining, the above list contains 26 entries, the article “Honour-Avenue” published in the West Australian on 27 March 1950 refers to 28 fallen. Are there 2 names missing or is the figure 28 a ‘typo’? The resources available a the time of writing do not provide an answer to that question.

Conclusion

The Honour Avenue in Stirk Park is listed in the City of Kalamunda’s History Inventory. That listing does not refer to any of the above, nor why it was moved. The information related to the move does not appear to be in the public domain. The above raises the issue:- Given the RSL’s objection to moving the Kostera Oval memorial why did they allow the movement of Honour Avenue?

Recommendation

The existing listing be amended to reflect the above. In addition there be an on the ground acknowledgment of the status and importance of the jacaranda trees remaining in the original (and true) Honour Avenue.

Reference List

http://pickeringbrookhistory.com/local40.html

Accessed 22/12/2022.

Albany (Mt Clarence Drive, Albany Advertiser 15 August 1949. Pg 3

ANZAC Ceremony at Kalamunda, Swan Express, 1 May 1952. Pg 4.

ANZAC Remembrance. Kalamunda and District News, 30 April 1953 pg 1.

Armadale (Future Progress, Western Mail. 16 January 1930. Pg 43.

Balingup (Balingup Honoured, Manjimup and Warren Times, 25 August 1932. Pg 2.

Busselton (Proposed Honour Avenue, South-Western News, 8 October 1926. Pg 3.

Collie (Governor at Collie, West Australian, 17 May 1921. Pg 7.

Collie War Memorial, West Australian, 23 August 1947 pg 1.

Cranbrook (Cranbrook Road Board, Mount Barker and Denmark Record, 17 March 1947.Pg 7.

Darling Range Road Board, Swan Express 9 March 1950. Pg 1.

Dedication of Avenue. West Australian 29 march 1950, Pg.12.

Dedicating Another 300 Trees, West Australian 8 October 1947, pg 18.

Graves Looted, West Australian, 2 July 1951 pg 10.

Greater Love Hath No Man, Kalamunda and District News, 30 April 1953, pg 2. Hills Affairs, West Australian. 6 May 1948, Pg.11.

Honour-Avenue. West Australian. 27 March 1950, Pg.12.

Honour Avenue, The West Australian, 3 August 1949, pg 25.

Kalamunda Honour Avenue, Listening Post, 1 August 1947 pg 21

Kalamunda News, Swan Express, 3 May 1951. 5.

Kalgoorlie (Kalgoorlie R.S.S & AIL Sub Branch Kalgoorlie Miner 27 March 1945.

Nabawah Cemetery Chapman Valley, Geraldton guardian, 21 August 1919. Pg 2.

Pipers Lead Darling Range ANZAC Day Service. Swan Express. 29 April 1954. Pg 1.

Point Walter, West Australian, 23 October 1922. Pg 9.

Shaw, M.P. Kalamunda and Districts News 19 June 1952, pg 3.

West Australian 23 August 1947 pg 21.

Winning Entry Was Student’s First. Daily News. 14 July 1950, Pg.18.

Wyalkatchem (RSL Matters, Dampier Herald, 28 March 1929. Pg 1

‘MCKENZIE’S MILL’ - WAS IT REALLY MR MCKENZIE’S MILL?

By David Mizen

This is perhaps the most contentious of the items on the City Of Kalamunda’s History inventory. The reason that it is contentious is it is presently listed as being situated at the ‘old’ Location 915 on Pickering Brook Road. How or why it is listed at that location is not clear or the point of this article. The purpose of this article is to air the new evidence that has come to light and in view of the new information to argue that the present listing needs to be re-examined and amended.

What follows is an edited and rewritten section of a much longer article by this author. That article was published by Gordon Freegard on the Pickering Brook History Group’s web site in 2021 (Mizen. (2021)). In turn that article is a part of a larger work that sets out the chronology of the timber mills that follow from the business set up by Benjamin Mason and deals with the issues missed by Slee and Shaw. The full chronology was broken up to make it manageable for web publication.

Below is map section showing Pickering Brook at about 1907. Local repute suggests that there was a mill between Location 915 (now part of 511 Pickering Brook Road) and Holdroyd Road. Lands Department map DP 202197 shows a dam near this location and an “engine shed” between this location and the railway. Several small houses are also shown (for shed and buildings see top left of map section below) however, there is no mention by the surveyor of any mill. It is likely the engine shed is an end of line watering ‘station’ for the loco running between the No. 1 Mill, the Pickering Brook terminus and Canning Mills. Harper-Nelson confirms that there was a locomotive watering ‘station’ “at Ellery’s past Carilla” (Harper-Nelson, 1977, p. 3), Ellery held a conditional purchase agreement (No 57/573) which upon completion became Canning Location 915. There is further evidence for this proposition in an advertisement calling for Sleeper Hewers placed by Weston and Smailes in 1908 that refers to “Three Miles of New Rail put in”(Situations Vacant, West Australian 23 May 1908, Pg, 16). It is the writers contention that the watering Station referred to by Harper-Nelson is the end of the line in the 1907 map above. It would be a logical place to house, water and maintain the locomotive. It is evident that Harper- Nelson had information that is relevant to the site, it is not know if she had more information. It has been stated that Location 915 is the site of McKenzie’s Mill, this is highly unlikely, Harper-Nelson alludes to McKenzie’s Mill being east of Sala Tenna’s (Harper Nelson, 1977, p3) and therefore east of Sala Road. There is substantial documentary evidence that shows McKenzie’s much further east, the evidence for McKenzie’s is dealt with further below. There is documentary evidence in relation to Location 915 it is included below.

Section of Lands Department map DP 202197 Sourced from Landgate showing Location 915 shed and buildings, dam and other infrastructure not included.

The section reproduced further below is a Forests Department equivalent of Lands Department map DP 202197. This map does not show the dwellings and other infrastructure at Location 915, it does show the dam and No 3 Log landing. The dam is still (as of last visit in 2020) more or less intact. This site and remaining material on the site is probably all that remains that is related to the Pickering Brook No 1 Mill. Most of the rest have been destroyed. The historic dam is above the ‘new’ Kaolin clay dam. The No 3 Log landing runs into the edge of ‘new’ dam. There is now a body of evidence that implies that the No 1 Mill was near the bottom corner of Location 848 (Mizen, (2021)) (for map see below), the later No 1 Log landing was also at that site. The No 2 landing was about the lower left corner of Location 855, this site has been filed with rubbish and destroyed. The ‘road’ shown running through Location 841 and 849 is likely a whim trail that feed into the back of the No 1 Mill. The town site, the No1 Mill site and the related infrastructure should be considered as a precinct, all the sites are related, all tie back to the No1 mill. In turn the mill is significant for its relationship to, firstly, Patterson, then Barton, this in turn draws in Jessie Barton-Bruce, Harrie Massey and the Manhattan Project (University of London, no date) and also Bartons son Robert and his relationship with the Burma Railway Graves Survey Party and the Australian 26 War Graves Recovery Unit (Mizen (2023)). This summarises the issues known to the author regarding location 915, the paper will now examine the issues with respect to McKenzie’s Mill.

Section of Forests Department Map A.28 1940 (item 304823). Map sourced from Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

McKenzie’s Mill

Slee and Shaw describe Millar’s No. 6 Mill as “McKenzie’s Mill” (Slee & Shaw, 1979, p51). There are three issues attached to ‘McKenzie’s Mill’, the location of mill proper, the previously undocumented McKenzie’s Forest station and a boarding house. The Forest Station or boarding house is not dealt with by Slee and Shaw. The third issue that arises is who’s mill was it? Was it Mr McKenzie’s mill, as alluded to by Slee and Shaw,or not? The issue of the mill and Forest Station location can be dealt with quite simply.

On the 21st October 1921 tenders were called for the construction of a fence and hut close to Millar’s No. 6 Log Landing (Conservator of Forests, 1921). There is no mention of the mill, it appears likely the station was set up to monitor the operation of the mill and was constructed contemporaneously with the mill. Figure 1 below shows the relationship between the mill and the Forest Station. The sketch is from State Records Office file related to the station. The call for tenders gives a probable first date for the mill, late 1921.

On 4th August 1924 it was reported that the Forest Station was burnt down (Conservator, 1921). In February 1925 steps were taken to replace the buildings and it appears that a more substantial building was erected at Barton’s Mill. It is not clear if or when the buildings at McKenzie’s Forest Station were replaced. A portion of a Forrest’s Department map showing the location of McKenzie’s Forest Station is included in the Barton’s Mill Education Department file (map section reproduced below) and shows the location and evolution of the rail eastward. McKenzie’s mill is recorded as operating in 1923/24 Forests Department report (Forests Department,

1923/24, p. N.P). It should be noted that this map like many from the Forests Department DOES NOT show all railway or other infrastructure related to either ‘McKenzie’s Mill’ or Barton’s Mill, Ashendon Road is not labeled. Ashendon Road runs through the centre of the map section. Looking towards Mundaring the mill is on the left of the road, the Forest Station is on the right. There is important infrastructure on the right associated with a well and loco watering point. Consideration needs to be given to declaring this area a historic precinct. Until recently the north most log landing (not shown on map) was intact. It was recently lost to fire. On the writers last (late 2020) visit the eastern log landings were still intact but are at risk of fire damage. A new listing for McKenzie’s Mill should be created but a proper survey should be done to draw in all relevant features. The site includes the Forrest Station and a boarding house (see below), its a large site with many hidden features, there is a section of cobbled road east of the mill. The McKenzie’s site needs to be considered in conjunction with Barton’s Mill, Sunshine Mill and Smaile’s Mill. All of the mills were run under the Millar’s umbrella and represent differing phases of operation and technical sophistication. The question is not whether it should be listed but how it should be listed, A listing that does not deal with the infrastructure on a global basis risks losing the railway creek crossing ‘bridges’, whim crossings, wells etc. These mills operated as a group, they ought be protected as a group together with all relevant infrastructure. This suggests a historic precinct. None of the available maps show all of the relevant infrastructure, see sections below. Therefore to do this properly requires a proper ‘survey’ of the areas.

The next issue is who’s mill was it?

Map section sourced from State Records Office Education Department Barton’s Mill Cons 1497 item No 1925/0736. McKenzie’s Forest Station. Mill now removed. Related correspondence dated 1932.

This section shows the spacial relationship between ‘McKenzie’s’, Bartons Mill and some of the rail infrastructure.

Continued over page.

Map section sourced from State Records Office Forestry Dept. Correspondence regarding Millar’s Timbers Leases. Cons941 1924/0010 Mill is upper left. Forest Station to right of mill. Note absence of name.

Is the mill really Mr McKenzie’s as alluded to by Slee and Shaw

In the following respect ‘McKenzie’s Mill’ is hugely significant. In 1924 Mrs McKenzie advertises for a “faller” and a “horse team” (McKenzie, 1924, p. 20). A subsequent advertisement appears in December. The advertisement calls for a “mill hand, married, wife capable of running a boarding house”. The vacancy was at “Mrs McKenzie’s Mill, Canning” applications to “Millar’s’ Timber and Trading Company Limited St Georges House” (Millar’s Timber and Trading Company Limited , 1924, p. 11). It is evident that the mill was at least managed by Mrs McKenzie’s and that it was part of the Millar’s consortium. There are 2 points of interest, the first and perhaps most astounding is the mill is described by Millar’s own advertisement as Mrs McKenzie’s Mill, the fact there are 2 separate advertisements from apparently separate sources indicate this is not a mistake. Secondly, correspondence relating to the Barton’s Mill School shows that Mr D. McKenzie was the mill engineer at Barton’s Mill but he also had an orchard some 3 miles away (McCullum, 1910). The McKenzie’s orchards are also significant, this issue will be examined latter.

On the 28th October 1925 the Department of Labour wrote to ‘Mr I. McKenzie’ of Pickering Brook regarding registering the mill under the Factories and Shops Act 1920 noting the mill had not been registered under the requirements of the Act. Isabella McKenzie in reply annotates the letter from the Department of Labour and notes :

“I have not been working saw mill since May. Machinery pulled to pieces & stored (all the movable parts) don’t expect to start again at present.” (Department of Labour , 1925).

The reply appears to have been received at the Department on the 4th November 1925. This gives a reasonably clear end date for the operation of the mill. The map section above shows the mill, Forrest Station and an unidentified structure on the far right upper corner of the map. This unidentified feature may be the ‘boarding house’ referred to in the advertisement referred to above, or it may be a structure associated with the teamsters operating at the time. The important thing here is that the map sections clearly show how the two McKenzie’s sites (mill and Forest Station) relate to Barton’s Mill.

The remaining issue is how does Donald McKenzie and his orchards fit into the equation. McKenzie’s orchard site is adjacent to the site referred to as Saligaris Paddocks, which the writer believes is now part of the City of Armadale- Kelmscott. They were both formerly part of the City of Kalamunda. McKenzie was not satisfied with the DRRB so requested that his property be transfered to the Armadale Kelmscott Road Board. The start of the McKenzie dispute with the Darling Range Road Board goes back to about 1900, this letter was towards the end and is dated June 1914:

“Mr McKenzie wrote respecting road to his property at Pickering Brook. He had got Mr Loaring to inspect it, but supposed he was too busy along with the other members of the board looking at motor roads. It was decided that the culvert be put in and approaches to same made” (Darling Range Road Board, Swan Express, 12 June 1914, Pg 8).

In October 1917 there was a follow up, the moral of the story is if you cant get your access road fixed in a timely manner it is time to move to a more accommodating road board. The published version is:

“The Public Works Department forwarded a copy of a letter received from the Armadale - Kelmscott Road Board asking for the transfer of Mr. McKenzie’s property, which is situated on the boundary of the Armadale - Kelmscott district. The transfer was agreed to on the motion of Mr. Loaring providing the board would also agree to take over Mr. Salagari’s property” (A Transfer, Swan Express, 12 October 1917, Pg 6).

This is why there is a big piece of the former Darling Range Road Board Land now under Armadale Kelmscott control. McKenzie’s holding was described in 1909 (State Fruit Industry, West Australian, 3 November 1909, Pg.4). McKenzie’s orchard is significant because, along with Illawara they were the first to export fruit, particularly apples to the UK (West Australian Fruit in London, West Australian, 10 May 1912, Pg.3). From a historical perspective the McKenzie’s story needs further investigation and the orchard site should be brought back under the control of Kalamunda so that they may be jointly listed with the mill.

Conclusion

The present listing with respect to Location 915 is not correct. The features at this location relate to the end of line features associated with the Pickering Brook No1 Mill as set out by Harper-Nelson. The Carrilla town site was gazetted to support the mills, but by the time the town was gazetted the mills had moved much further out. However, the two sites run together with the related infrastructure, the railway and log landings.

McKenzie’s mill is a separate but related project, it operated under the Millar’s umbrella. It represents the advancement of the timber industry through the forest. It also marks the advent of forestry management practices with Departmental over site of mills. It was probably the only mill in Western Australia managed by a woman. It is also connected to Johnny Brown and his team (Slee and Shaw (1979, p 51)) .

Donald McKenzie is also significant in his own right. McKenzie’s dispute with the Darling Range Road Board physically shaped the City of Kalamunda’s boundaries.

Recommendations

Location 915 (511 Pickering Brook Road)

1. The present listing for Location 915 (511 Pickering Brook Road) be retained, but the listing be amended to refer to the material above regarding its status as an end of line maintenance facility, for Paterson then Barton.

2. The KDHS review its material, especially material prepared by Barbra Harper-Nelson to see what other information there is regarding this location.

‘McKenzie’s Mill’

1. ‘McKenzie’s Mill’ and Forest Station together with all related infrastructure should be listed in the Cities History inventory.

2. The mills primary significance is that it was probably the only mill in WA that was managed by a woman. The site of the mill marks the progress of the destruction of the forest.

3. McKenzie’s mill is part of the Barton’s mill complex that includes Barton’s Mill as the central mill, McKenzie’s Mill to the north, and the Old Sunshine Mill to the south, together with all of the infrastructure that supports that complex. The complex is significant for its work sites, work practices and related residences.

4. Mrs McKenzie is related to R McCaskill father of the child buried at Canning Mills. (See post script below)

Post Script

After this paper was completed the following was located:

“The Late Mrs. I. F. McKenzie.

The funeral took place in the Presbyterian Cemetery, Karrakatta, yesterday afternoon, of the late Mrs. Isabella Frazer McKenzie, wife of Mr. Donald McKenzie of 56 Canterbury Terrace, Victoria Park. Mrs. McKenzie ,was born in Queensland 62 years ago and had been a resident of this State for 34 years. The chief mourners were Mr. Donald McKenzie (husband), William Donald, and Murdock McKenzie (sons), Annie McKenzie (daughter), Mr. R. McCaskill (brother), Mrs. R. McCaskill (sister-in-law), Mrs. B. Keatch and Mrs. R. McLennan (nieces), R. and J. McCaskill and R. McLennan (nephews). The pall-bearers were Messrs. P. Gray, P. Skinner, J. Finnigan, B. McVittie, W. G. Bettenay and J. H. Davenport. Among the many present were Messrs. A. Wayne, S. Campbell, H. Catt, L W. Stewart, Geo. Bell, J.J. Brown, L. Ponton; Mesdames Coulter, Bell, Little, Campbell, McVittie, Cotton. Hayward, Hewison. Gray, Sexton, Finnigan, H.W. Keatch, McCounell, Laswell and Miss Campbell. Numerous wreaths were placed on the grave, where the service was conducted by the Rev. J. Colvin. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs Donald J Chipper and Son.

(The Late Mrs. I. F. McKenzie. West Australian, 14 July 1931, Pg 9).

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McKenzie, M. (1924, November 1928). Wanted. The West Australian, p. 20. Millar’s Timber and Trading Company Limited. (1924, December 30th). Wanted. The West Australian, p. 11. Mizen, D. 2021 MILLAR’S KARRI AND JARRAH COMPANY 1902, URL http://pickeringbrookhistory. com/timber%2017.html

Accessed 18/22/2022.

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Slee, J., & Shaw, B. (1979). Kalamunda a home in the forest. Kalamunda: Shire of Kalamunda. State Fruit Industry, West Australian, 3 November 1909, Pg.4.

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