Nanga Brook, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Nanga Brook is a former town located in the Peel region of Western Australia
in the Lane-Poole Reserve between Dwellingup
and Waroona
.
. Timber was taken from the area as early as 1898, and in 1902 a lease was granted to Yarloop
-based Millars Karri & Jarrah Company (formerly Millar Brothers). The Nanga Mill was the biggest in the area for many years, at times employing over 100 men. In 1909 a townsite was laid out and built by Millars, complete with 56 homes and several other lodgings, a store, butcher, hall, billiard room and school. Later, three tennis courts and a sports oval were added.
The two World Wars affected production greatly, with many of the mill workers either fighting overseas or serving in home defence. The Great Depression also saw many mill hands leave the area as wages were not covering food and other necessities. In 1941, the original mill burnt down, and a new, smaller mill requiring only 16 workers was built. At the time of the fires, Nanga Brook was already in trouble, unable to compete with the Dwellingup mill.
The fires in January and February 1961 incinerated the entire town and devastated the countryside. A massive appeal was mounted through Perth and eastern states newspapers by the Australian Red Cross
and other charities meeting with a generous response, which ensured the workers and their families were able to rebuild their lives. However, there was no reason for them to return to Nanga Brook, and in 1962, the Governor General declared the end of the town. The area was replanted with stands of pine by the Forests Department (now Conservation and Land Management or CALM), who promoted it as a camping and picnic spot.
forest reserve with stands of jarrah
, wandoo
, marri
and blackbutt
. It combined six previous reserves and was gazetted in 1984, with a management plan being approved in 1990 The most popular parts of the reserve are those near to the Murray River
, one of the few undammed rivers in this part of Western Australia with natural waterfalls and rock pools along its length. The most popular campsites are Baden Powell, Nanga Mill, Stringers and Charlie's Flat, followed by Tony's Bend and Yarragil, while Icy Creek Environmental Education Camp (built in 1984) offers built accommodation for students and community groups. Only one or two roads in the area are sealed, and a CALM issues paper has identified this as a matter to be rectified, along with the overuse of non-designated campsites, visitor behaviour and safety, dogs in the reserve and firewood collection.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in the Lane-Poole Reserve between Dwellingup
Dwellingup, Western Australia
Dwellingup is a town in Western Australia, located in a timber and fruitgrowing area in the Darling Range east-south-east of Pinjarra. At the 2006 census, Dwellingup had a population of 346.-Name:...
and Waroona
Waroona, Western Australia
Waroona is a town located in the Peel region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Pinjarra and Harvey. The town is the seat of the Shire of Waroona. At the 2006 census, Waroona had a population of 1,864.-History:...
.
History
The area was home to a milling town that operated from about 1900 until the Dwellingup fires of 1961Dwellingup fires of 1961
In early 1961, a series of bushfires burned in the southwest of Western Australia. The devastating fires burned large areas of forest in and around Dwellingup from 20 to 24 January, at Pemberton and in the Shannon River region between 11 and 15 February, and in the Augusta-Margaret River area in...
. Timber was taken from the area as early as 1898, and in 1902 a lease was granted to Yarloop
Yarloop, Western Australia
Yarloop is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Waroona and Harvey. At the 2006 census, Yarloop had a population of 545.-History:...
-based Millars Karri & Jarrah Company (formerly Millar Brothers). The Nanga Mill was the biggest in the area for many years, at times employing over 100 men. In 1909 a townsite was laid out and built by Millars, complete with 56 homes and several other lodgings, a store, butcher, hall, billiard room and school. Later, three tennis courts and a sports oval were added.
The two World Wars affected production greatly, with many of the mill workers either fighting overseas or serving in home defence. The Great Depression also saw many mill hands leave the area as wages were not covering food and other necessities. In 1941, the original mill burnt down, and a new, smaller mill requiring only 16 workers was built. At the time of the fires, Nanga Brook was already in trouble, unable to compete with the Dwellingup mill.
The fires in January and February 1961 incinerated the entire town and devastated the countryside. A massive appeal was mounted through Perth and eastern states newspapers by the Australian Red Cross
Australian Red Cross
The Australian Red Cross is one of the many national Red Cross societies around the world. The Australian organisation was established in 1914, nine days after the commencement of World War I, by Karen Tenenbaum, when she formed a branch of the British Red Cross.the organisation grew at a rapid rate...
and other charities meeting with a generous response, which ensured the workers and their families were able to rebuild their lives. However, there was no reason for them to return to Nanga Brook, and in 1962, the Governor General declared the end of the town. The area was replanted with stands of pine by the Forests Department (now Conservation and Land Management or CALM), who promoted it as a camping and picnic spot.
Present day
The Lane-Poole Reserve (named after the State's first conservator of forests) is a 55,000 haHectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
forest reserve with stands of jarrah
Jarrah
Eucalyptus marginata is one of the most common species of Eucalyptus tree in the southwest of Western Australia. The tree and the wood are usually referred to by the Aboriginal name Jarrah...
, wandoo
Wandoo
Wandoo is the common name for a number of Western Australian Eucalyptus species, all of which have smooth white bark.The original "wandoo" is Eucalyptus wandoo. Other species have been given this name because of a perceived likeness with E. wandoo...
, marri
Corymbia calophylla
Corymbia calophylla is a bloodwood native to Western Australia. Common names include Marri and Port Gregory Gum, and a long standing usage has been Red Gum due to the red gum effusions often found on trunks.It is distinctive among bloodwoods for its very large buds and fruit Corymbia calophylla...
and blackbutt
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
. It combined six previous reserves and was gazetted in 1984, with a management plan being approved in 1990 The most popular parts of the reserve are those near to the Murray River
Murray River (Western Australia)
The Murray River is a river in the southwest of Western Australia which played a significant part in the expansion of Aboriginal settlement in the area south of Perth after the arrival of British settlers at the Swan River Colony in 1829....
, one of the few undammed rivers in this part of Western Australia with natural waterfalls and rock pools along its length. The most popular campsites are Baden Powell, Nanga Mill, Stringers and Charlie's Flat, followed by Tony's Bend and Yarragil, while Icy Creek Environmental Education Camp (built in 1984) offers built accommodation for students and community groups. Only one or two roads in the area are sealed, and a CALM issues paper has identified this as a matter to be rectified, along with the overuse of non-designated campsites, visitor behaviour and safety, dogs in the reserve and firewood collection.
External links
- Lane Poole Reserve (CALM) - includes information on activities as well as a map of the reserve.