Pindalup

Forests Department 20 chain topographical map of the Pindalup area1

Region: South West
LGA: Shire of Murray
Original name: The rail siding was originally known as Vincent
Industry: Timber
Coordinates: 32 46.7′ S 116 15.9′ E (for the railway siding)

The first recorded export from WA of Jarrah, known as Swan River Mahogany by the first settlers, was in February 1831.  The industry grew, with increasing demand for Jarrah in the form of sleepers, paving, piles and pales.

Before steam locomotives took over their role, Clydesdale horses were used for transporting logs from the bush to the mill and were used extensively in the timber industry during the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.

Dwellingup, originally known to the aboriginals as Dwelyingup and spelt Dwellingupp until 1915 a timber mill town when gazetted in 1910, it became the administrative centre for a number of neighbouring mill towns which opened up after the opening of the railway from Pinjarra to Dwellingup.

Train transporting sleepers c19122

Mill towns that emerged around Dwellingup to service the timber industry were Marrinup, Plavins, Pindalup, Nanga Brook, Holyoake, Duncans, Huntly, Banksiadale, Hakea, Wuraming, Chadora, Amphion and Whittakers.

The head teacher at Pindalup School in 1930-31 was Leslie Hollis3, while previously, in 1927, the head teach on probation was Ewen J Clarke4. Other teachers at the school were Evelyn Corbet or Corbett, Neill Earp, Roger Evans, Annie Guilfoyle, Eva Pearn and Stanley Vincent5

There are three distinct communities associated with Pindalup.

Pindalup Port’s Number 1 Timber Mill

20 km east south east of Dwellingup on the old State railway line to Narrogin6.

Pindalup Port’s Number 2 Timber Mill

20 km east south east of Dwellingup on the old State railway line to Narrogin7.

Pindalup Railway Siding

Between Pinjarra and Dwellingup on the Narrogin State railway.
Originall calleed the Vincent Railway Siding in 1913, it was renamed in 19228.

Sources

  1. State Library of Western Australia, 1936. Forests Department 20 chain topographical sheet C series maps 26-50. Retrieved from https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2774089_002 on 17 Oct 2024. ↩︎
  2. Murray Districts Historical Society Inc, n.d. Train transporting sleepers from Dwellingup in 1912. Image from https://www.murrayhistory.org/history/towns-districts/01-mill-towns-of-the-murray retrieved on 17 Oct 2024. ↩︎
  3. Carnamah Historical Society, n.d. WA State School Teachers 1900-1980. Retrieved from https://www.carnamah.com.au/teachers?starts_with=H&page=357 on 17 Oct 2024. ↩︎
  4. Carnamah Historical Society, n.d. WA State School Teachers 1900-1980. Retrieved from https://www.carnamah.com.au/teachers?starts_with=C&page=192 on 17 Oct 2024. ↩︎
  5. Carnamah Historical Society, n.d. WA State School Teachers 1900-1980. Retrieved from https://www.carnamah.com.au/teachers?keyword=pindalup on 17 Oct 2024 ↩︎
  6. WA Now and Then, n.d. Ghost Towns starting with ‘P’. Retrieved on 17 Oct 2024 from http://www.wanowandthen.com/ghost-towns17.html. ↩︎
  7. WA Now and Then, n.d. Ghost Towns starting with ‘P’. Retrieved on 17 Oct 2024 from http://www.wanowandthen.com/ghost-towns17.html. ↩︎
  8. WA Now and Then, n.d. Ghost Towns starting with ‘P’. Retrieved on 17 Oct 2024 from http://www.wanowandthen.com/ghost-towns17.html. ↩︎