Bookabunning Soak

Statement of Significance

The site is significant for its association with pioneering families.

Physical Description

The site is a short distance east of where the Cartmeticup Church was later built - being NE of
Cartmeticup Well and south of Woolkabunning Well. It is situated to the west of the farm house
and is about 100 metres west of the old Bookabunning Homestead (one remaining wall is used as
a tennis bit wall). All that remains is a slight depression in the ground - just to the north of a
poplar tree. Remnants of a once thriving orchard are in the proximity.

History

The name is derived from the Aboriginal word 'Booka' meaning cloak.
The place was selected by John Cornelius who arrived from Red Hill in SA in the late 1890's. By
this time his children were mostly grown up and with the help of their five sons and three
daughters, the 'Bookabunning' farm was developed. Tom (Tracy) Cornelius later took over the
property and had a substantial orchard. Two of Tracy's older brothers, Edward (Ted) and Harris,
also had properties in the area, while Jack farmed near Boyerine until about 1935. The other
brother, Mark, was killed in the Great War. Tracy Cornelius was one of the original members of
the Woodanilling Roads Board serving until 1915. Early in 1926, he leased Bookabunning to Reg
Crosby (who was the only son of Frederick and Bertha Crosby) being bom at Katanning in 1900.
His father had come to the Great Southern as a construction worker on the railway, but liked the
look of the district and decided to go on the land. He selected land from the Land Company about
a mile west of Katanning. In the meantime he had engaged in sandalwood cutting and carting
with Tom Garstone who became a life long friend. Crosby was elected to the first Katanning
Road Board and later became its Chairman. He was also an originator in the formation of the
Katanning Masonic Lodge (1898), Katanning Farmer's and Settler's Association (1894)
Agricultural Society and in the construction of the Agricultural Hall.

Reg Crosby enlisted when only 16 years old in the 10th Light Horse and served in the Middle East
before returning in 1920. He worked about the district shearing, clearing and share farming for
several years. Then in 1925 he married Mabel Fidock and in April the following year moved to
'Bookabunning' at the beginning of the 1929-33 depression. During this period four sons (Ross,
Melville, Les and Ivan) were born. The Crosby's were probably more fortunate than some others
at this because of the well established orchard left by Cornelius. In June 1946, Reg Crosby was
elected to the Woodanilling Road Board to which he dedicated a great amount of time and
devotion. Later he was to become Road Board Chairman and Shire President. In 1960, Reg and
Mabel went to live in Katanning and despite poor health, Reg continued to serve on the
Woodanilling Shire spending a lot of time at meetings and conferences. In 1964, Ivan took over
the farm, Reg's health was failing and in September 1964 he passed away. Ivan Crosby renamed
the farm 'Glenrose'. The original name had been taken from the Bookabunning Soak near the
house.

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