Mundaring Saw Mill

Parent Place or Precinct

26283 King Jarrah, Sawmills and Sawpit

History

In August 1883, Smith and Company, who had won contract to build the Eastern Railway platforms and some rolling stock, and whose directods included Alexander Forrest and Stephen Henry Parker (after whom Parkerville was names), obtained the rights to 1,920 acres 777 ha) near Gugeri's Vineyard (Site 20). For approximately 3 years, the stipulated rent free period, timber was removed from here and cut at their city mill. The first saw mill in the area was operated by William Sexton, who from c 1890 to 1894, employed 24 men and shipped the timber from the newly created Gugeri siding. In December 1894, George Shepherdson of the Adelaide Timber Company leased Sexton's mill, and to Sexton's dismay was granted conditional purchase of the land in 1899. On the land, Shepherdson created an orchard and slaughterhouse to supply the nearby Mundaring Weir construction workforce (site 55). In the 1930s, Mundaring Sawmills, known locally as Underwoods, was located in town on the York Road (Great Eastern Highway), and until the 1950s produced jarrah scantling and orchadist's fruit cases. In the later stages of its operation it was run by Robert Malcolm-Smith, the owner of a saw mill in Sawyers Valley.

Uses

Creation Date

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