Lake Charling

Statement of Significance

The origin of the name is from the Aboriginal word 'Tarling' meaning tongue

Physical Description

A large salt lake with a surface area of 800 acres making it the second largest lake (to Queerearrup of 941 acres) in the Woodanilling Shire. It is shaped similar to a map of Australia and is virtually joined on the east by Queerearrup Lake. It is the last of a chain
of lakes emanating in the Nyabing area which when they overflow discharges water into the ill defined east branch of the Beaufort River. Surrounding the lakes are steeply rising hills - Queerearrup to the north, Kojonolokan-Puridine to the east and Kenine-Kunmallup to the south.

History

The land west of the railway line between Lime Lake and Round Pool had not been
thought worthy of selection by the WA Land Company agents when they picked the best land for the company along the railway at the time of its construction in the 1880's. Tom Cornwall, owner of the Beaufort and Queerearrup Stations, was. quoted as telling the Douglas brothers when they were working for him in 1895 that no other land in the area apart from Queerearrup and the Beaufort would ever be taken up as it was too poor. However, the efforts of the pioneers and subsequent generations has proved this judgement incorrect.

Pioneers of this area were the Douglas family. Joe Douglas and his five sons all selected land, built homesteads and farmed in the Lakes country - stretching east from Harry's selection ('Dowlering'), Jim ('Miripin' - Murapin Lake), George ('Grandfather Swamp' near Queerearrup Lake), Harold ('Kenmare' near hall), Joe ("The Lakes') and Archie ('Little Kojonolokan' - later 'Adadale['). In addition, their relatives - brothers Linley,
Arch and Rene Thompson; and friend Sammy Roberts were other pioneers in the area.

The land selection on the southern boundary included RH Wilcox, JT (Jim) Douglas and S Roberts. No homesteads were built in the vicinity indicating the overall poor nature of the surrounding land being clay soil carrying yate and white gum with the sandy loams growing jam; sheoak and banksia trees. To the north (Wagin Shire) was the "Queerearrup" property developed by Tom Cornwall.

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This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.