Flagstaff Lake

Statement of Significance

The lake is a significant feature of the landscape. It also is connected with early pioneers

Physical Description

A large oval shaped lake with a surface area of 505 acres being one of a line of three lakes - Charling, Queerearrup and Flagstaff. When inspected in April '99 it held a substantial amount of water, particularly in comparison with the almost dry Flagstaff, dry Billie Light Swamp. Depth varies with a maximum of 1 metre. It is part of a chain of lakes which when they overflow
discharges water into the ill defined east branch of the Beaufort River. It is unusual in that the inflow and outflow are the same channel (this is the same as Ewlymartup Lake)

Designated as a public utility with portions of the north of the lake in the Wagin Shire. On the north shore is a crown reserve A27609/5220 of 1047 acres designated for the protection of flora and fauna. This was a piece of land selected

History

Pioneers of the lakes 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 - Linley, Arch and Rene Thompson; and friend Sammy Roberts were other pioneers in the area.
The land between this lake and the Queerearrup Lake and south to Wardering Lake was taken up by Sammy Roberts. The rest (south and east) was taken up by members of the Douglas family - Archie and the NE side and George on the south. In 1898 George Douglas, along with a friend Sam Roberts joined his brothers in the west. Later Archie and George returned to the dry
Victorian Mallee full of enthusiasm with the abundance of fresh water and feed everywhere in the west. During this trip George married Eddie Roberts at Brentwood, Victoria in early 1899.
Brentwood, a few miles to the south of the Douglas home at Kenmare was named after the Brentwood district in South Australia where the Sprigg and Roberts families had farmed before moving to the Mallee, which was about the time the Douglas family had also migrated from the Yorke Peninsula.
George Douglas, his wife Edith and their baby Lydia came to their new home at 'Grandfather Swamp' just after the turn of the century. A son Henry was bom to them after their arrival, but ill health possibly was the reason for leasing his farm to Sammy Roberts in 1906 and moving to a 30 acre block on the outskirts of the Woodanilling townsite. There he intended to grow fruit trees.
The Road Board elections of 1906, saw George top the poll for his ward. Two more sons were bom at Woodanilling, but on Christmas Day 1908 just two months after the birth of Walter, George died of typhoid and pleurisy.
Archie Douglas built his first house of split sheoaks with hessian lining which later gave way to a mud bat dwelling. In 1907, he married a lass from Queensland, Mary Ann Gilchrist and from this union Fred and Ada were bom. After some years, Mary left and Archie raised the family on his own. The name of Archie's farm was changed from 'Little Kojonolokan' to 'Adadale' after his
daughter Ada.

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Historic Themes

Creation Date

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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.