Pindar Garage Buildings

Child Places

• 25466 Pindar Garage Residence
• 25466 Pindar Garage Residence

Statement of Significance

The Pindar Garage building illustrates the development of a large motor vehicle haulage business from 1926 in
ruralWestem Australia, being one of the earliest sizable truck haulage businesses in the region in the InterWar
period. The place is an example of technical innovation in its curved roof design which is evident in a
number of Murchison buildings of the same era. The building, with its curved roof, CGI cladding and collection
of machinery has strong aesthetic appeal and is rare remaining evidence of the past built fabric of Pindar.

Physical Description

Located at the western entrance into Pindar and fronting the north side of Sharpe Street, the Pindar Garage is
of timber framed construction and clad with corrugated iron sheeting. The central portion running north-south
has a high curved roof with low pitched skiIlion roofs on either side. At both ends is a pair of ledge and braced
doors. The front (south) facade also features two small paned timber windows and a ledge, braced and
boarded door which leads into the fmr office on the eastem side of the garage. There are outbuildings to the
rear and an associated residence to the east. (Refer to the HCWA RHP Documentation for a detailed
description of the building)

History

On 22 February 1901, the townsite of Pindar was gazetted comprising 32 lots. In the Inter-War period camel
teams in the Murchison were gradually replaced with motor vehicles. In c1923, recognising the increasing use
of motorized transport and the opportunity to establish a contract haulage business based in Pindar to
compete with the camel teams, Harold James 'Jim' Wright and George Edward Stoner formed a partnership
and commenced trading as Stoner & Wright, Motor Engineers and Haulage Contractors. It is believed that the
Garage Building and adjacent residence were constructed in the mid 1920s. With its distinctive curved roof
which was replicated elsewhere on Murchison pastoral stations, it is believed to have been built by Alf Couch
who was responsible for much of their construction (eg Roderick and Woolleen Shearing Sheds etc). The
curved roof was made on the ground and then jacked into position. Stoner and Wright expanded their haulage
business over the years with the purchase of additional vehicles etc. In c1939 the partnership of Stoner and
Wright was dissolved with Stoner moving to Mullewa where he commenced a cartage business while Harold
Wright continued with the ownership of the Pindar Garage until 1969. At this time the property was sold to Ray
and Allen Field, local fanners, who took over the buildings, machinery and equipment. The brothers operated
a contracting business and continued to make use of the Garage building for servicing and maintaining their
vehicles. Since the Fields sold their farm in 1990, the Garage has mostly been used for storage purposes.
(Refer to the HCWA RHP Documentation for a detailed history of the building)

Integrity/Authenticity

Original Fabric: Largely Intact

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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.