Wandibirrup Pool, Beaufort River

Statement of Significance

The pool is important for its association with the development of the pastoral industry in the
region and with pioneering families.

Physical Description

One of a series of pools in the south branch of the Beaufort River within a short distance of its junction with the east branch, some two kilometres east of the Beaufort River Bridge on the Albany Highway. Deep and Wandibirrup Pools are part of a series of permanent (and until more recent times) fresh water pools in this section of the river.

History

The pool was contained in Hamersley's and Cornwall's early pastoral leases. Land to the east of this pool was apparently taken up by Patsy Hayden, however there is no evidence of Hayden living on this property (Location 1572 - Surveyed 1902 containing 160 acres). It is also known as "Cavanagh's Pool" after long term residents near the pool. Edward (Ted) Cavanagh owned land
between the Robinson Road and Albany Highway and his son, also Edward (Gus), who took up 'Wandibirrup'. He farmed this until the late 1950's when it was sold to David Hall from Jaloran, near Wagin and in latter times it has been sold to its current owner, John Humphris.
The Cavanagh family had a remarkable if somewhat tragic background. Gus's grandfather, Edward Cavanagh, had come to the colony from Dublin, Ireland. In October 1868, he married Catherine Rowe, the widow of some two months of William Rowe who had been a boatsman on the Swan River. Rowe had been convicted in Malta in 1860, as an eighteen year old of striking his superior officer. This offence carried a life sentence and in 1862 Rowe arrived at Fremantle, however a little over three years had obtained his ticket of leave. Catherine Casey, the daughter of Enrolled Pensioner Guard, Pat Casey and his wife Catherine had arrived in the colony just before Christmas 1866.
The sudden death of her first husband William Rowe was just the first of a series of tragedies which befell Catherine before she died of strychnine poisoning at Arthur River in 1884. Catherine's second husband Edward Cavanagh too, was not to live to enjoy
many years of married life and after the birth of two sons (Edward and Patrick) he also died. Catherine again remarried. This time to John Eddie, another expiree, at Fremantle in November 1873. Eddie who was 46 at the time, had from 1871 taken out pastoral leases at the junction of the William and Arthur Rivers. After his marriage, Eddie took out a special occupation lease here and the family made this their home. However, Eddie was unable to sustain these leases which were eventually transferred to the merchant W.D. Moore. In 1882, Catherine's daughter Mary Jane then aged 14, was drowned in the flooded Meekan River. Around this time, the Eddie's lost a baby aged five months with pneumonia and also their l year old daughter Kathleen Euphemia. After Catherine's death, John Eddie took charge of the two wandering Cavanagh boys who took up sandalwood gathering. In 1891 Ted Cavanagh was cutting sandalwood near Arthur River with a licence from the WA Land Company. Later Ted Cavanagh worked as a teamster for Cornwall and in 1898 son Edward (Gus) was born in a stone hut alongside the Beaufort homestead, as had been Thomas Cornwall 35 years before.

Uses

Creation Date

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