Armadale Brickworks Quarry (fmr)

Author

City of Armadale

Place Number

15743

Location

Bedford Hill Rd Armadale

Location Details

Local Government

Armadale

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1902, Constructed from 1901

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
State Register Registered 01 Jun 2007 HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 01 Dec 2008 Category 1
Municipal Inventory Adopted 01 Sep 2015 Category 1

Statement of Significance

This place is associated with the original Armadale Brickworks and has historic value as the shale material from this site was used to make the bricks, which were used in the construction of many homes in the area. The place has scientific value as a geological site, and is believed to have been identified by the Geological Society of Australia (WA) in 1979 as one of the most significant geological sites in the metropolitan area.

Physical Description

The Armadale Brickworks Quarry (fmr) is sited on the northern side of Bedfordale Hill Rd with its entrance along Harrison Road. It is fully fenced with access at this point. The former shale quarry is characterised by a tall and wide expanse of exposed bare rubble and rock face, with bush vegetation, including scrub, grass and eucalyptus trees at its base and ridge.

History

The Armadale Brickworks was developed in 1902, using the shale from a deposit on the western edge of the Darling Range. As this shale was quarried, a large pit was formed, which is still extant. As the depth of the quarry increased, a technique was developed to reach and transport the lower level deposits. A tunnel was cut from the bottom of the quarry (under the Bunbury Road), through which shale was transported on rail trucks, to the brickworks below. These trucks were hitched to a continuous loop of cable, which circled around a wheel head in a wooden loft at the kilns. The tunnel is still accessible from Bunbury Road.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate- High

Condition

Good

Associations

Name Type Year From Year To
Robert Oswald Law Architect - -

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
7022 Images CD No. 26 : assessment images : Mundaring Hotel, Temuka, Faversham, Armadale Brickworks (fmr). C D Rom 2004
9546 Elsie: her life, letters and love. Book 1999
5566 History of the Dale Cottages. Book 1990
4718 Old Armadale Brickworks factory site : Dale Cottages Retirement Village : Armadale, Western Australia : conservation plan. Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 2000

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use INDUSTRIAL\MANUFACTURING Brickworks
Present Use PARK\RESERVE Park\Reserve
Original Use MINING Other

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall STONE Other Stone
Wall TIMBER Other Timber
Roof TILE Other Tile
Wall BRICK Common Brick

Historic Themes

General Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Workers {incl. Aboriginal, convict}
OCCUPATIONS Mining {incl. mineral processing}
PEOPLE Famous & infamous people
OCCUPATIONS Manufacturing & processing
OCCUPATIONS Technology & technological change

Creation Date

06 Sep 2000

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

08 Jul 2019

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.