Local Government
Woodanilling
Region
Great Southern
Douglas Rd Beaufort River Flats
Woodanilling
Great Southern
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ||||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 18 Mar 2003 | Category 4 | |
The lake is a significant feature of the landscape. It also is connected with early pioneers.
A medium oval shaped size salt lake with an area of 166 acres. The 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.
The name is derived from the Aboriginal word 'Mart' which refers to the large bones in the legs of the kangaroos or humans. To the west are other derivatives, 'Martup Pool' and 'Martup Hills'. 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 'Adadalef'). In addition, their relatives - brothers Linley, Arch and Rene Thompson; and friend Sammy Roberts were other pioneers in the area. Harry Douglas had a large block of land (1378 a) comprising the Beaufort Flats which was bordered on the north by the overflow branch from Lake Charling and on the south by the more defined eastern branch from Martinup Lake. Harry and his 16 year old brother Archie arrived in Albany in 1984. They walked up to the Beaufort where they obtained work fencing and shepherding with Tom Cornwall. Impressed with the prospects they selected land. Harry helped Archie build his camp at Little Kojonolokan and then set off for the Goldfields to earn enough to start developing his block. By this time most of the quick money had been made and Harry got work grubbing poison on the race course and was its first caretaker. Returning to the Lakes, he married Louise Watson of Boyerine and raised a family who attended the Dowlering School. Due to the depression and rabbits, Douglas was forced to sell his farm and the family moved to Albany. Young Sam Roberts bought the property and it was later incorporated into 'Wandibirrup'.
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Bird " Round Pool to Woodanilling" pp 95, 96, 254, 44, 271 | |||
| John Bird 6/6-6/8; John Bird "Round Pool to Woodanilling" pp44, Map 100 | 1985 |
Landscape
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Original Use | FARMING\PASTORAL | Other |
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Exploration & surveying |
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