Army Vehicle Workshop (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place has significance for its technological value as a large volume, pre-fabricated, timber framed, World War II building and utilises the ring lock jointing system. The structure has scientific value for its capacity to demonstrate the performance od timber as a building material under specific highly stressed conditions. It has significance as a representative of the buildings in the Base Ordnance Depot at Nungarin and for its ability to demonstrate the impact of Australian wartime strategy in country WA. It has historic value for its importance in the defence strategy. The grounds around the building have potential archeological value. The size of the building gives it a landmark quality.

Physical Description

The former Army Vehicle Workshop is a large timber-framed, weatherboard clad, pre-fabricated building with approximately 2,500 sq m of floor space. It has a corrugated asbestos saw-tooth roof. The timber walls plates are set on a single leaf 4 course high brick plinth built on a concrete footing and floor slab. The floor is reinforced concrete floating deck construction, with the slab about 350mm thick. The Museum has lined some of the areas it is using for museum reasons. This has included a raked ceiling using a laminated beam that has been inserted into the purlins to carry the new load. Walls have been panelled to doorhead height with particle board, with plaster board ling to the raked ceiling. The site now belonging to the Shire of Nungarin and which contains the Workshop is just over three acres and has several concrete floor slabs.

History

Assessment 1991 COnstruction 1941 - 1944 Nungarin changed from pastoral area to an agricultural area in 1909 with the beginning of the Public Servants Resettlement Scheme. To support this change in focus a railway line was constructed from Northam via Dowerin and Nungarin to Merredin, commencing operations in 1911. A community was created and the Nungarin Road Board formed in 1921. The nearby alunite deposits at Lake Chandler resulted in a State Alunite Industry being established in 1942 to produce potash fertiliser. . Nungarin, like towns throughout Australia, found that wartime requirements for production resulted in many farmers being ‘manpowered’. Because of the fears of a Japanese invasion on WA in 1942 three Army Divisions were moved to the state. As a result there was an increased demand for support facilities including ordnance, stores and ammunition depots. It was important that these were located on established transport routes. The Merredin district was selected as it had not only transport and communications, but also water supply and local infrastructure. A variety of sites for various purposes were selected and Nungarin was designated as the site for an ordnance/stores depot. Site work seems to have commenced in October 1941 with work on the No 1 Transport Workshop as one of the early buildings likely to have been completed in mid 1942 to house the Lend Lease stores. Many buildings of varying sizes were constructed over the war years (and even more later), thus creating probably the third largest Army camp in WA. The Army continued to function there after the war. Some buildings were disposed of in May 1955, and a further tender sale of 40 buildings was held in August 1955, followed by 16 more in April 1960. In 1961 the Army closed the Nungarin base. Nungarin Shire Council purchased 17.25 acres including the swimming pool, tennis courts and the ‘number eleven storehouse, to use as a Council Workshop and depot’. The Shire of Nungarin uses the northern section of the Workshop building for a depot, with the southern end and side annexes being used by the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Vehicle Museum.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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