Dix Vale Hall

Statement of Significance

Aesthetic, Social, Representativeness and Historic

Physical Description

· Single storey rectangular design; · Weatherboard walls; · Corrugated iron gable roof (re-sheeted with Colourbond); · Windows shuttered for security, and; · Small brick extension on one side.

History

These notes have been derived from http://www.southwestlife.com.au/outdoors0503.htm and http://www.smh.com.au/news/Western- Australia/Manjimup/2005/02/17/1108500208272.html?oneclick=true In 1921 Manjimup bore witness to one of Western Australia's more disastrous land settlement schemes. The Group Settlement Scheme was set up by the Western Australian Government after World War I to settle immigrants with one of the objectives to increase the dairy industry. Part of the idea was to give Western Australia's rural economy a boost by opening up more land for agriculture. The group settlers (groupies) lived in rough temporary huts provided by the Government until 25 acres of each family's ballot-allocated 100 acres was partially cleared. Then they could move to their respective blocks and get down to the serious business of farming. Clearing took up to six months, the bush was thick and the trees enormous. Most of the group settlers had no experience of farming and very little bushcraft. With only crosscut saws and axes they were faced with clearing some of the world's biggest trees from their land. Many group settlers left unable to handle the conditions and meet the repayments on their land and equipment and the loans they had to take out to buy stores. Those that stayed the longest scratched a living from dairy produce as they struggled to clear enough of their land to farm. The great depression of the 1930s heralded the end of most of the Groupies. The price of butterfat collapsed and their main source of income disappeared. Dixvale was a community hall from one of these group settlements. The Dixvale Hall is now the main club building for the Manjimup motocross track. The Manjimup Motorcycle Club has been established since 1949 and has been very active in this sporting field, initiating a major racing event that attracts people from around the world - the Manjimup 15000. So why is it called the Manjimup 15000? It was given the name at its inaugural event in 1980, when it was named after the amount of prize money that was on offer. At the time it was the richest motorcross event ever held in Australia, and the first winner to take it home was Roger Harvey, a rider from the United Kingdom. Just over ten years later, in 1991, the prize money had risen to $40,000. Throughout the years spectators have seen some amazing racing and other incidents. In 1986, American Jimmy Ellis ensured that his name will remain in the record books for a long time. Not only did he win the event, but in doing so he was the first rider to clear the double jumps behind the main straight. Since that time, the tabletop jump has been called "Jim's Jump" in his honour. Another very popular jump is "Clifford's Leap", which was named after the Clifford Family of Casuarina Valley Orchard in Manjimup, in recognition of their willingness to always volunteer workers and supplies of earthmoving equipment at the club.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integriyt: High Authenticity: High

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update