Wagin Historical Village

Statement of Significance

The place has social value for the local community, providing a nostalgic reminder of a way of life and that is no longer practised.

Physical Description

Seventeen buildings comprise the Wagin Historical Village including five relocated structures - Norring Hall, Boyerine School, Woodanilling National Bank the Argus Printing Works and the Post Office. The Village also comprises replicas of early houses, shearing sheds and blacksmiths, agricultural machinery and period furniture.
Norring Hall: Timber framed and externally clad in weatherboards to dado height and to gable ends. Rectangular-shaped building with an entrance porch. The building has gable roofs covered with cgi and has exposed eaves. The length of the buBding has two windows on either side, possibly double-hung sashes, now louvres. The interior walls are lined with vertical boards to dado height. The ceiling has been re-lined and in 1995, reinforced. Timber floors throughout, the concrete floor to the porch is an addition. Photographic evidence, taken at the time the building was located behind the Wagin Baptist Church, the hall had an addition across the rear elevation.
oyerine School: Small, rectangular-shaped building with a gable roof that extends over the front and rear elevations to give some protection. The roof is formed by timber trusses, exposed to the interior. The overhangs are supported by bush timbers. The timber framed structure is raised on stumps and externally clad with weatherboards and internally lined with horizontal timber boards. A new windows has been installed on the front elevation.
The school could accommodate 14 children. Two original desks with ceramic ink wells, and a stool are on display.
Woodanilling National Bank: Timber framed, square-shaped building externally clad with cgi. A verandah extend across the facade covered with a lean-to roof which is separate from the main roof. The interior walls and ceiling are lined with ripple iron.
The interior retains its original counter and decorative timber partitioning.
Argus Printing Works: A new structure was built to house original equipment and printing presses.
Post Office: Rectangular-shaped building externally clad with cgi and internally clad with pressed metal. A bullnosed verandah roof across the facade has timber spandrels and the square timber supports.
The place also comprises other structures, for example, the original fire station bell and tower, and moveable items which have been catalogued by the archivist and are too numerous to list here. These structures and moveable items form part of the significance of the village. It is recommended that these items be maintained by the museum staff and archivist.

History

The Wagin Historical Village was opened in 1979, by the Wagin Historical Society.1 It was established to provide a means to save some buildings in the district that were no longer required for their original purpose.
Work at the village has been carried out by volunteer labour and financed through the fund raising efforts of the Historical Society's members. In 1984, a grant of $22 000 was awarded to the Village through the Community Employment Program.
The Norring Hall was originally built near Lake Norring in c.1908-10. The hall was believed to have been originally built as the Baptist Church and used as a meeting place and school. In 1947, it was dismantled and re-erected to the rear of the Baptist Church in Wagin where it served as a meeting place and was known as the young people's hall.2 In 1986, the hall was relocated to the Historical Village.
Boyerine school was opened on 11 February 1929, and operated until 1940. In 1981, it was removed from its location in Watson Road to Woodanilling village. The teachers were: 1933, C. Campbell; 1934, M. Lewer; 1938, M. Putland; and 1940, M. Burston.
The Woodanilling National Bank was operating in the town of Woodanilling about 30km south of Wagin between 1910 and 1981. It was serviced one day each week by officers of the Katanning branch of the National Bank.
The Wagin Argus donated five of their original machines to the Village, including the original 1908 pedal operated press.
Documentary evidence of the Post Office is unknown.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Last Update

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.