Original Miling Recreation Ground

Values

• Original Miling Recreation Ground represents the importance of social and recreational activities to the local community of small rural settlements in Western Australia.
• Original Miling Recreation Ground is associated with the early development of the small town of Miling and is particularly associated with the local sporting organisations in the area.

Physical Description

The Original Miling Recreation Ground comprises a former sporting and recreation ground located approximately 190 metres north-east of the Miling West Road, adjacent to Great Northern Highway. The site is overgrown with vegetation and is crossed by light vehicle and motorbike tracks, with what appears to be deliberately created berms, mounds and jumps for both motorbike and mountain bike riders. The bushland comprises low acacia scrub and sparse distribution of trees, which appear to be mostly eucalypt or acacia.
A wooden sign on metal posts with the description ‘Nardia’s Track’ is located in the southern section of the site. No other visible structures or foundations were identified in a survey undertaken across the area. There is some potential that subsurface remains may be present across the site associated with its former use. No artefacts or subsurface deposits would are expected to be present in the areas heavily disturbed by vehicle tracks or earthworks in the creation of the bike features (mounds, berms). Archaeological artefacts or deposits associated with the former recreation ground may be present in areas of less disturbance.
The apparent use of Original Miling Recreation Ground for informal camping is also likely to have left residual items associated with this activity, including tent pegs, rubbish and other debris. It is unlikely that these items would have any archaeological significance at the state level.

History

The Miling settlement was established in the 1920s within the successful agricultural shire of Moora. By 1910 the town of Moora had become the centre of an important agricultural and pastoral district based on wheat and wool. The construction of Midland to Geraldton Railway in the late nineteenth century stimulated the growth of the surrounding areas, as well as enabling easy transport of passengers, stock and produce. The Moora Road Board also began construct roads catering for motor vehicles as well as bullock and horse-drawn drays.
In the Miling district, a small group of farmers settled in an area called the Duckling Mining Spring, attracted to the area by the construction of the Moora to Miling railway line. In 1923 settlers were allocated land along the Great Northern Highway, at the site of the Miling Reserve (1st school at Miling) , northeast of Miling. The Moora to Miling railway was completed in 1925.
By 1926, a school had been constructed on the Miling Reserve site, which also included cleared areas for football and tennis courts. However in 1934, the Moora Road’s Board acquired 12 acres of land adjacent to the Great Northern Highway from R Parkes. By this stage, the current settlement of Miling, located just to the south of the Parkes lot, had been established. The Miling District Recreation Ground was established on the new site and originally used for football and cricket.

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.