Mullalyup Station Masters House

Statement of Significance

Mullalyup Station Master's House (fmr) is a good example of a vernacular timber weatherboard cottage, that illustrates the development and importance of the railway in the regional areas at the end of the nineteenth century and the requirement for on site Station Masters.

Physical Description

Mullalyup Station Master's House (fmr) is a single storey weatherboard house with a hipped roof and a skillion verandah across the front facade. The front facade is symmetrical with a central door and a double hung timber sash window on either side. There are two tall corbelled face brick chimneys.

History

Mullalyup Station Master’s House (fmr) is a standard plan, Station Master’s House, Class 2, of timber construction, built when the Donnybrook-Bridgetown railway was constructed in 1897-98. In 1893, the Perth-Bunbury railway was opened, and subsequently extended to Minninup, which was renamed Donnybrook in 1894. In late 1896, William Noah Hedges, an experienced railway contractor, won the contract to extend the line from Donnybrook to Bridgetown at a cost of nearly £90,000. In early 1897, work began on the rail project that was one of the most challenging and costly to date due to the very steep and rugged terrain. Hedges erected a sawmill at Thompson’s Hill, four miles from Donnybrook, where all the timber required for sleepers and buildings was prepared. The stations at Brookhampton, Mullalyup (commonly known as Bovell’s at this period) and Balingup were similarly equipped, with ‘a station house of fourth class, one passenger platform 200 ft. long, a stationmaster’s house of the second class’ of timber construction, two platelayers’ cottages, a wood shed, a goods’ shed and an outside loading platform, constructed in 1897-98. On 1 November 1898, Donnybrook-Bridgetown line was handed over to the Railways Department, and officially opened on 1 December. After the townsite of Mullalyup was gazetted in 1901, a small township gradually developed in proximity to the railway station and the Station Master’s House, which served its intended purpose as long as a resident station master was required there. Post-World War II, road transport progressively replaced rail. Many rural railway stations were closed, lines ceased to operate, and many railway buildings and structures were removed or sold into private ownership. In 1992, Christopher John Reynolds and Lilla Reynolds purchased Mullalyup Station Master’s House. In 1994, they sold it to Roy Ernest Bouffler and Lynda Mary Bouffler, who took up residence. In 1997, Kevin Vincent Blake bought it, and apparently lived there at some periods 1997-2004. Shire records do not have any information about any changes during these ownerships. Since Jennifer Ann Langley purchased Mullalyup Station Master’s House (fmr) in 2004, a railway carriage has been brought to the property to provide an extra room detached from the house, and patio and a garage have been erected.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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