Site Of Maud’S Landing

Statement of Significance

Historic Value – Importance in relation to an event, phase or activity of historic importance to the locality. The town site was declared after local pastoralists complained of difficulties in getting their wool to the port of Carnarvon. The proposed settlement was never proceeded with. Social Value – Important in contributing to a community’s sense of place.

Physical Description

Only the timber piers from the original jetty remain at the site. Initially a jetty, tramway and woolshed existed at the site. Between 1911 and 1921, George Baston operated a store and hotel at the town site. Maud was the name of the schooner whose captain first identified the site. The schooner was named after the daughter of John Bateman of Fremantle. The site is now an important turtle rookery.

History

Mauds Landing is situated approximately 2 kilometres north of Coral Bay. Named after a schooner called ‘Maud’ whose captain discovered the site. It was declared a town site reserve in 1896 after construction of a jetty. The jetty was a large and comprehensive structure, extending 450 metres out to see with a 30 metre long and 6 metre wide T-head at the end. A 610mm gauge tramway, a well and a big woolshed was also built. The port served as a shipping point for wool, sheep and cattle right up to the late 1940’s. The last shipments were made from Maud’s in about 1946. The government leased the jetty to a variety of different pastoralists and companies until 1947 but the constant repairs and lack of sufficient funding often caused the lessee’s not to renew. Due to the leases not being renewed 1947 marked the end of ‘Mauds Landing’ as a coastal port. The jetty was sold in 1950 to the Northwest Whaling Company and moved to Norwegian Bay 85km north of its original site at Mauds Landing. Over the years there has been a substantial interest in the town site including proposal for oil exploration, fish processing and CRS proposed to construct another jetty. None of these proposals eventuated and in 1969 new town site boundaries were formed with more of the original town site going to Cardabia Station lease. Today only a few weathered remains exist at Mauds Landing – a couple of jetty piles protrude from the water and a concrete footing remains from the old wool shed. Two kilometres south of Mauds Landing a substantial tourist settlement has since been developed called ‘Coral Bay’. Despite the fact that Mauds Landing town site never developed there is still a huge amount of interest in the area. There has been proposals for a new tourist accommodation and recreation complex with a marina. Many locals of Coral Bay consider Mauds Landing beach as a sacred area, as it is a major nesting ground for endangered Green and Loggerhead turtles.

Integrity/Authenticity

Low/Low

Condition

Site only

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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