Convict Road and Culvert, Armadale

Statement of Significance

The place is significant for its ability to reveal the aesthetic characteristics of a hand-cleared road with granite embankments constructed by ticket of leave men and convicts in a bushland setting. The place makes a contribution to the aesthetic qualities of the natural landscape of the Neerigen Brook within the Reserve, located within dense bushland along the banks of the Neerigen Brook, with its remnant stone embankments following the line of the brook. The place represents the need for a permanent, overland communication route between Perth; the capital of the new Swan River Colony, and Albany, which formally became the principal port of Western Australia in 1852. The place has associations with Aboriginal prisoners, who were used as labourers for the clearing and construction of the development of the Perth – Albany Road in the early 1850s. The place has remnants features of the road, which was constructed by ticket-of-leave men and convicts in 1853/1854. The building of the Perth – Albany Road in this period is representative of the number of public works undertaken by convicts after their arrival in the Swan River Colony in 1850. The place has associations with Assistant Surveyor Alfred Hillman, Assistant Surveyor D. Smith, Assistant Surveyor A. C. Gregory, Royal Engineer Lieutenant William Crossman and Henry Vincent, Superintendent of the Native Establishment (1839 – 1867), who all played a role in the surveying and construction of the Perth – Albany Road. The place demonstrates the hardships endured by early labourers on roads and other infrastructure in the development of Western Australia. The place has scientific value as an archaeological research and teaching site that has the potential to reveal wider information about convict and other prisoner built works associated with the survey and construction of roads in Western Australia.

Physical Description

Convict Road and Culvert comprises the remains of a road in Armadale along the banks of the Neerigen Brook between Albany Highway to the north and Bedfordale Hill Road to the south. The road was originally part of the Perth-Albany Highway until a section of it was later relocated to the east, leaving the remnant portion of approximately 1200 metres of original road. The road was constructed in 1853 using convict and ticket-of-leave men as labourers, about half of whom were Aboriginal. It is currently part of the Neerigen Brook Reserve (No. 35613) and Lot 150 Albany Highway. Convict Road generally follows the line of the Neerigen Brook west of Albany Highway. Access to the road is via a steep embankment at the southern end of the site. A public path and small bridge provides access to the northern end of the road. Part of the central section of the road is not readily accessible to the public because of the proximity of private properties to the perimeter of the reserve. The remnant material of the road is a number of scattered granite rocks and low embankments. Parts of the general position of the road are evident where the original sides fall away and by the placement of granite rocks; other sections are no longer readily identifiable. The northern-most section of the road appears to have been recently disturbed by earth-moving equipment. The surface of Convict Road is overgrown with grass and trees.

History

In late 1851, Superintendent of Roads, A. C. Gregory, was tasked with finding a route from Perth to Albany, which was soon to become the principal port of the Swan River Colony. Aboriginal prisoners were used as labourers for the clearing of the road; however, it was not until 1853 that the final route was decided upon by Gregory and Lieutenant William Crossman of the Royal Engineers. Construction of the Perth to Albany road by 60 ticket-of-leave men and convicts began in 1853 under the supervision of Henry Vincent, and by October the road had progressed well past Neerigen Brook. It is not known exactly when the culvert was built, but an 1862 report states that approximately 543 culverts had been erected or repaired indicating that it existed by this time. The stretch of Albany Highway alongside Neerigen Brook now lies to the east of the original convict-built road and is believed to have been realigned in the 1910s/1920s.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate Moderate

Condition

Poor

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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