Parker's First Settlement - site

Author

Shire of Quairading

Place Number

05184

Location

Dangin North Rd Dangin

Location Details

Other Name(s)

Dangin Park Estate

Local Government

Quairading

Region

Wheatbelt

Construction Date

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 18 Apr 1996 Category 5

Statement of Significance

The site is significant as the first pastoral lease and subsequently the first settlement in the Quairading Shire. The associations with the Parker family and the settlement of the Swan River Colony are significant, as is the future development of the property.

History

In 1836 Stephen Parker took up a pastoral selection at Dangin Springs. It was not until 1859, that his son Edward Read Parker settled on the selection. The first dwelling was a tent followed by a mud brick house which grew with the family, and subsequently burnt down. In 1892, a eucalyptus oil distillery was operating at the Dangin estate. After ER Parker's death in 1905, his son Jonah Smith Wells Parker took over the lease of the Dangin property which he had been managing since 1888 when his father had retired. Jonah Smith Wells was the second son of Edward and Mary (nee Wells) Parker, born at Dangin Park in 1863. JSW Parker's wife died in 1890, and his second wife, Clara Lillian Morris was a descendent of Mr A Broun, the first Colonial Secretary of the Swan River Colony. After inheriting Dangin Park from his father, JSW Parker built a new homestead and took up land on the Conditional purchase system (freehold). Parker had allotted a portion of his estate for a townsite, and by 1902, the town lots were surveyed and the town of Dangin declared. The town was surrounded by Dangin Estate, and fully fenced, with the only access through fences and gates on the Parker's property. Parker was influential in encouraging the railway link from Greenhills to Quairading, through Dangin, which facilitated further development of the town after 1908. In 1912 Jonah Parker introduced share farming onto Dangin Park, reducing his management and employee responsibilities on what was one of the largest properties in the state at the time. The same year, Parker developed Toapin Weir on the estate to provide the town of Dangin with a reticulated water supply. In 1920 the Dangin Park estate was subdivided into 19 blocks for a Soldier Settlement scheme. After World War Two the prosperity of Dangin town declined and gradually Quairading dominated. As part of the Australian bi-centennial celebrations in 1988 the site was recognised.

Condition

Site

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
Eaton F; "The Golden Grain and the Silver Fleece, A History of Quairading from 1859-1930". Shire of Quairading 1979
Caldwell K; "JSW Parker and the town of Dangin". Early days Journal RHSWA 1945

Place Type

Historic Site

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use FARMING\PASTORAL Cottage
Present Use FARMING\PASTORAL Cottage

Historic Themes

General Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Settlements

Creation Date

15 Jan 1997

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

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.