One Tree Bridge over Donnelly River

Statement of Significance

Historic, Aesthetic, Social, Representativeness and Rarity

Physical Description

· Situated on the west bank of the Donnelly River adjacent to the ‘new’ bridge; · It shows part of the original log with a section of the bridge attached; · Narrow deck and wooden hand rails, and; · Surrounded by a post and rail fence for protection.

History

There are varying stories about the construction of One Tree Bridge. One states the bridge was built for the nearby graphite mine in 1904, another records the bridge being built by the Group Settlers who arrived in the area in 1921 and final story states that the bridge was built by the Giblett family who had a block on the west side of the Donnelly River around the same time as the Graphite Mine was in operation. We have chosen to record the bridge as having been built by the graphite mine company in 1904. This is supported by the research of notable Manjimup historian Dave Evans. The graphite mine was recorded in The Blackwood Times in 1905. The WA Graphite and Plumbago manager Mr Windred was recorded as saying that a main lode of graphite had been discovered near the Donnelly River showing” an enormous deposit of the stuff”. However despite reports of large quantities found and mined it was soon realized that the type of graphite found was of relatively low commercial value and the costs involved in the mine were uneconomical. The mine entrance in 2005 was difficult to locate as it is overgrown and said to have partially collapsed. Left over from the mining venture however, is the One Tree Bridge. Photographs of it in operation (post 1933) show a narrow wooden decked bridge with guard rails just wide enough for one vehicle. Though the bridge was not useful in the end for the mine it became vital for transport and communication for the Group Settlers who arrived in the area in 1921. This is the information formerly provided on the boards at the One Tree Bridge. ‘The Group Settlement Scheme was set up by the Western Australian Government after World War 1 to resettle returned soldiers and immigrants. Part of the idea was to give Western Australia’s rural economy a boost by opening up more land for agriculture. Twenty families of Group 10 settled the land near One Tree Bridge. They lived in rough temporary huts provided by the Government until 25 acres of each family’s ballot-allocated 100 acres was partially cleared. Then they could move to their respective blocks and get down to the serious business of farming. Clearing took six months, the bush was thick and the trees enormous. Most of the group settlers had no experience of farming and very little bushcraft. With only crosscut saws and axes they were faced with clearing some of the world’s biggest trees from their land. Many group settlers left unable to handle the conditions and meet the repayments on their land and equipment and the locans they had to take out to buy stores. Those that stayed the longest scratched a living from dairy produce as they struggled to clear enough of their land to farm. The great depression of the 1930s heralded the end of most of the Groupies. The price of butterfat collapsed and their main source of income disappeared.’ In 1933 the bridge was damaged by fire. The deck was replaced with hand hewn jarrah and at the same time curbs and handrails were added, In 1943 it was declared dangerous but nothing was done until 1948 when it was restored. In 1964 part of the old log bridge collapsed into the river. In 1971 when a new bridge was being built the old log bridge was hauled out of the river and placed as a memorial to people’s engineering ingenuity of the early twentieth century. This remnant of the original bridge is retained as a main tourist attraction adjacent to the new bridge with interpretive material relating to its history. One Tree Bridge receives a number of hiking tourists as it is also on the Bibbulmun Track.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Poor Authenticity: Moderate

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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