OUR BEGINNING
On the 13th February 1994, an informal meeting of “Old Identities” was held to discuss the formation of a Heritage Group within the district of Pickering Brook. It was the brainchild of a former resident, David Godbold, who had a dream to capture and record the history of the district. Unfortunately, David has passed away, but his dream is still alive and active.
The first official meeting of the formed Pickering Brook Heritage Group was held at the Pickering Brook Primary School on the 30th March 1994. David Godbold was elected as President and the Committee Members as follows:
Former Pickering Brook resident
David GODBOLD (Dec'd)
Founder of the Pickering Brook Heritage Group
(#1)
About the Pickering Brook Heritage Group
1998 – Officer Bearers
President: David GODBOLD
Vice President: Beverley GIUMELLI
Secretary: Millie SALA TENNA
Treasurer: Lyn O’MEAGHER
Committee: Malcolm BEARD, Peter MERCY, Lyn POLETTI, Marilyn ROLLINGS, Helen ROSS, Vin SALA TENNA & Tony VINCENTI
1998 – Committee
(Standing)
Helen ROSS, Mary GAVA
(Seated L-R)
Vin SALA TENNA, Lyn POLETTI, Malcolm BEARD, Jim GORDON, Beverley GIUMELLI, Millie SALA TENNA
The Aims of the Pickering Brook Heritage Group were established and reported as follows:
1. Record interviews of district elders, which could subsequently be committed to a written word.
2. Collect household and farming articles for preservation.
3. Collect and preserve photographic evidence still in existence including newspaper articles, letters and minutes of early committee meetings and their relevant groups.
4. Investigate the possibility of acquiring an appropriate “old” building reflecting the early timber industry. Such a building to be re-located to the original site of the Carilla Hall and to be used to store and display the history of the district.
5. To act as a focus for the long term preservation of the history of the district.
6. To seek approval from the Kalamunda Shire to use the reserve which was the original site of the Carilla Hall to re-locate a historic building for the exclusive use of the Pickering Brook Heritage Group and members of the community.
7. Identify points of local interest
OUR HERITAGE PARK TODAY
The Construction of the 'All Purpose' Shed
The ‘All Purpose’ Shed – Story of:
2015 …..
The City of Kalamunda offered the Pickering Brook Heritage Group a large ‘unused’ and ‘unwanted’ shed that was situated at the Forrestfield Horse & Pony Club. The Shed was given to our group ‘free’ of charge by the City of Kalamunda, however, we were required to dismantle and remove the shed & then re-erect it at our Heritage Park.
With the help of staff at the City of Kalamunda, Jim GORDON, Peter NEWING, Malcolm BEARD, Peter FANTUZ, and other volunteers, dismantled the large ‘green’ shed and transported it to the Heritage Park at Pickering Brook.
Plans were lodged at the City of Kalamunda and approval was given to commence the shed erection.
2016 (May) …..
The site was prepared by our very own David VALLIS (committee member) and we were ready to commence the construction.
Our group employed Stephen DELLA FRANCA to lay the concrete pad at ‘mates rates’.
Eric ALTINIER and other generous volunteers became a ‘dad’s army’ group and spent tireless hours in the months following
in a combined effort to erect the shed to its completion.
2016 (September) ….. Our new ‘All Purpose’ shed was finally completed and ready to be occupied.
Following the erection of the shed, Ray FUFARO, Eric ALTINIER, and David VALLIS built us a Store Room within.
Emma ROSS and husband Nunzi VACCA donated the timber for the construction of the storeroom and Bunning also generously supplied goods and building materials for use in our building project.
Later, David VALLIS generously built our little kitchen area where now, on special occasions, serve refreshments and food.
The shed still needs some more work – outside painting, Office/Storage shed and furniture need a coat of paint. So we
will be seeking further donations of paint and volunteers with paint brushed at hand to complete the painting of the Store Room/Office.
The painting of the outside of the shed will have to be a ‘fund raising’ effort to enable the purchase of paint and for us to employ
a local spray painter to give our shed a new and vibrant look
To all those volunteers, businesses, and for all the generous donations of time and money
….. our appreciation and thanks go out to you all.
A Natural Disaster in Pickering Brook
Tragedy struck the Heritage building In Pickering Brook
On 22nd August 2024 at about 3.15 pm I received a phone call from the Pickering Brook Primary School. They were having a staff meeting when a shattering noise silenced the meeting and they instantly realised that there was a major problem nearby.
On behalf of the PBHG I am very grateful to Mr. Tunney for calling me and alerting me to the fact that a very large pine tree had fallen across the Heritage Building.
All praise to the City of Kalamunda for their prompt attention to this tragic situation and within the following day all the debris had been removed and we were left with the disaster that met our eyes.
Thankfully the tree had the decency to fall in between the War Memorial and the main
Heritage building. The damage to the building was minimal in terms of structure, but the roof sustained considerable damage.
However, the veranda was different story – completely demolished and the boundary fences nearest to the Heritage building have been flattened.
We now await the City of Kalamunda Insurers to assess the situation before renovations can commence.
History is made up of events of the past and this is just another episode in the establishment of our local Heritage Park.
References Article:
Supplied by Pickering Brook Heritage Group
Images: 1 Helen ROSS