Heritage Council Awards 2019
The Pickering Brook Heritage Group received a Commendation Award at the 2019 Heritage Council of Western Australia Awards Ceremony held at Fremantle Prison on Friday 29th March. The group was formed on the 13th February 1994 by David Godbold and other passionate local residents dedicated to the preservation of the regions history. From this grass roots beginning, the group has gone on to archive significant milestones in researching, preserving and displaying local history. This yeat we celebrate their 25th year.
PICKERING BROOK HERITAGE GROUP REPRESENTATIVES #1
JIM GORDON Committee Member, BECKY LAMONT Oral Historian, GORDON FREEGARD Webmaster
Unfortunately most of the historic sites, in the area, have been destroyed over the years by various means. Depletion of the jarrah forest, bushfires, land resumption, white ants and unfortunately, appalling Local and State Government decisions.
Mason & Bird Sawmill
Canning Mills
Zig Zag Railway
Barton’s Mill
Carilla Community Hall
Pickering Brook Store
Carinyah Forestry Settlement
The Carilla Bus Service
Barton’s Mill Prison
Plus Seven Schools
ALL GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are but a few examples of their lost heritage sites.
So what do you have left?
Photographic images, written and oral stories.
The most noteworthy decision was made 10 years ago to preserve what is left by creating our very own Website. And also to record the oral history of the pioneers that are left.
Today this website covers the history of those huge sawmills and the 700 families that worked them. The early pioneer settlers and their social history and over 250 weddings are featured. It also contains an extensive record of 8 schools with photos and names of 100s of children that attended them dating back to 1869.
Plus much more.
2019 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE COUNCIL COMMENDATION AWARD #5
JIM GORDON & GORDON FREEGARD ENJOYING THE SPOILS #6
It has enabled the group to make contact with descendants of local pioneers from all over the world. It has been able to provide many of them with details and photos of their families that they have never seen before. And in turn, they have supplied images and stories to add to and enlarge the website.
It has proved to be a mainstay of their recorded history, alongside the oral history recordings.
To celebrate their 25 years we will be releasing a book on the History of Pickering Brook at the 25th Anniversary Celebrations on Sunday 10th November 2019.
The Judges were impressed by the interactive nature of the website which allows members of the public to research their own family history.
The Pickering Brook Heritage Group are extremely proud and thrilled to be recognised by the Heritage Council for their work involved in collecting, preserving and distributing the history of Pickering Brook, worldwide.
References: Article: Pickering Brook Heritage Group
Photos: 1, 3, 6 Becky Lamont
2, 4, 5 Heritage Council of Western Australia