Saturday, August 15, 2015

SMALL TOWNS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA (1)

I did a series previously on larger towns in WA so decided I'd wander around our great state and find some interesting smaller towns.  Some of these I may have visited, particularly in our south-west, but I am sure I will find many that are quite new to me so it's learning time again.

AUGUSTA:  is a town on the south-west coast of Western Australia, where the Blackwood River emerges into Flinders Bay.  It is the nearest town to Cape Leeuwin, on the furthest southwest corner of the Australian continent.  In the 2001 census it had a population of 1,091; by 2011 the population of the town was 1,292 (excluding East Augusta).


Augusta was a summer holiday town for many during most of the twentieth century, but late in the 1990s many people chose to retire to the region for its cooler weather.  As a consequence of this and rising land values in the Augusta-Margaret River area, the region as experienced significant social change
 The coastline near Augusta was first sighted by Europeans in March, 1622 when the Dutch East India Company ship Leeuwin (Lioness) mapped and named the land north of Cape Leeuwin between Hamelin Bay and Point D'Entrecasteaus 't Landt van de Leeuwin.  In 1801 Captain Matthew Flinders named the "south-western, and most projecting part of Leeuwin's Land" Cape Leeuwin.



The town was founded in 1830 and in March of that year a number of settlers, including John Molloy and members of the Bussell and Turner families, had arrived at the Swan River Colony on board the Warrior.  On their arrival the Lieutenant-Governor James Stirling advised them that most of the good land near the Swan River had already been granted, and suggested they form a new sub-colony in the vicinity of Cape Leeuwin.  (Lt Governor James Stirling):


The following month, Stirling sailed with a party of prospective settlers on board the "Emily Taylor".  After arriving at the mouth of the Blackwood River, the party spent four days exploring the area.  Stirling then confirmed his decision to establish a sub-colony, the settlers' property was disembarked, and the town of Augusta declared at the site.


Stirling named the town in honour of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, the sixth son of George III, due to its location within Sussex County one of the 26 counties of Western Australia that were designated in 1829 as cadastral divisions.  (Now, that is something I'd not heard of before).


Many tourist websites and information conflate Augusta and Cape Leeuwin with features that exist nearby.  In 2009, 2 Oceans FM (Augusta) was set up at the Augusta Community Centre and began broadcasting on 97.1MHZ FM.


We have been to Augusta many times and never failed to pay a visit to the *old water wheel (above) and the magnificent lighthouse.  My friend Judy and I once spent part of a camping holiday near Molloy Island, a short distance out of Augusta.


*The water wheel system was built in 1895 to supply water for the stone masons of the lighthouse and water to the lighthouse-keepers' cottages.  The water is supplied by a natural fall from a spring that exists in marshland approximately 330 metres away which in turn created a flow over the wheel which revolved and activated a ram pump to deliver water by pipe to the light house area.

It probably delivered about 1 litre (wasting 8 litres) every stroke, but it operated continuously day and night.  Because the level of the spring has subsided over the years, the water is now electronically pumped to the aqueduct.  It quickly became encrusted with a coating of limestone and is now frozen in rock.  As the water is now pumped electronically you can see how the water flows over each section of the aqueduct, eventually flowing over the stationary wheel creating a lovely waterfall.   The lighthouse is still being supplied water from the spring, but through mains pipes now - along with half the town.



 

11 comments:

  1. The water wheel and lighthouse are both beautiful. Thanks for the geography and history lessons. Very interesting, (But no pop quiz, please!)

    Happy weekend!

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    1. Thanks Susan and glad you enjoyed the lessons here and no, no pop quiz!!

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  2. Love the waterwheel. And the lighthouse.
    I have a weakness for smaller towns. They seem to hang onto the 'community' feel much better than cities.

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    1. Those two features fascinate everyone that visits Augusta. Some of the view thereabouts are spectacular. I too prefer smaller towns although with so many retirees now living in
      Augusta I feel the small town image may soon disappear.

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  3. Hari OM
    I got all interested in the land divisions stuff and went off sideways - very interesting! Did actually make it to the point where that sign about the oceans is, though we didn't stay there and head off North and inland again (that was the tour with my parents when they were based at Mandurah...).... this is gonna be another great series from you Mimsie!!! YAM xx

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    1. That land division stuff surprised me and I intend to do further research into it.
      Hopefully I will continue to be able to find some interesting smaller towns to talk about. xx

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  4. I love the lighthouse and the old water wheel, fascinating history.

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    1. As with S.A. we do have some fascinating history here in the west and some of it so different to your own state of course.

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  5. Love the example of Nature taking back. ;O)

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  6. Very cool, although it kind of struck a chord because there was something I had never considered before: the actual age of Australia. Growing up in America, I've accepted that the country is relatively young in the scope of everything, but I had never even thought of Australia as being relatively the same age. I think I have to go do some homework now and look at when it was founded. :)

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    1. Hi Robert, great to have you pay a visit and am very interested in your comments.
      Australia was founded n 26th January, 1788 shortly after the cessation of the American Civil War. This foundation took place on our eastern seaboard as the West wasn't settled until 1829 with the first settlement being established in Albany on W.A.'s south coast.
      If you do further checking about our island/conitnent you will find it is of a very great age. There is also a lot of history about the first inhabitants as well They had lied here for thousands of years prior to white man deciding to take over and establish themselves here.

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