Kendenup, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Kendenup is a small town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia
, within the Shire of Plantagenet. It is 345 kilometres (214.4 mi) south east of Perth
and 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) north of Mount Barker
. The Great Southern Railway
(established 1889) passes through the town, being one of the original stations on the line. At the 2006 census
, Kendenup had a population of 1,290.
The town was once the centre of a vast sheep station
, and was, in the early years of the Western Australian colony, one of the largest farming enterprises so far established.
At the time of the first European discovery, the area was known to local Aboriginals as "Moor-ilup". "Kendenup" is another local indigenous word which was used to describe the area.
The upper reach of the Kalgan River
runs nearby.
led an expedition from King George's Sound (Albany) in April and May 1831 accompanied by aboriginal tracker Mokare. The expedition commenced by journeying up the Kalgan River
and overland to the base of the Porongorups. Collie was granted 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha) in the Kendenup area having been satisfied with its agricultural potential.
Other early land grants in the district were made to:
In 1838, Captain John Hassell sailed from England en-route to Van Diemen's Land
in the Dawson, intending to settle on a 500 acres (202.3 ha) grant on the Tamar River. Running low on water, he stopped at King George Sound
in Albany
where he met with the Government Resident, Sir Richard Spencer
who persuaded him to consider acquiring land in the vicinity. Hassell ultimately purchased George Cheyne's Location 27 and after returning to Hobart and New South Wales, arrived back at Albany on 6 March 1840 in the China which he had chartered for the purpose. His stock included 800 sheep, 12 cattle
and 10 horses from New South Wales
which he walked overland to establish a homestead and farm which he called "Kendenup". Hassell, who was known widely as Captain Hassell, acquired further properties and by 1850 had expanded the operation to 25000 acres (10,117.2 ha) freehold and 38000 acres (15,378.1 ha) leased.
Hassell's partner and brother-in-law was Frederick Boucher who had established the British and Australian Bank in London
in 1838. The bank failed in 1841 and as Boucher's assets were tied in with the collapse, Hassell found himself having to work closely with the bank's trustees as partners. Lieutenant Peter Belches
was appointed as the bank's trustees agent to realise on Boucher's assets.
After establishing the farm, Hassell lived mainly in Albany using managers to run the day-to-day operations on the station. In Albany he ran an import/export business which included managing the farm's wool sales to England. He travelled to Kendenup regularly to oversee the business. The Kendenup wool won many awards.
In 1856 the family settled at Kendenup. Captain Hassell's two eldest sons, John Frederick T. Hassell, and Albert Young Hassell, took control of operations and later married and settled there with their own families. Several homesteads and buildings were built to accommodate the families, some of which still stand and are listed and protected for their heritage value.
In the early 1870s the station boasted 30,000 sheep.
J.F.T Hassell left the property to live in Albany in about 1871/72 followed by Albert who ran the farm until 1886. Captain Hassell died on 15 August 1883, survived by his wife, five sons and a daughter. The property stagnated for the next 30 or so years, with J.F.T. Hassell attempting to sell it 1909. He died in 1919.
On 20 July 1869, the Government of Western Australia
offered a payment of ₤5,000 in the Government Gazette for the discovery of payable gold
. Hassell submitted stone samples from Kendenup in 1872 and was told that they were gold bearing. A five-ton consignment was sent to Victoria for crushing and returned four ounces of gold.
Encouraged by the prospects, the Standard Gold Mining Company was registered on 15 December 1874, with a capital of ₤3,000. A mine about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the town with a nearby five-stamp battery were built. The operation became the first to start mining in the state
. However, recoveries failed to live up to expectations and the battery crushed only ten tons of ore before being closed when the company went into voluntary liquidation on 5 June 1876.
The mine and battery are still visible, although in poor condition.
in July 1920, rural entrepreneur Jack De Garis
had heard that the Kendenup property was for sale by the Hassell family executors for £47,325, or £1 per acre. He offered £45,000 with a £1,000 deposit which was accepted, the offer being made prior to his inspection of the property. After having satisfied himself with an inspection De Garis proceeded with his plan of subdividing it into approximately 60 acres (24.3 ha) lots, selling the lots through the sale of debentures to settlers to the value of £150,000 using a closer settlement
model. He also purchased Kendenup East, a 6200 acres (2,509.1 ha) property which included a homestead and a 50 acres (20.2 ha) orchard, for another ₤1,000.
The "DeGaris Kendenup W.A. Development Company" was set up as the debenture issuer. De Garis planned for subdivision of the estate with a townsite which would include an administrative and civic centre, public parks, recreation areas, factory areas, a school and church sites. A dehydrating factory under the name of Kendenup Fruit Packing Company was established to pack farm produce for the community at a cost of ₤4,000.
He promoted the scheme around Australia, and from late 1920 settlers started to arrive and were granted farm blocks of between 10 and 60 acre (4 and 24.3 ) on the purchase of ten-year interest-free debenture notes to grow fruit, vegetables and other farm produce. However, the project was under capitalised and lot sizes were considered to be too small to be fully viable and after a peak of about 350 families settling, debenture sales dried up.
In August 1922 De Garis travelled to the United States
to raise urgently needed capital. The following classified advertisement was published in the New York Times on 13 August 1922.
$250,000 was promised but never materialised.
By 1923, the scheme had effectively collapsed with the company going into voluntary liquidation. About 30 families stayed on. In order to remain on their selections the Kendenup Settlers Association (Inc.) took up the fight. The government established a Royal Commission
'to inquire into and report upon the establishment of the settlement at Kendenup', headed by Commissioner William Grogan. Fraud by De Garis had been alleged prior to the Royal Commission but he was exonerated in the findings. A second Royal Commission headed by barrister Ross McDonald was held to look into the difficulties faced by the settlers and possible assistance which could be offered. Changes to the Act which governed the Agricultural Bank of Western Australia were made as a result. McDonald later worked pro bono
on the settlers' behalf to negotiate with creditors and the banks to enable them to purchase additional land and transfer the debentures to conventional mortgages.
Despite the setbacks, the settlement had provided much of the infrastructure for the current Kendenup township.
the town was the site of an internment camp housing 200 Italian prisoners of war
. The camp operated from 4 November 1943 to 23 May 1946. Internees were assigned as labourers to farms in the area.
Businesses nearby and within the town include a winery and accommodation options such as a lodge and several bed and breakfast
establishments.
The early homestead buildings are intact but on private property and therefore unavailable for inspection. The old mine and its battery are about 2 km south of the townsite on Jellicoe Road off Albany Highway
.
Rainfall averages from around 24 millimetre (0.94488188976378 in) per month in January to over 100 millimetres (4 in) in July.
Kendenup recorded 125 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 9am on 2 March 2005.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, within the Shire of Plantagenet. It is 345 kilometres (214.4 mi) south east of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) north of Mount Barker
Mount Barker, Western Australia
Mount Barker is a town on the Albany Highway and is the administrative centre of the Shire of Plantagenet in the Great Southern region of Western Australia...
. The Great Southern Railway
Great Southern Railway (Western Australia)
The Great Southern Railway was the name of a railway company that operated from Beverley to Albany in Western Australia between 1886 and 1896. In 1896 the Western Australian Government Railways took over this company and the railway route also kept the name.- Construction :The first sods for the...
(established 1889) passes through the town, being one of the original stations on the line. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Kendenup had a population of 1,290.
The town was once the centre of a vast sheep station
Sheep station
A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...
, and was, in the early years of the Western Australian colony, one of the largest farming enterprises so far established.
At the time of the first European discovery, the area was known to local Aboriginals as "Moor-ilup". "Kendenup" is another local indigenous word which was used to describe the area.
The upper reach of the Kalgan River
Kalgan River
The Kalgan River is a river in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.The mouth of the river is found at coordinates 34°57'3.13"S 117°58'41.41"E.- Geography :The river is long and, along with the King River, drains into Oyster Harbour...
runs nearby.
Early European settlement
Dr. Alexander CollieAlexander Collie
Dr Alexander Collie was a Scottish surgeon and botanist who journeyed to Western Australia in 1829, where he was an explorer and Colonial Surgeon.-Early life:...
led an expedition from King George's Sound (Albany) in April and May 1831 accompanied by aboriginal tracker Mokare. The expedition commenced by journeying up the Kalgan River
Kalgan River
The Kalgan River is a river in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.The mouth of the river is found at coordinates 34°57'3.13"S 117°58'41.41"E.- Geography :The river is long and, along with the King River, drains into Oyster Harbour...
and overland to the base of the Porongorups. Collie was granted 5000 acres (2,023.4 ha) in the Kendenup area having been satisfied with its agricultural potential.
Other early land grants in the district were made to:
- John Lawrence Morley, 4000 acres (1,618.7 ha);
- Lieutenant William Preston, 2000 acres (809.4 ha);
- George Cheyne, 19000 acres (7,689 ha) at 'Location 27'
- and in June 1830, Captain Thomas Banister, 5903 acres (2,389 ha)
In 1838, Captain John Hassell sailed from England en-route to Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
in the Dawson, intending to settle on a 500 acres (202.3 ha) grant on the Tamar River. Running low on water, he stopped at King George Sound
King George Sound
King George Sound is the name of a sound on the south coast of Western Australia. Located at , it is the site of the city of Albany.The sound covers an area of and varies in depth from to ....
in Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
where he met with the Government Resident, Sir Richard Spencer
Richard Spencer RN
Captain Sir Richard Spencer KCH was a sea captain of the Royal Navy who served in a number of battles, particularly against the French. Later in life he settled in Albany, Western Australia and was appointed Government Resident in 1833...
who persuaded him to consider acquiring land in the vicinity. Hassell ultimately purchased George Cheyne's Location 27 and after returning to Hobart and New South Wales, arrived back at Albany on 6 March 1840 in the China which he had chartered for the purpose. His stock included 800 sheep, 12 cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and 10 horses from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
which he walked overland to establish a homestead and farm which he called "Kendenup". Hassell, who was known widely as Captain Hassell, acquired further properties and by 1850 had expanded the operation to 25000 acres (10,117.2 ha) freehold and 38000 acres (15,378.1 ha) leased.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1838. The bank failed in 1841 and as Boucher's assets were tied in with the collapse, Hassell found himself having to work closely with the bank's trustees as partners. Lieutenant Peter Belches
Peter Belches
Lieutenant Peter Belches was an early explorer in Western Australia.Born in Scotland in 1796, Belches joined the Royal Navy. He was a midshipman on HMS Volage in December 1826, when it was anchored in Sydney Harbour along with HMS Warspite under Sir James Brisbane and HMS Success under Sir James...
was appointed as the bank's trustees agent to realise on Boucher's assets.
After establishing the farm, Hassell lived mainly in Albany using managers to run the day-to-day operations on the station. In Albany he ran an import/export business which included managing the farm's wool sales to England. He travelled to Kendenup regularly to oversee the business. The Kendenup wool won many awards.
In 1856 the family settled at Kendenup. Captain Hassell's two eldest sons, John Frederick T. Hassell, and Albert Young Hassell, took control of operations and later married and settled there with their own families. Several homesteads and buildings were built to accommodate the families, some of which still stand and are listed and protected for their heritage value.
In the early 1870s the station boasted 30,000 sheep.
J.F.T Hassell left the property to live in Albany in about 1871/72 followed by Albert who ran the farm until 1886. Captain Hassell died on 15 August 1883, survived by his wife, five sons and a daughter. The property stagnated for the next 30 or so years, with J.F.T. Hassell attempting to sell it 1909. He died in 1919.
Gold
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
offered a payment of ₤5,000 in the Government Gazette for the discovery of payable gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. Hassell submitted stone samples from Kendenup in 1872 and was told that they were gold bearing. A five-ton consignment was sent to Victoria for crushing and returned four ounces of gold.
Encouraged by the prospects, the Standard Gold Mining Company was registered on 15 December 1874, with a capital of ₤3,000. A mine about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the town with a nearby five-stamp battery were built. The operation became the first to start mining in the state
Mining in Western Australia
Mining in Western Australia, together with the petroleum industry in the state, accountedfor almost 90 per cent of the State’s income from total merchandise exports in 2008-09...
. However, recoveries failed to live up to expectations and the battery crushed only ten tons of ore before being closed when the company went into voluntary liquidation on 5 June 1876.
The mine and battery are still visible, although in poor condition.
1920 De Garis settlement
While in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
in July 1920, rural entrepreneur Jack De Garis
Jack De Garis
Clement John De Garis was an Australian entrepreneur and aviator, noted for his colourful marketing style and work in the dried fruits industries in the Sunraysia area around Mildura in the 1920s.-Early years:...
had heard that the Kendenup property was for sale by the Hassell family executors for £47,325, or £1 per acre. He offered £45,000 with a £1,000 deposit which was accepted, the offer being made prior to his inspection of the property. After having satisfied himself with an inspection De Garis proceeded with his plan of subdividing it into approximately 60 acres (24.3 ha) lots, selling the lots through the sale of debentures to settlers to the value of £150,000 using a closer settlement
Robertson Land Acts
The Crown Lands Acts 1861 were introduced by the New South Wales Premier, John Robertson, in 1861 to reform land holdings and in particular to break the squatters' domination of land tenure...
model. He also purchased Kendenup East, a 6200 acres (2,509.1 ha) property which included a homestead and a 50 acres (20.2 ha) orchard, for another ₤1,000.
The "DeGaris Kendenup W.A. Development Company" was set up as the debenture issuer. De Garis planned for subdivision of the estate with a townsite which would include an administrative and civic centre, public parks, recreation areas, factory areas, a school and church sites. A dehydrating factory under the name of Kendenup Fruit Packing Company was established to pack farm produce for the community at a cost of ₤4,000.
He promoted the scheme around Australia, and from late 1920 settlers started to arrive and were granted farm blocks of between 10 and 60 acre (4 and 24.3 ) on the purchase of ten-year interest-free debenture notes to grow fruit, vegetables and other farm produce. However, the project was under capitalised and lot sizes were considered to be too small to be fully viable and after a peak of about 350 families settling, debenture sales dried up.
In August 1922 De Garis travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to raise urgently needed capital. The following classified advertisement was published in the New York Times on 13 August 1922.
$250,000 was promised but never materialised.
By 1923, the scheme had effectively collapsed with the company going into voluntary liquidation. About 30 families stayed on. In order to remain on their selections the Kendenup Settlers Association (Inc.) took up the fight. The government established a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
'to inquire into and report upon the establishment of the settlement at Kendenup', headed by Commissioner William Grogan. Fraud by De Garis had been alleged prior to the Royal Commission but he was exonerated in the findings. A second Royal Commission headed by barrister Ross McDonald was held to look into the difficulties faced by the settlers and possible assistance which could be offered. Changes to the Act which governed the Agricultural Bank of Western Australia were made as a result. McDonald later worked pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
on the settlers' behalf to negotiate with creditors and the banks to enable them to purchase additional land and transfer the debentures to conventional mortgages.
Despite the setbacks, the settlement had provided much of the infrastructure for the current Kendenup township.
Internment camp
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the town was the site of an internment camp housing 200 Italian prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. The camp operated from 4 November 1943 to 23 May 1946. Internees were assigned as labourers to farms in the area.
Facilities
The town has the Kendenup Primary School (established 1921).Businesses nearby and within the town include a winery and accommodation options such as a lodge and several bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
establishments.
The early homestead buildings are intact but on private property and therefore unavailable for inspection. The old mine and its battery are about 2 km south of the townsite on Jellicoe Road off Albany Highway
Albany Highway
Albany Highway is a generally northwest-southeast highway in the south of Western Australia which links the state's capital Perth with its oldest settlement, Albany. The highway is approximately in length, is designated State Route 30 and separates Western Australia's Great Southern region from...
.
Climate
Kendenup has a temperate climate with warm to hot summers and mild to cold winters. While summer temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius, the average is around 26 degrees. Overnight temperatures can drop below zero degrees in winter but daytime winter temperatures average 10-13 degrees Celsius.Rainfall averages from around 24 millimetre (0.94488188976378 in) per month in January to over 100 millimetres (4 in) in July.
Kendenup recorded 125 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours to 9am on 2 March 2005.