Pemberton, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Pemberton is a town located in the South West
region of Western Australia
, named after the early settler Pemberton Walcott. It is the home of the karri
tree, the largest tree in Western Australia and the third largest hardwood
tree in the world. It is connected by public transport to Perth via Transwa
coach services SW1 and SW2.
The region was originally occupied by the Bibbulmun Australian Aborigines who knew the area as Wandergarup, which in their native tongue meant ‘plenty of water’. The first European to settle in the area was Edward Brockman who arrived in 1861 and established a pastoral station on the Warren River, in the present day Pemberton district. This was a year before Pemberton Walcott, the man who the town would eventually be named after. The settlement, itself, was founded in 1911 and proclaimed a town the following year. In 1913, the newly-established, government-owned State Saw Mills began construction on twin sawmills at the settlement, then known as Big Brook, for the purpose of helping supply half a million railway sleepers for the Trans-Australian Railway
. The mill site was located in a valley to ensure the mills had a regular supply of water and because it was easier to roll logs down hill to the mills. The name Pemberton first started being used in 1916 and by the early 1920s, the mill town was well established. During the 1920s and again following the Second World War, the government attempted to boost the area’s population through incentive schemes but was only moderately successful on both occasions. In October 1925, the town was officially renamed Pemberton.
Log sawmilling was still the most active industry in 2005, comprising 12.8% of the town's workforce, despite the state government drastically reducing old growth logging in 2003. Rather than shut down, Pemberton's mill switched to plantation blue gum
and pine
in addition to karri.
Viticulture
is now widely established with many investment schemes buying up large areas of pastureland and converting to vineyards.
contains three climbable karri trees, each in excess of 60 metres tall. The most famous is the Gloucester Tree
, but there is also the Diamond Tree
and the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree
, which is the tallest of the three and stands at around 71 metres. Each of these trees has been fitted with metal rungs which allow visitors to climb these trees and reach the constructed lookout at the top.
Other tourist attractions include the Pemberton Tramway Company
and the Bibbulmun Track
. Tours include river cruises, hiking, canoeing and four wheeled drive
tours of the national parks surrounding the town.
The town's annual festival is the Marron
and Wine Festival held on the Australia Day
weekend in January until 2008, when it was moved to May. Pemberton is recognised as one of the premier cool climate wine regions in Australia, and hosts many wineries in the region.
In July 2007, Pemberton was ranked #3 on a list of ugliest towns in Australia in an article featured in the Australian Traveller magazine. This ranking was largely based on the author’s belief that Pemberton was reminiscent of the fictitious town Lumberton from the 1986 thriller movie Blue Velvet. This caused public outcry from Western Australians many of which choose Pemberton as their favourite tourist destination. Pemberton has been showcased on many travel shows as being a number 1 nature destination in Australia. It is surrounded by karri forest with five national parks within 20 minutes drive from town and has plenty of rivers, streams and dams for recreation.
Southwest, Western Australia
The Southwest is a loosely defined area in the southwest corner of Western Australia. Various regionalisations have provided formal definitions of the area, but these do not coincide.* For the drainage division, see Southwest corner of Western Australia...
region of Western Australia
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...
, named after the early settler Pemberton Walcott. It is the home of the karri
Karri
Eucalyptus diversicolor, commonly known as the Karri, is a eucalypt which is native to the wetter regions of south west of Western Australia.-Description:...
tree, the largest tree in Western Australia and the third largest hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
tree in the world. It is connected by public transport to Perth via Transwa
Transwa
Transwa is Western Australia's regional public transport provider, linking 275 destinations within Western Australia, from Kalbarri in the north to Augusta in the south to Esperance in the east along with the regional centres of Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Northam, Geraldton and Albany.Transwa is...
coach services SW1 and SW2.
History
Trans-Australian Railway
The Trans-Australian Railway crosses the Nullarbor Plain of Australia from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia...
. The mill site was located in a valley to ensure the mills had a regular supply of water and because it was easier to roll logs down hill to the mills. The name Pemberton first started being used in 1916 and by the early 1920s, the mill town was well established. During the 1920s and again following the Second World War, the government attempted to boost the area’s population through incentive schemes but was only moderately successful on both occasions. In October 1925, the town was officially renamed Pemberton.
Modern day
During the 1980s, Pemberton began to grow as a tourist town and tourism, particularly domestic, continues to play a key role today.Log sawmilling was still the most active industry in 2005, comprising 12.8% of the town's workforce, despite the state government drastically reducing old growth logging in 2003. Rather than shut down, Pemberton's mill switched to plantation blue gum
Blue Gum
Blue Gum usually refers to the subspecies or the species in Eucalyptus globulus complex, however it may also refer to a number of other species of Eucalyptus in Australia. Confusingly, in Queensland it usually refers to Eucalyptus tereticornis, which is known elsewhere as Forest Red Gum.* Gippsland...
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
in addition to karri.
Viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
is now widely established with many investment schemes buying up large areas of pastureland and converting to vineyards.
Tourism
The nearby Gloucester National ParkGloucester National Park
Gloucester National Park is a national park in Western Australia , 281 km south of Perth and about 3 km from Pemberton, Western Australia....
contains three climbable karri trees, each in excess of 60 metres tall. The most famous is the Gloucester Tree
Gloucester Tree
The Gloucester Tree is a giant karri tree in the Gloucester National Park of Western Australia. At 72 metres in height, it is the world's tallest fire-lookout tree, and visitors can climb up to a platform in its upper branches for a spectacular view of the surrounding karri forest...
, but there is also the Diamond Tree
Diamond Tree
The Diamond Tree is a giant Karri tree located 10km South of Manjimup, Western Australia on the South Western Highway.A wooden viewing platform built in 1939 is located 52 metres up, and is the oldest wooden platform fire look-out still in use today....
and the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree
Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree
Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree originally a fire lookout tree was turned into a climbing tree in 1988. It is located in the Warren National Park in southwestern Australia. The two tonne platform, 75 meters up, is reached by climbing 130 metal spikes hammered into the trunk.-External Link:* -...
, which is the tallest of the three and stands at around 71 metres. Each of these trees has been fitted with metal rungs which allow visitors to climb these trees and reach the constructed lookout at the top.
Pemberton Tramway Company
Pemberton Tramway Company operates a tourist railway from Lyall to Pemberton in Western Australia. Trams run from the old WAGR railway station at Pemberton to Northcliffe. A steam hauled passenger train operates between Lyall and Pemberton.-External links:*...
and the Bibbulmun Track
Bibbulmun Track
The Bibbulmun Track is a long distance walk trail in Western Australia. It runs from Kalamunda, east of Perth to Albany and is almost 1000 km long...
. Tours include river cruises, hiking, canoeing and four wheeled drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
tours of the national parks surrounding the town.
The town's annual festival is the Marron
Marron
Marron is a name given to two closely related species of crayfish in Western Australia. Formerly considered a single species, it is now thought to comprise two species, the critically endangered Cherax tenuimanus, and the species which is outcompeting it, Cherax cainii.Marron make excellent eating,...
and Wine Festival held on the Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
weekend in January until 2008, when it was moved to May. Pemberton is recognised as one of the premier cool climate wine regions in Australia, and hosts many wineries in the region.
In July 2007, Pemberton was ranked #3 on a list of ugliest towns in Australia in an article featured in the Australian Traveller magazine. This ranking was largely based on the author’s belief that Pemberton was reminiscent of the fictitious town Lumberton from the 1986 thriller movie Blue Velvet. This caused public outcry from Western Australians many of which choose Pemberton as their favourite tourist destination. Pemberton has been showcased on many travel shows as being a number 1 nature destination in Australia. It is surrounded by karri forest with five national parks within 20 minutes drive from town and has plenty of rivers, streams and dams for recreation.