Heritage Information

The area was surveyed was in 1899. The town-site was gazetted as Boyup in 1900, although local usage was mostly "Boyup Brook". In 1908 there was a major expansion of the town-site, and the town-site was renamed Boyup Brook in 1909.[1]

The discovery of the area is credited to the explorer Augustus Gregory, Assistant Surveyor, who in 1845 conducted a survey mission, travelling from the upper reaches of the Blackwood River, where the Arthur and Beaufort Rivers converged, and followed the river for 171 kilometres. He carved his initials and the date on a large Jarrah Tree. The tree is now dead, but his marks are still on the stump, which has now been covered for preservation.

The first settlers arrived in 1854, when Commodore Scott and his wife took up a 12,000-acre lease. The first enterprise was dairying and the family produced butter and cheese, which was transported to Albany. Later, wool production took over as the main source of income.

In 1861, James George Lee Steere, his wife Caroline and Mr J Monger took up a 100,000 acre grazing lease. Ten years later, in 1871 came William Forrest, brother of Lord Forrest. By 1882 there were nineteen families here and in 1900 a school was built - the beginning of a town. In 1909 the railway from Donnybrook was completed as far as Boyup Brook and in 1911 was extended towards Kojonup. The early settlers etched out a living by kangaroo hunting, and timber cutting. Although sandalwood mainly grew in the Kojonup/Williams area, many of the early pioneers were involved in the industry as well as carting the product by horse and dray to Bunbury, as the old sandalwood track went through the McAlinden area.

This pioneering spirit lives on today, as evidenced by the community’s determination to secure equitable access to the best facilities that it can.

References

  1. Landgate & Shire of Boyup Brook - February 2009