Macpherson Homestead
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One kilometre east of the Carnamah
townsite via a signposted driveway on the north
side of the Bunjil-Carnamah Road.
The state heritage-listed Macpherson Homestead was one of the first
buildings in the district in the late 1860s. The homestead's grounds are lined
with old vehicles and machinery.
Free, with
donations appreciated.
The homestead and its outbuildings can be visited at any time.
If you'd like to look inside the main building, please call
George on 08 9951 1690 or 0439 966 040.
homestead@carnamah.com.au
Carnamah Museum
Carnamah's online
Virtual Museum
Visit Carnamah website
Check out the online exhibitions
Macpherson
Family and
A Pastoralist Family, discover the
homestead's history or read biographies
for members of the
Macpherson family in our
Biographical Dictionary.
History of the Macpherson Homestead
The homestead was the home of Duncan and Mary Macpherson who settled in
Carnamah with their children in 1868. The Macpherson's established a
pastoral station named
Carnamah, and during their 70-year residence their
homestead was known as
Carnamah House.
The northern telegraph line to Champion Bay (Geraldton) was built passing
their homestead as it was the only permanent residence in the district.
The last link that joined up the completed telegraph line was connected
in Carnamah on 5 June 1874. A telegraph office was run from an
outbuilding by Duncan’s daughters for almost 40 years.
Following the deaths of Mary and Duncan Macpherson their unmarried
children George, Maggie, Donald and Bessie lived out the rest of their
lives at the homestead. After Bessie's death in 1939
the homestead was owned by the widow of her nephew Percy and Percy's son
Malcolm. They leased and
later sold the homestead to local farmer George S. Ferguson.
Over the years the homestead changed hands, became unoccupied and
rapidly deteriorated. From 1979 to 2004 the Carnamah Apex Club, Carnamah
Restoration Society and the Carnamah Historical Society restored the
homestead with locally raised funds and grants from Lotterywest. In 1981
local farmers Glendon H. and Jennifer M. A. Lane donated ownership of
the homestead and a parcel of surrounding land to the Shire of Carnamah.
For a number of years the partially restored homestead was used each
week by the Carnamah Brownies. Following the conclusion of restoration
works the homestead was furnished with donated items before being
officially opened on 23 October 2004 by Ian Macpherson (whose father
Malcolm and grandmother Ellen were the last Macphersons to own the homestead).
The Heritage Council of Western Australia assessed the homestead as
having "played an important and successful role in the development and
growth of the Carnamah district" and that "the place has particular
structural interest, with its high walls and steeply pitched roof and
bush rafters." The homestead is a permanent entry on the Heritage
Council’s State Register of Heritage Places.
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Duncan Macpherson
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Mary Wilson / Macpherson
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Aeneas Macpherson
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"Locke" Lachlan Wilson Macpherson
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"Jock" John Macpherson
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"Bessie" Elizabeth Macpherson
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"Maggie" Margaret Macpherson
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"Bill" William Wilson Macpherson
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"Don" Donald Macpherson
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"Alick" Alexander Macpherson
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George Macpherson
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Albert Nebrong
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"Fanny" Frances
Nintigian / Ryder
●
Percy Campbell Macpherson
●
Ellen Eugenia
Haddrill / Macpherson
●
Jessie Nebrong / Dido
●
"Dido" Joachim Dido
●
Malcolm John Campbell Macpherson