Carnamah Town
Government Townsite Plan
The WA Government gazetted a townsite at Carnamah in 1913 due to an increasing population from the Ready Made Farms scheme. Upon inception the town was a few streets on the west side of the Midland Railway.
A Second Townsite
The land on the other side of the railway was owned by the Midland Railway Company, which they used to privately survey their own townsite. The two adjoining townsites were then in competition to one another and both contained a Macpherson Street!
Blocks in the government's townsite were available for selection from 1913, and the Midland Railway Company held their first sale of lots at an auction in 1914.
The Company's townsite developed more quickly and was extended with land from the Niven family's Craigend Farm. Macpherson Street in the government townsite was eventually renamed Slater Street.
Below: Caron Street, about 1930
The WA Government gazetted a townsite at Carnamah in 1913 due to an increasing population from the Ready Made Farms scheme. Upon inception the town was a few streets on the west side of the Midland Railway.
A Second Townsite
The land on the other side of the railway was owned by the Midland Railway Company, which they used to privately survey their own townsite. The two adjoining townsites were then in competition to one another and both contained a Macpherson Street!
Blocks in the government's townsite were available for selection from 1913, and the Midland Railway Company held their first sale of lots at an auction in 1914.
The Company's townsite developed more quickly and was extended with land from the Niven family's Craigend Farm. Macpherson Street in the government townsite was eventually renamed Slater Street.
Below: Caron Street, about 1930
The rapidity with which the Carnamah district and township have
progressed is one of the outstanding features of the State's rural
expansion. The district forms part of that wonderful belt of country
which stretches from Coorow to Mingenew, and its residents have every
reason to endorse the slogan, "The Midlands for Wealth."
Carnamah township has attained an important status in a short span of
years. Six years ago extremely few buildings existed, but then the
existing order underwent a radical alteration. In the past four years
building activity has been particularly brisk, so much so, that in the
last two and a half years 25 shops and dwellings have been erected. The
township is compact and many of the buildings are of attractive design
and built of brick. Business people have much faith in it. A noticeable
feature is the community spirit which is equally apparent in township
and district. There is a whole-hearted desire for future progress on
sound, solid lines.
Below: Western Australian Bank at 15 Macpherson Street - later the Bank of New South Wales and now Westpac. The right side of the photo is looking down Boojerabba Street, which in 1932 was renamed Robertson Street.
Below: Western Australian Bank at 15 Macpherson Street - later the Bank of New South Wales and now Westpac. The right side of the photo is looking down Boojerabba Street, which in 1932 was renamed Robertson Street.
Above: Carnamah townsite in 2011 with the enormous Yarra Yarra Lakes in the background
On 25 April 2013 the Carnamah townsite turned 100. For an entire century this small town has been at the heart of a community. It began either side of the railway station and slowly sprawled eastward towards the Macpherson's homestead Carnamah House. It has played host to births at the Carnamah Private Hospital, baptisms, weddings and celebrations, deaths, funerals and memorials. People have worked, run businesses, gone to school and gathered together to play sport, socialise and attend events. A town's heart is the community it serves and the people, both past and present, who call it home.
More on the Carnamah townsite and community is within virtual museum exhibitions:
Business Houses ● Roads to Government ● 10 Macpherson Street ● Carnamah Post Office ● Milk Cream & Butter ● Toys!
John Oliver
Congratulations on reaching 100 years!!!
Elsie Waghorn
My father Alan Oscar Fiebig opened the first Police Station in Carnamah in early 1936. The buildings were riddled with cockroaches and when he complained he was transferred to Mullewa. I went to the school which at that time was fairly close to the police station. Our family consisted of father Alan Fiebig, mother Ivy Evelyn Fiebig, myself, brother Brian.
Robyn Lucas
Miss Carnamah. Great place to grow up.
Gil Rooke
My memory of the town, as a six to eight year old, was that it was nicer than any other that I had seen. All the shops were in the McPherson Rd and roads ran off on either side. They were terminated by roads running parallel to McPherson Road. It had a distinctly pleasing sense of symmetry emphasised by the fact that, from the Hotel to the Main Road from Perth to Geraldton (Yarra Rd), Macpherson Street was surfaced with glistening white quartz stones. This was finished by an impressive war memorial, which itself was emphasised by a backdrop of the railway station. In my mind, there could never have been a prettier town and I missed the Railway station when I visited a few years ago.
Joan Scanlin
Spent some very happy years in Carnamah when young.
Dale Radburn (Boyer)
I grew up in Carnamah, my parents are Ray & Doreen (RIP) Boyer. I remember going to the drive-in every Sunday, Mr & Mrs Van Leen ran it. When I was at school we used to go to the drive-ins for lunch. Mr Van Leen used to let us go up and see where the movies were run. It was amazing. When I was at school I remember a teacher called Mrs Letts we use to go to her house and watch movies.. Sadly I don't get to visit Carnamah but I do miss it...
Carnamah Historical Society & Museum
Our thanks to Jenny McDonald for the aerial photograph of the Carnamah townsite and the photo of the Carnamah War Memorial.
Please help enrich our collective history by sharing your own comment, story or memories. Click here to go to the comment form or send us an e-mail to mail@carnamah.com.au
Congratulations on reaching 100 years!!!
Elsie Waghorn
My father Alan Oscar Fiebig opened the first Police Station in Carnamah in early 1936. The buildings were riddled with cockroaches and when he complained he was transferred to Mullewa. I went to the school which at that time was fairly close to the police station. Our family consisted of father Alan Fiebig, mother Ivy Evelyn Fiebig, myself, brother Brian.
Robyn Lucas
Miss Carnamah. Great place to grow up.
Gil Rooke
My memory of the town, as a six to eight year old, was that it was nicer than any other that I had seen. All the shops were in the McPherson Rd and roads ran off on either side. They were terminated by roads running parallel to McPherson Road. It had a distinctly pleasing sense of symmetry emphasised by the fact that, from the Hotel to the Main Road from Perth to Geraldton (Yarra Rd), Macpherson Street was surfaced with glistening white quartz stones. This was finished by an impressive war memorial, which itself was emphasised by a backdrop of the railway station. In my mind, there could never have been a prettier town and I missed the Railway station when I visited a few years ago.
Joan Scanlin
Spent some very happy years in Carnamah when young.
Dale Radburn (Boyer)
I grew up in Carnamah, my parents are Ray & Doreen (RIP) Boyer. I remember going to the drive-in every Sunday, Mr & Mrs Van Leen ran it. When I was at school we used to go to the drive-ins for lunch. Mr Van Leen used to let us go up and see where the movies were run. It was amazing. When I was at school I remember a teacher called Mrs Letts we use to go to her house and watch movies.. Sadly I don't get to visit Carnamah but I do miss it...
Carnamah Historical Society & Museum
Our thanks to Jenny McDonald for the aerial photograph of the Carnamah townsite and the photo of the Carnamah War Memorial.
Please help enrich our collective history by sharing your own comment, story or memories. Click here to go to the comment form or send us an e-mail to mail@carnamah.com.au
V i r t u a l M u s e u m :
Macpherson ● Railway ● Farms ● War ● Schools ● Roads ● Business ● Milk ● Electricity ● Tearooms ● Post ● Books ● Toys
Now featuring 10863 Bushranger presented by Act-Belong-Commit
