THE
HANDBOOK
OF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA,
BY
The Reverend C. G. Nicolay,
FELLOW OF KING'S AND QUEEN'S COLLEGES, LONDON
PERTH:
BY AUTHORITY: RICHARD PETHER, GOVERNMENT PRINTER.
1880.
To His Excellency
GOVERNOR Sir Wm. C. F. ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.,
etc., etc., etc.
Sir,—In fulfilment of the trust which I had the honour to receive from you, I have completed the M.S. for a Hand-book of Western Australia, in which I have endeavoured to carry out your instructions and to make it as generally useful as the space to which it was limited would permit.
There has been much difficulty in the selection of materials, still more in deciding what might be omitted. I can scarcely hope to have been altogether successful, but I shall be well satisfied if I obtain your approval, and if I have succeeded in affording such information about the Colony as those having interest or desiring to settle in it might require, and which is not to be found elsewhere.
- I have the honour to be,
- Your obliged and obedient Servant,
- C. G. NICOLAY.
- Your obliged and obedient Servant,
- I have the honour to be,
Perth, 31st August, 1877.
CONTENTS.
| 1 |
| 15 |
| 47 |
| 65 |
| 101 |
| 121 |
| 165 |
| 169 |
| 171 |
| 172 |
| 174 |
| 178 |
| 179 |
| 181 |
| 186 |
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Perth, showing the principal public buildings (Photo., Chopin) |
Frontispiece |
Falls of the Serpentine, over granite and gneissic rock from face of Darling Range (Photo, from drawing by C.H. Prinsep) |
15 |
St. Mary's Lake, as type of estuary of river, but with West Mt. Barren and Mt. Bland, masses of quartz schist in the distance (Photo, from sketch) |
47 |
The Swan, from tram road below Fremantle Bridge, showing outlines of coast limestone (Photo, from sketch) |
65 |
Glengarry, the first sheep station on the Greenough River, showing the dry bed with pools (Photo, from sketch) |
101 |
Roe's Rock, Fitzgerald River, from above Buto's pool, showing escarpment of sandstone rising from granite rock (Photo, from sketch) |
47 |
These six give the principal outlines as well as the geological formations of the colony, and both will be found in accordance throughout it.
PREFACE.
The information proffered in the following pages to those who desire some more general knowledge of Western Australia than has been accessible hitherto, more especially to such as may be seeking a new field for the employment of their labour or capital, has been derived from so many and various sources that reference to all, or indeed to many, has been found impracticable. When collected, the material at the disposal of the Editor might well be termed "ruda indigestaque moles"; it is not, however, the less to be relied upon, as the larger portion is based on documents existing in the different public offices and returns furnished by heads of departments in the public service. Yet, in the selection from and arrangement of so large an amount of matter, it can scarcely be expected that some omissions will not have been made and some errors crept in; but if the work supply an immediate want, and lead up to something more perfect hereafter, the labour will not have been in vain.
An unexpected delay in the publication has given opportunity for the insertion of additional matter of interest which was not available when the original M.S. was sent to press.
The principal events which have occurred in the interval are the following in the order of arrangement in the text.
In 1879, Alexander Forrest explored the country to the East and North beyond the DeGrey River. His route was first to Beagle Bay, and from thence crossing to King Sound he traced the course of the Fitzroy River, which he found broad, deep, and rapid, flowing through an open well-grassed valley to the junction of its affluent, the Margaret, but failing to penetrate the rugged passes of the Leopold Ranges, from which the main stream descends, he followed their course to Collier Bay, and from thence returning on his tracks, and proceeding up the valley of the Margaret, he discovered extensive well-watered plains, of which he writes, "These which are of granitic formation comprise not less than 1,000,000 of acres, and, judging from the richness of the herbage, would carry, I imagine, no less number of sheep. This is, in my estimation, the finest part of West Australia that I have seen, and I hope that before long it will be covered with flocks and herds,"—a hope which is already in process of realization. Proceeding Eastward over much good country, A. Forrest came to a river some 200 yards wide and running strong to the North, which he concluded must flow into the sea in Cambridge Gulf, and which he named the Ord, after Sir H. Ord, then Governor of the Colony; but some of his party being sick, having only twenty-five days rations left, and being then still three hundred miles from his ultimate destination, the Adelaide and Port Darwin Telegraph Line, he was unable to trace the course of the river; and proceeding Eastward, after much hardship, at length successfully accomplished his long and arduous exploration. He reports the limestones found to the West of King Sound as similar to those near Eucla.
The principal events during the Government of Sir H. Ord were:—
- The opening of the railway from Geraldton to Northampton.
- The establishment of a fortnightly mail service with Europe.
- The raising a loan for £200,000, principally for railway communication between Fremantle, Perth, and the Eastern Districts. :The abandonment of all proposed harbour improvements at Fremantle, in consequence of the report made by Sir John Coode.
- The increase of the Volunteer Force by a Company at Albany, and formation of a Naval Artillery Company.
- The occupation of the Gascoigne District.
Sir H. Ord left the Colony the 8th of April, and was succeeded by Sir W. C. F. Robinson, K.C.M.G., who returned to the Colony from the Government of the Straits Settlements, and was sworn in on the 10th of the same month. Since then the railway has been completed from Fremantle to Perth, and will be ready for traffic to Guildford by the beginning of 1881. Also, the Pensioner Force has been disbanded, and a subsidy of £4,000 a year given by the Imperial Government for the increase of the Local Force, which was thus rendered necessary.
The Revenue and Expenditure for the years 1878-9 were:—
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| 1878—Revenue | 150,094 | 8 | 9 | Expenditure | 198,213 | 8 | 3 |
| 1879—Do. | 184,065 | 0 | 11 | Do. | 195,812 | 4 | 5 |
and during the same period the trade of the Colony was represented by
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | ||
| Imports, 1878— | 74,496 | 16 | 10 | Exports, 1878— | 428,491 | 3 |
| Do., 1879— | 86,978 | 0 | 8 | Do., 1879— | 494,883 | 10 |
To the schools of the Colony has been added one for the education of girls, established by the Bishop of Perth.
The staff of the Protestant Episcopal Church has been increased by Clergy, stationed respectively in the Williams River District, at Dongarra, and at Nickol Bay.