A Pictorial History of Donnybrook Sandstone

1895 – 1896 Baxter & Princes Timber Mills

Irishtown, Donnybrook. Loc 55 and Loc 1108

Contract for sleepers Cue Mullewa line

Port development for jarrah, export and local.

Baxter is first to bring steam ship to Bunbury

Mr NOLAN search for stone for mole, wharf.

1898 built Adelaide Steam Ship Company Fremantle

HCWA ? McIIlwright Building Fremantle. Dbk Stone

1902 SL NSW bcp-02149h C. W. Arnott building

contractor Rueters Telegram Building also inc Lady

Shenton Hotel, Mezies WA

Lady Shenton and rooms in 2013 are Menzies CRC

and Visitor Centre.

Coolinguttup Brook: Donnybrook stone said to be

in a building once, is used as stone in the water

way. Photo’s taken 2012 {June access}

A timber bridge across Preston River in location of

Coolinguttup Brook entry from Irishtown.

Baxter built first bridge across Preston River at

Irishtown. Not located exact location.

Remnants by Loc 55 of river crossing, unknown at

this stage.

Possibly this is related to the first settlement of

Donnybrook?

1898 St Patricks Church Fremantle (Brasilica)

Donnybrook, Adelaide, Sydney and Cottesloe

stone use18 94 Missionary Oblates of Mary

Immaculate first community here in Australia from

Ireland.

Un-dated at this stage handworking Donnybrook

Stone Quarries handshaped blocks

Note; hand chipped stone to right, regular uniform

strokes of worker displayed

1905 Donnybrook Railway Station

SLWA photo

Railway turntable, goods shed

HCWA Railway Precinct area

Un-dated Manually working at Donnybrook

Stone Quarry. Note dog holes in rock. Chipped

residuals or spawls. Possibly split on bedding of

rock.

Un-dated Horse team on Donnybrook Quarry

floor. Note; team lead grey and heavy shafter.

Rock piles support crane.

1906 Anglican Church Donnybrook built from local

Donnybrook stone. SW Hwy

1902 – 1904 Parliament House WA

Donnybrook Rottnest Stone possibly NSW stone?

STATE & NATIONAL Monument

1903 Donnybrook W.A. Railway Station

HCWA part of Railway Heritage Precinct also crane.

Crane was upgraded for lifting stone.

1906 Bunbury Court House Stephen Street

HCWA (d) dressingss of Donnybrook stone,

Newton Moore laid foundation stone Wallis &

Boundy builders.

Bridgetown Church pictured sandstone window

areas. Unknown if Donnybrook Stone or local areas

of sandstone used. Not yet viewed other Bunbury

building, Busselton, Collie, Bridgetown. Viewing

with city regional link in mind at present

Donnybrook stone fence, SW Hwy Donnybrook

Various property’s in Donnybrook exhibit this style

of sandstone block. They appear hand shaped

from tool marks. Date of fence unknown

Tooling marks on rejected stone, early hand worked

stone.

Donnybrook stone steps, early use rough shaped

stone

Tooling marks on rectangular regular sized stone.

Similar shaped and tool marked viewable in

Irishtown Crown Reserves

190

1908 Newspaper clipping Local Industry

Loading donnybrook stone at the quarries

1907 Sandstone Goldfields slwa b2980885-1

McManaways Palace Hotel 19/07/1907

C.W. ARNOTT contractor Goldrush influences to WA

1907 Fremantle Railway Station HCWA

1908 when S.B. Alexander undertook this building

opened his own quarry.

1908 cartage of Donnybrook Stone outside the

Railway Hotel Donnybrook W.A.

Note the grey horse with faded mane and heavy shaft

horse. Travelling from the north. 4.5 ton block

1908 Railway Station Donnybrook loading a five ton

stone. Hand pick marks similar to the TIMELINE Face

1910 Briggs and Rowland selling Stone as firebricks for

bakers ovens from their Donnybrook works

1910 Donnybrook Main Street bw slwa

View south note light-lamp {unsure fuel type}

Billy Hill noted as lighting the lights when they were

gas. Agricultural Hall also had gas lights.

1912 Donnybrook Railway Station

HCWA Railway Heritage Precinct goods shed 2013

Plans drafted for part of heritage precinct. Stone was

carted here by horse power. Yet to confirm bullock

use but is said to have occurred. Stone was loaded

here for transport to Perth by train.

Unsure of age example of use of raw Donnybrook

Stone. Small church Collins Street Donnybrook

Backs to Soldiers Memorial Hall, Lesser hall, Stone use.

Pallasi Architects (2012-13) to be incorporated shire

use in upgrade of administration buildings.

Midland workshops Cavill and Edwards cut upto 2

meter Grindstones at Rocksprings. (fmr Government

Quarry known locally as Rockby Springs)

Michigan trueing a 3 ton grindstone. Not Dbk. Ex.

Grindstone and hand shaped Donnybrook stone at

Tom Clay’s “Claysville” Irishtown Dbk 2013 Tom was a

builder, farmer and also assisted at the quarries

1911-1912 (d1972) AMP Building S.B. Alexander

1913 court action, qualities and indifferences

Clay land

title

1904,7

Woods

1900’s

Rocksprin

gs

1914 C.W. ARNOTT Ballarat Courier VIC not settled

definitely, it is understood POST OFFICE buildings will

be entrusted to CW. Father was Riverina builder.

CW Arnott also built Forbes Union Bank

Importance significance increased due to

TIMELINE affect only example yet found. View

multiple methods, decades of extraction in one

glance. Frost Green Gold and State Heritage

reference this location 2720 as ARNOTT’s Quarry

historic TIMELINE Government Face

1912 Guildford Grammar School Chapel

Work on site at the Chapel working Donnybrook Stone

Sullivan Compressor WG 3 from 1918 catalogue

Remnants of a Sullivan Compressor remain at Grist Rd

Grist Road Private Land quarry is well represented by

the State Heritage Office. Now Known as A.T. BRINES.

Grist Road Private Land Quarry System. This area is a

group of old workings spanning the scarp of Irishtown to

a Hardy Place private property. The State Heritage Office

has named this area A.T. BRINES No 3 Quarry. It is

considered of state significance. At this stage the Crown

Reserves are not. BRINE’s has an amazing crane system

in situ along with various working implements and an

old shed. Possible archaeological digs may occur in the

future. It is wonderful but the public wont have access.

As most know the historic Government Quarry is most

well known as it has seen recreational use for decades.

1916 C.W.ARNOTT record blasting at Donnybrook

Quarry 13,000 cubic feet moved for GPO 80’ long x

14’ high. This CENTRAL Face appears blasted, the

floor is full of residuals, the water goes under the

waste on the floor and comes back out in the moss

garden residuals. Irishtown Crown Reserves

Loc 21583

1914 GPO Quarry opened historical build well known

outbreak of war. CW Arnott building contractor. Also

owner Australian Lumber Co.

Donnybrook Stone preparation for GPO

1915 Foundation stone laid strong distinct step in

development of the state. NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

1914 -1923 “The Might of the Commonwealth”

The Perth GPO, Commonwealth Post Office

Pillars of donnybrook stone being erected

Building contractor Charlie Arnott

GPO Rubble at foot still

GPO central Perth Forrest Place build ctr C.W. Arnott

1920 Blackwood Rd Donnybrook slwa b2946397-1

View looking to the south, horse and sulkys outside

Railway Station area, opp Donnybrook Hotel

1917 Burt Memorial Hall C.W. Arnott building

contractor fine workmanship, Dressings of Dbk Stone

HCWA

1918 Western Australian Shipbuilding Company

FEDERAL CONTRACT

Professional Directors

C.W. ARNOTT

S.B. ALEXANDER

A.T.BRINE

additional persons also

1919 C.W. ARNOTT building contractor

Our Returned Soldiers, Soldiers Homes. First home

completed an attractive residence built in 28 days.

Erected under Commonwealth Bank War Service

Home Scheme. Contract 13 homes.

Second Ave Inglewood

1919 Soldiers Memorial Hall Donnybrook

Donnybrook Stone building raw hand worked stone.

1919 Soldiers Memorial Hall, Dbk, WA

J. Bradshaw note stonemasons apron and hand tools.

Jack Bradshaw noted as Blacksmith also.

Jeff Jeffery carted

stone with a horse

and dray. Large

stones were as

much as a horse

could pull.

Sometimes

dependant on size

six stones at a time

could be carted.

1921 MUSOLEUM of LORD FORREST

Scupltor Porcelli – Donnybrook Stone

1923 Natural Science Building UWA laying

foundation stone of first permanent building.

C.W. Arnott, building contractor

1923 Opening of GPO Perth FEDERAL Legistlaters now in

Perth agree that the new GPO rivals the Commonwealth

Bank in Sydney, as the most sumptuous and impressive

Federal Building in AUSTRALIA. It has literally changed

the face of Perth.

1922 Economic Stores Building also known as WALSH’s

C.W. Arnott building contractor

classified National Trust 1978

HCWA?

1920 – 1930’s local knowledge of working changes

to machine extraction, teamsters still working,

Donnybrook stone quarries Irishtown.

1920 – 1930’s Donnybrook stone quarry floor

1929 St Georges College UWA C.W. ARNOTT building

contractor. Laying the foundation stone

1929-3 St Georges College Charlie Arnott contractor

Donnybrook stone entrance and dressings

C.W. Arnott Contractor emblazoned on boom of cranes

St Georges College UWA. Significant contracts history

C.W. Arnott St Georges College , UWA. finish

Donnybrook Stone fireplace

1930-33 C.W. Arnott Newspaper House

HCWA 02111 part of HCWA 02112

1910 – 1933 HCWA 02112 importance, significance

increased as buildings create a TIMELINE effect

The TIMELINE effect in the Irishtown Crown Reserves

on the Government Face is currently un-recognised

as significant to the State by SHO.

1930 Font for St Georges Cathedral Donnybrook Stone

Natural Heritage Irishtown Crown Reserves

Donnybrook stone waterway Loc 21583

Natural Heritage Freestone selection area, Donnybrook

stone water way feeding into historic CENTRAL Face

Loc 21583 Irishtown Crown Reserves

Natural Heritage Freestone outcrop and waterway in

dry summer months Loc 21583 Irishtown Crown.

Enjoyed as recreation area over generational family’s

C.W. ARNOTT not stone but a significant contributor to the

culture of recreation in the bushland, Yanchep Inne

Yanchep Inne

Hand worked residual

stone located in

water way below

historic CENTRAL face

Loc 21583 note dog

lifting hole,

chip/stroke marks on

stone in vicinity

appear to be regular

/uniform angle

SHO yet to recognise

Loc 21583 CENTRAL Face tunnel or gulley of

residuals. Uniform sized piles possible work area

for shaping of blasted stone to rectangular or square

stone blocks for transport. SHO yet to recognise.

CENTRAL Face appears very early method

moss grown on regular pick marks ? stonemason

hole for lifting ? quarrymans holes made for splitting

on line of rock bedding. Blocks like this remain in situ

in a wall section. SHO not yet identifying this area.

Handchipped

spawls or

residuals of

Donnybrook

Sandstone loc

21583 below

CENTRAL face in

waterway. This

area is a tunnel of

stone, stone

mounds to left

and right SHO x

CENTRAL Face

Loc 21583 this

quarry floor is

filled with residual

stone, the water

way goes under

here to the quarry

floor fills and

leaves the area at

the moss gardens

or tunnel of hand

worked and size

stacked spawls

1929 -32 Hackett Memorial Buildings Winthrop Hall

UWA, A.T. BRINE building contractor, stonemasons at

work on location. Note mechanical saw for stone.

Appears possibly Dbk Stone being worked high content

silica –white powder. Limestone previlant in build also

A.T. BRINE workmen placing a keystone in place UWA

Hackett Memorial Buildings – Winthrop Hall

possibly limestone keystone from visible texture

Local knowledge available of Brines bringing

competent machine operator to Donnybrook 1930’s

1929 the start of the Hackett Memorial Buildings and

Winthrop Hall. Rural setting on the grounds of UWA

UWA Centenary Celebrations 2013 Winthrop Hall

lit up with a timeline of scholars Photo credit UWA

1927 ? Irishtown stone use for extensions to St Mary’s

Cathedral A.T. BRINE builder of extensions. Local

knowledge available. Earlier build un-known stone loc?

1928 un-loading 5 ton Donnybrook Stones for

St Marys Cathedral extensions. Note the dogs/lifting

Undated Patroni’s horse team working in Irishtown,

Donnybrook WA. Hauling timber to Eades Mill Irishtown.

Men worked across the timber and stone industry.

Patroni name not yet seen on stone record.

Commonwealth Bank A.T. Brine DBK stone supplier

Local knowledge of cartage and extraction available

1932 Commonwealth Bank imposing ebullient design

minimalist to achieve promote confidence in future

during depression years use of donnybrook stone

Connecting

city with

regions work

during hard

years in

country also.

1931 Eades and Grist

timber mill opens in

Irishtown at 142

Irishtown Rd. Baxters

in vicinity of Loc 55

and 1108 this Marshall

Steam Engine is part of

a replica mill at the cnr

SW Hwy and Irishtown

Rd TLC need also a

timber whim no cover.

Donnybrook Arboretum at the corner of Irishtown Road

and SW Hwy is a Recreation area vested in shire. It has

not seen any maintenance since the late 70’s erection of

the spotmill replica etc. A few dangerous trees have

recently been removed and bollards installed to try to

assist with vehicle movements through the planted area.

It is one of several Arboretums planted in the SW to

monitor the growth of various varieties of trees for use

as plantation timber. Small groves of Sydney Blue Gums

tower over the landscape making the corner viewable

and easy to pick in the landscape from the heights of

Irishtown (the tree tops are taller), it has been touted by

shire as an entry statement to Donnybrook but alas no

plans are in place.

A stand of

Sugar Gum

at the

Arboretum,

as you enter

Donnybrook

on the left, it

is also the

entrance to

Irishtown

formely

known as

Quarry Rd,

historically.

Baxters Mills in vicinity, Loc 55 Stone House.

First Irishmen settle in this area Ports is Baxters also.

Loc 55

Youth of Australia LeagueBuilding is where these

Donnybrook Stone Pillars are still standing today.

1960’s Charlie Bennett contract for stone for extensions

to Parliament House PERTH W.A. 1963 etched into stone

at Grist Rd Irishtown Donnybrook Stone Quarry.

Sheila Bennett Charlie’s wife (94 years old) when

asked of the faces and old workings at Grist Rd and

Irishtown Reserves I quote: “They should be for all to

see!”. Significance to community and state!

The Government Face Irishtown Crown Reserves loc 2720 Extremely important locally at a state level, one off.

Significance increased only sandstone face known to include extraction from 1900 to 2013 on one face. Right to left

blasted, hand picked, drilled, bed split, face continues to the left. Approximately 2 to 3 building stories high

Bed split area TIMELINE Face ? was bed split,

drilled and removed with multiple drill lines,

stepping still evident from bed. Continue to

left shows machine guttering ? and chain cut

? stone unworked from close. Sculptors

Society remove stone from floor 1970’s.

Left side of TIMELINE Face, continues on

showing guttering? First chain cutters?

onto more modern first saws to actual

current 2013 abrasive saw cut. Mine Closure

Plans can allow mining a deep quarry and

protecting this significant heritage in a

significant timeline of methods and decades

Loc 21583 CENTRAL Face

Crown Land. Remnants of

early stone workings.

Located down stream of

remaining Central face

photographed by councillor.

Assessment document by

State Heritage Office not yet

identifying areas such as this

in the Irishtown Crown

Reserves. Identified as Parks

& Recreation for decades.

Loc 21583 Central Face horizontal bedding of rock, Loc 2720 Timeline Face horizontal bedding of stone utilised (at left)

to extract stepped blocked stone. If you view the prior Timeline face photo you see the horizontal bedding lines of the

stone on a much larger scale through all of the extraction methods utilised due to the significant size of the flow line of

the Donnybrook Stone exposed and viewable. SHO not yet seen the importance of this face to the state of WA. Possibly

SHO assessment has not currently seen the true STATE treasure this Government Face actually is, yet.

Bennetts Quarry near 21583 or 2720 in Irishtown Crown Reserves Natural freestone selection area, possible first

channel cut/guttering machine, natural sandstone water flow over exposed white sandstone a little higher on outcrop

This is th

e on

e and

on

ly sand

ston

e face iden

tified w

ithin

Au

stralia to h

ave a TIMELIN

E of extractio

n m

etho

ds o

f sand

ston

e on

the sam

e face w

all.

It is a STATE treasu

re, it is the h

istoric G

overn

men

t Do

nn

ybro

ok Sto

ne Face lo

cated in

Irishto

wn

crow

n rese

rves, Do

nn

ybro

ok W

estern A

ustralia.

The q

uarry h

as seen m

od

ern e

xtraction

recently, th

is high

lights fu

rther th

e imp

ortan

ce of H

ERITA

GE co

nsid

eration

and

ultim

ately listin

g of th

is

histo

ric accou

nt o

f 100

years of th

e DO

NN

YBR

OO

K STO

NE STO

RY. Th

is face signify’s a large p

art of D

on

nyb

roo

k’s iden

tity, ou

r cultu

ral heritage as

do

es the Irish

tow

n C

row

n R

eserves th

emselves. Th

is TIMELIN

E Face the h

istoric C

ENTR

AL FA

CE an

d resid

ual w

orkin

gs, the n

atural h

eritage

sand

ston

e waterw

ay, selection

site, and

Ben

nets sm

all wo

rking, se

lection

site and

natu

rally expo

sed w

hite san

dsto

ne w

ashw

ay abo

ve have b

een

recom

men

ded

for in

clusio

n o

n th

e Local H

eritage Inven

tory w

ith Th

e Shire o

f Do

nn

ybro

ok B

alingu

p.

Min

esite op

eration

un

der th

e guid

ance o

f a lead agen

cy in th

is instan

ce Dep

artmen

t of M

ines an

d P

etroleu

m can

see the reso

urce o

n th

e floo

r of

this h

istoric area e

xtracted w

itho

ut d

isturb

ing o

ur to

wn

and

state treasure, th

is TIMELIN

E face is a MO

NU

MEN

T to th

e Do

nn

ybro

ok Sto

ne STO

RY,

it is no

t on

ly loved

bu

t is need

ed fo

r curren

t and

futu

re generatio

ns. O

ur to

wn

is in d

esperate n

eed o

f op

po

rtun

ity, this is C

RO

WN

Land

it signifys

ou

r peo

ple o

ur state

and

ou

r city and

regio

ns w

orkin

g to b

enefit each

oth

er, a join

ing o

f city to o

ur regio

n, o

ur to

wn

Do

nn

ybro

ok. O

ur fo

rebears

wo

rked h

ard to

access th

is hard

rock, it is tim

e to se

e them

recogn

ised b

y their w

ork b

eing p

reserved at th

e ston

e face and

in fu

ture d

isplayed

for

“all to see” !.

A Pictorial history of donnybrook stone This pictorial account of Donnybrook Western Australia’s contribution to the State of

Western Australia and the Commonwealth is given as a brief guide of a chronology

history.

This paper is complimented by;

The Chronology of events in the Story of Donnybrook Stone’s past,

The Local Knowledge of Early Donnybrook Freestone Industry, and

The Brief Overview of the 2013 Donnybrook Stone Industry.

All will benefit from further research and fact finding.

I welcome any information or comment available from any person or department, with a

focus of future protection of Donnybrook’s Stone heritage and history both Natural and

Built, future knowledge of the same and future Heritage Tourism for Donnybrook.

Joining City and Regional.

A similar picture to our community . A TIMELINE of Donnybrook Stone, a water feature depicting the

natural landscape and modern additions to a center square for Public Use, FORREST PLACE Perth WA.

In the Parks and Recreation Reserves in Irishtown we have a TIMELINE government stone face, a natural

Donnybrook Stone waterway, remnant Jarrah Forest and modern cut and extraction lines. This locally is

on Crown land, Donnybrook is yet to see a return to her for what she has created for the STATE of

Western Australia. The ability to share both Forrest Place and the Crown Land joins the people of our

state both city and regional, with knowledge, understanding and care, citizenship.

Contact; Ms June Scott, PO Box 779, Donnybrook, WA 6239

junescott@westnet.com.au September 2013