Travellers' Inn Ruins

Statement of Significance

The stone ruins of the old Travellers Arms (Inn) / Half-Way House have high social and historic significance to the shire of Mundaring and the State of Western Australia for their associations with early travel, communication and settler's movement through the district with the opening up of the agricultural land to the east of Perth.

Physical Description

The stone wall ruins of the former Traveller's Arms (Inn)/Half-Way House are located just off the Great Southern Highway behind the Lakes Roadhouse, at the junction of Great Eastern Highway. The low walls, located among large trees, varying in height from ground level up to about one metre are all that remains of the former inn. The remnants of the stone walls are deteriorating an need to be stabilised before an appreciation of the significance of the place is lost forever.

History

The ruins of the Travellers Arms (Inn) are located near the present day Lakes Road -house, at the junction of the Great Eastern and Great Southern Highways. The inn was built c.1855, on land purchased by Robert Doncon near Manaring Lake. Doncon had previously operated Halfway House, an Inn on Ensign Dale's original route to York, surveyed by Phillip Chauncy in 1846. However, in 1849, Chauncy's route and Doncon's Halfway House Inn were by-passed by the newly surveyed "King Dick's Road" to York, a route paid for by discontented York settlers. It was on this new York Road that Doncon built and operated the Travellers Rest Inn. However, in January 1857, probably as a result of simultaneously operating the Travellers Rest and Kings Head in York, Doncon advertised the former for sale or lease. Lessee Henry Horton purchased the inn outright in 1858. After some refurbishments, it became known as Horton's Halfway House. In November 1860, the Inn was the location for the capture of escaped bushranger James Lilly. As she passed through in 1863, visiting Parson's wife Mrs Edward Millet, described Halfway House as a "Primitive sort of house, and in the sitting room to which I was shown were great sofas, suggesting the idea that they often served for beds". Between 1876 and January 1880, Horton was responsible for carrying the mail to and from York.
The advent of the Eastern Railway, which reached Chidlow's Well in March 1884 and York in June 1885, heralded the end of the importance of Halfway House and other York Road Inns which supplied travellers' needs. JM Barnes made an attempt to revive the Inn in 1918, but it finally closed after it was partially destroyed by bushfires in the later 1920's and early 1930's. A 1939 sketch by DL Cummings shows the Inn in a dilapidated, though retrievable condition. At present, the site is a ruin.
The owners have advised Council that they have further historic information available (letter to council dated 13th June 1996).

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low

Condition

Ruins

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.