Mogumber Mission (fmr) & Cemetery

Child Places

• 17815 Mogumber Cemetery

Statement of Significance

Mogumber Mission (fmr) and Cemetery, a site containing the remains of buildings, structures and camping places relating to the Moore River Native Settlement (1917-1951) and to the Mogumber Methodist Mission (I951-1967), and including a gazetted cemetery, is of cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
• the place is probably the most important site in Western Australia representing government policies, social attitudes and racist theoretics towards Aboriginal people throughout the twentieth century;
• the place represent the effects of the Aborigines Act 1905 on Aboriginal people from all over Western Australia;
• the place was one of the main government settlements in Western Australia of Aboriginal children from all parts of the state, who were removed from their families, relocated and detained against their will between 1917 and 1951;
• the place is a benchmark site for teaching the history of Aboriginal culture in Western Australia from the time before European settlement to the present; it has potential to provide valuable insights into the development of the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the region and the state and to contribute to the process of reconciliation;
• the place is important to a large section of the Aboriginal community in Western Australia for cultural, religious, social and educational associations;
• the cemetery is an important social and spiritual centre for the high percentage of Aboriginal families in Western Australia who have relatives buried there, and is one of the largest Aboriginal burial grounds in Austra lia;
• the place is important for the ways in which traditional Aboriginal culture and language were influenced by the bringing together of people of diverse Aboriginal backgrounds from across the state;
• the place is important for its association, from the 1950s, with the phase of history influenced by missions for Aboriginal people run by religious organisations;
• the place is important for associations with a number of prominent members of the Aboriginal community including a number of elders and notable Aboriginal spokespersons;
• the place has historic value for its associations with A.O. Neville, Chief Protector of Aborigines from 1915 to 1940;
• the place is important because its aesthetic qualities evoke memories of the history of generations of Aboriginal children who lived there from 1917 to the late 1960s; the visual beauty of the setting including remnants of the settlement and mission give the place a peaceful quality which belies its history; and
• the place is important for its integration of the physical remnants of the settlement with its landscape setting - the components together creating a significant cultural landscape. The aesthetic value of the setting is characterised by a feeling of the overall dominance of natural features; of particular importance is the proximity of the place to the river which also has spiritual significance for Aboriginal people.
In 1996, a new house was constructed on the northern side of the entrance to the mission area. This is clearly separate from the mission buildings and is of little significance. Prior to this, however, a new toilet block was constructed on the site. In itself the building is of little significance , however it has been located within the settlement area in the approximate location of the former chapel and hospital and is consequently an intrusive element. Water tanks sited within the location of the former staff quarters are also considered intrusive to the significance of the place.
Aesthetic Value
The aesthetic value of the place to those associated with it, is derived from the memories that are prompted by the visual components of the place. In aesthetic terms the place is beautiful. The physical beauty is derived from the setting and the individual components that comprise the cultural environment. The remnants of the settlement and mission which remain, however, are the components which give the place aesthetic value beyond the visual beauty of the setting.
The cemetery is of aesthetic significance to those associated with the history of the place and to the Aboriginal community in Western Australia. The grave markers of shell and cast iron crucifixes represent a memorial to those who died there and the tranquillity and isolation of the site serve to reinforce the poignancy that the aesthetic of the place evokes. The aesthetic value reinforces the spiritual significance to the place.
The remnants of the settlement including buildings, trees, roadways and other elements remain within a dominant landscape which is characterised by natural elements including the topography of the site, river and the surrounding farmland. The aesthetic value of the setting is characterised by a recognition of the overall dominance of natural features and in particular the river.
The aesthetic significance of the setting is reinforced by the pine plantation which remains the visually most dominant aspect of the settlement's history and gives a sense of peacefulness to the place.
The aesthetic value of the place is due to the contributing effect of a number of element which combine to form a significant precinct. These elements include:

• picturesque avenues of mature introduced species of pines and other trees that mark the street where buildings have disappeared;
• the remaining structures from the settlement period including the church, isolation ward, former administration building, butchers' shop and gaol;
• 'ruins ' indicating the location of former buildings, such as the Superintendent's house, dormitories, laundry and other structures no longer extant; and,
• the remaining structures from the mission period including the houses, Nissen huts, swimming pool and tennis court.

Historic Value
The place represents the various phases of Aboriginal settlement including the traditional camping grounds adjacent to the Moore River, known as 'Palm Flats', the period of the government settlement represented by the Moore River Native Settlement from 1917 to 1951 and the mission period represented by the Mogumber Methodist Mission during the 1950s and 60s.
The place not only evidences the different lifestyles and settlement patterns of Aboriginal people on the Moore River, but also the changes that have affected Aboriginal people all over the state, in particular as a result of the influences of the Aborigines Act 1905.
The place is of historic significance as one of the main government settlements in Western Australia for Aboriginal people from all over the State who were relocated and detained between 1917 and 1951.
The place is of historic significance for its association with the Mogumber Methodist Mission from 1951 to 1968.
The place is of historic significance for association with numerous Aboriginal children from across the state who where removed from their families and grew up at Moore River. This group of people is historically significant, representing those immediately effected by government policy and community attitudes of the day.
The place is of historic significance for association with a number of prominent members of the Aboriginal community over the history of the settlement from 1917 to the present including a number of elders and notable Aboriginal spokespersons such as Jack Davis.
The place is of historic significance for associations with A.O. Neville, Chief Protector of Aborigines from 1915 to 1940, whose administration directly effected the lives of the residents of the Moore River Native Settlement during that period.
Scientific Value
The place is of scientific significance as a benchmark site for teaching the history of Aboriginal culture in Western Austral ia from the time before European settlement to the present. The place includes traditional Aboriginal camping grounds, spiritual sites and burial grounds as well as being the site of the Moore River Native Settlement and the Mogumber Methodist Mission.
The place is of scientific significance for its ability to reveal information about the various aspects of Aboriginal history and culture and in particular to understand the effect the Aboriginal Act 1905 had on the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of Western Australia. It has potential to provide valuable insights into the development of relation ship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the region and the State.
Social Value
The place is of social significance as probably the most important site in Western Australia representing the government policies and social attitudes towards Aboriginal people throughout the twentieth century. The place represents some implementation of the racist policies of the Aborigines Act 1905 including the removal and relocation of people, the re-education of Aboriginal people and eradication of Aboriginal culture, and other associated practices. For these reasons the place is of social, cultural, scientific and educational significance to the whole community in Western Australia and presents opportunities for social and cultural interchange and reconciliation .
The place is of social significance to the Aboriginal community in Western Australia. Those associated with the Moore River Native Settlement and Mogumber Methodist Mission came from many parts of Western Australia and therefore families from all parts of the state have associations with the place. The cultural, religious, social and educational associations with the place are an integral part of life for many former residents and their famil ies.
The place is of social significance for the effects it had on traditional Aboriginal culture and language, both of the local area and of the whole of Western Australia.
The place is of social significance to the numerous Aboriginal people from across Western Australia for whom the place provides the only memories of a childhood home. It is also significant to the high percentage of Aboriginal families who within living memory have associations with the place through family members. Association s with the place include both positive and negative experiences, perceptions and emotions.

The cemetery is of social and spiritual significance to the high percentage of Aboriginal families in Western Australia who have ancestors and relatives buried there, and is one of the largest Aboriginal burial grounds in Australia.
Rarity
The Moore River Native Settlement was one of only two comparable examples of a settlement established by the government in the early twentieth century for the purpose of relocating Aboriginal people. The settlements were established with the aim of teaching farming practices and domestic skills for the purpose of 'civil ising' Aboriginal people for integration into the white society. The other settlement was at Carrolup Reserve near Katanning which was settled mainly by people from the south west region and was more restricted in its area of influence. Although there are a number of examples of institutions including children's homes, missions and reserves, which represent aspects of life for Aboriginal people in twentieth century Western Australia, Moore River is unique in Western Australia for its size, purpose and extent of influence. For this reason it has a high degree of rarity.

Representativeness
The place is representative of a highly significant phase in Aboriginal/European relations in Western Australia. It represents the effects of racist and repressive government policy on the lives of Aboriginal people in the State throughout the twentieth century.

Condition
The physical condition of the place has varied considerably depending largely upon the attitudes and management practices of the various superintendents or administrators. In the late I 940s the removal and/or demolition of structures from the settlement occurred followed by further loss of buildings in the 1960s and 70s after the closure of the Mogumber Methodist Mission.

During the subsequent period the maintenance of the settlement has been varied. The remaining buildings from the mission period have had a program of maintenance and renovation and are in generally good condition. The buildings remaining from the settlement period include two buildings that have been renovated and several which are in fair to poor condition. Generally the condition of the site does not affect the assessed significance of the place. Integrity
The majority of buildings in the settlement are no longer extant, however the remaining buildings are a good representative sample of what once existed and the landscape elements, most notably the internal 'street' remain fairly intact.

At present only the Mission buildings are in use - primarily for residential and office use which is compatible with the significance of the place. The settlement buildings are not used. With care, the integrity of the place, which is high, can be sustained in the long term.
Authenticity
The authenticity of the Mogumber Mission (fmr) and Cemetery is high, since little has been done at the site. since the closure of the Mission. The cemetery, despite gazettal as any other common cemetery, has not been used for general burial purposes of the district.
The fabric of the church, administration building and butcher's shop are of high authenticity, having had little or no modification since closure of the Mission and possibly the settlement.
The detention centre and isolation block have been recently 'restored'. This work was not based on conservation principles and is not greatly intrusive although significant details in the detention centre have been removed - most notably the removal or painting over of all graffiti. Similarly, the Mission buildings have had maintenance work recently completed and these buildings are generally of moderate authenticity.
The cemetery burial area is of high authenticity and was untouched during recent work on the cemetery memorial project.

Physical Description

'The settlement sits on a natural terrace above the Moore River from which are had panoramic views as far as the north, west and south horizons, which are formed by ridgelines of the hills opposite' .
'The Mogumber Mission (fmr) and Cemetery is located within an operational farming property, vested in and operated by the Wheatbelt Aboriginal Corporation , and formerly the 'Settlement's' farming lands. It is a rural property with extensive cover of native shrubs and trees .... Within which are located sites relating to pre­ contact and post-contact traditional Aboriginal use (including traditional burials), early European settler fanning, and the remains of the 'Settlement' buildings, structures and camping sites relating to the 'Settlement' period. Within the property, some distance from the 'Settlement', lies a gazetted cemetery, in which are interred many former Aboriginal residents of the 'Settlement' .
The place is entered via a gravel driveway which extends past the Mission buildings to the 'Settlement' and on towards the farm. These areas form three separate groups of buildings which are described below:
Mission Buildings
On the northern side of the entrance driveway are three houses. The first has been recently built; the other two are sited within a large plantation of pine trees which date from the Settlement period. These are timber framed, asbestos clad buildings with zincalume roof sheeting, typical of c.l950s construction.
South of the entrance driveway is a cleared sandy area with some grass covering. There are four buildings of similar c.1960s design in this location which have recently been renovated. Two are used as dormitory-style accommodation and one as an office, meeting and exhibition space. The fourth, which is closest to the road, contains a commercial kitchen and dining hall. This building has weatherboard cladding to window height and asbestos above. There is also a small store building of similar construction. They are all in good condition.
Included in this group of buildings is the 'isolation block' which was constructed during the 'Settlement' period away from the other buildings. This will be described in the next section.
West of the Mission buildings is a tennis court which has a bitumen surface in very poor condition and is surrounded by a high cyclone fence. On either side of the court are two Nissen huts which are clad in rusting CG! sheets and have concrete floors. There is a caravan parked on the western side of the tennis court which is currently occupied. Also on the western side of the tennis court is a recently constructed toilet block which is of steel frame construction with rendered masonry and zincalume clad walls and a curved zincalume roof.

'Settlement'
Most of the buildings constructed as part of the 'Settlement' have since been demolished or removed from the site. However, enough physical evidence remains to retain a sense of the place having existed. This is primarily due to the substantial church hall which is located at the southern end of the former 'street' along which many of the structures were located. The street is defined by remaining pine trees and terminated by the site on which the Superintendent's house was located. The following physical description has been taken from the archaeological study:

Church Hall 1920
'The remains of the original building on the site can be seen, they are visible under the existing building and are of stone and mortar construction. The current building is a wooden structure approximately 18m x 12m at its widest point and is an L shaped building. Its current state of preservation is good though some work could and should be carried out.
The church was originally weatherboard but has been clad externally in asbestos sheeting which is in fair condition. The roof sheeting is unpainted CGI which is in fair to poor condition. Internally, the main hall is clad in horizontal timber boarding with some sections in fluted iron. The ceiling is plaster sheeting and the floor timber. A recent structural report has stated that the building appears to be structurally sound, however the finishes generally are in poor condition.
Detention Block 1946
'... is of limestone and concrete construction and consists of a number of small cells and a larger communal cell. The dimensions of the building are approximately l0m x 9m with the smaller cells being approximately 2111 x 3m . Since this report, the building has been 'restored' graffiti has been removed, the walls repainted and a new roof added.
Butcher 's Shop 1928
This building is timber framed with weatherboard cladding to window height. It has an unpainted CGI roof. It was, until recently, in good condition structurally, however a pine tree fell and badly damaged the western half.
Girls' Dormitory constructed 1919, additions 1922, demolished c.1948?
'... the building has been demolished and little remains of the original structure. The location of the Girls Dormitory can be established quite clearly, but the integrity of the site has been completely destroyed.
Boys' Dormitory temporary construction 1920,
' . .. the building has been demolished and the site has been largely cleared with very little evidence of the building. From the physical survey and the information provided by existing records the location of the Boys' Dormitory can be quite clearly established.'
Staff Quarters 1920
'The site has been largely demolished and much of the main buildings have been removed ... Although the main staff building has had all but the foundations for the building removed the staff building compound remains and has a number of features of interest included in it. The existence of clear gardens can still be seen and the surrounding wall itself is of great interest in demonstrating the building techniques employed at the site. The integrity of the site has been altered somewhat by the construction of a number of cement water tanks ...'
Superintendent's Quarters 1918
'... situated on the premier site in the settlement with expansive view over he surrounding area and overlooking the river. The site has been cleared and little, except for a few foundation stones remain . Some landscape items, such as trees and fences also remain.
Assistant's Cottage 1921
'... was located, according to departmental plans, at the north end of the main avenue on the eastern side. The cottage was at various stages improved upon and extended, however the physical site shows very little remain s in the area where the cottage should be...
Dining Room & Kitchen/Bakehouse 1926
'... were located near the hall at the south west end of the settlement avenue. This site is mapped on the original plans 1926, but the area shown on the plan, when surveyed, revealed little to suggest the remains of a building at the location although there was some debris at this site.'
Kinder garten c.1937
'... is positioned to the east of the main avenue in later plans. Very few remains of the buildings came from the survey of the area...'
Washroom c. l 920s
'The location of this building is mapped on the original 1926 plan, however the site where it is situated has been covered with debris form the donnitory sites.
Hospit al 1928
'The location of the building is extremely difficult to ascertain. Some of the later plans place the hospital to the east of the old settlement in the area which is now occupied ... it is likely that one of the current buildings is, or was built upon the hospital.

Store/Office c.1949
The original building was of a wood and iron construction and its location can be clearly seen on early plans of the site on the west side of the main avenue. The site which is specified in those plans has a building of brick, stone and tile construction on the site .
This later description appear to refer to the extant building which is of a domestic style, constructed from concrete block of a type commonly used in the post war period. The walls are painted. Window frames are timber casement and the roof is clad in painted CGI sheeting. Internally, the building has concrete floors. Structurally it is in good condition, however finishes are generally in fair to poor condition.
Other
There are various other remains of structures, generally retaining elements of floor structure and foundations only. Not all have been identified , however.
Cemetery
The cemetery is a gazetted burial site located away from the settlement area on the West Mogumber Road. It has a gravel access road, recently upgraded as part of a National Estate Grants Program project. This project involved landscaping around the cemetery, the construction of a memorial for the people buried there and fencing of the cemetery itself.
The burial area does not have any formally marked graves, however there are some iron crosses and groups of shells. A 'ground-probing radar' survey completed in 1993 showed the number and location of burials within the cemetery and identified some bodies at 'The Elbow' site along the river. The burial area at the cemetery is covered with indigenous vegetation that is largely undisturbed.
Fa rm Buildings
There are numerous buildings, sheds etc, that relate to the farming but have not been discussed in this physical evidence section.

History

Assessment 1998
1903 Diagrams 29196 and 29198 show Swan Locations surveyed in the area with J Atkinson as 'lessee or Grantee.'
1904 '...serious allegations concerning the treatment and condition of Aborigines employed in the pastoral indust1y were creating a storm in state Parliament. This led directly to the appointment of the Roth Royal Commission in 1904 and to the proclamation of the 1905 Aborigines Act'. Roth was commissioned to report on: the administration of the Aborigines Department; Aboriginal prisoners; the distribution of relief to Aborigines; and the general treatment and condition of the state's Aboriginal popu lation. 7
Early Settlement Period 1905-1924
1905 Passing of the Aborigines Act, providing increased powers for the removal and relocation of Aborigines. The stated aims of the Act were to provide for the better protection and care of the state's Aboriginal population, but in reality it was a racist Act as it defined Aboriginality on the bases of biology, rather than identification or lifestyle. 'In fact it laid the bases for the development of repressive and coercive state control over the state's Aboriginal population. It lumped a broad range of disparate persons together in a special legal category based on vague notions of Aboriginal ancestry and lifestyle. It set up the necessary bureaucratic and legal mechanisms to control all their contacts with the wider community, to enforce the assimilation of their children and to determine the most personal aspects of their lives'
The Chief Protector of Aborigines was responsible for the administration and execution of the Act. Under section 8 of the Act, he was 'the legal guardian of every aboriginal and half-caste child until such child attains the age of 16 years and had the right to remove children from their homes to missions or other institutions.
1915 A.O. Neville appointed Chief Protector of Aborigines in Western Australia. Neville was responsible for the development of the 'native settlement scheme' which 'provided a compromise between demands for the segregation of Aborigines from the wider community, the continuing need for Aboriginal labour and [a] determination to devise a solution involving an absolute minimum of expenditure. The scheme was seemingly self-contradictory based on the segregation of Aborigines on government-run farming settlements, it had as its ultimate aim their absorption into the wider community.
Carrolup Reserve (reserve no. 9089 . not gazetted but reported in AD 725/1915) was established near Katanning, in the south of the State as the first 'native settlement.
Throughout the early 1900s there were extensive difficulties for Aboriginal people in rural areas due to the spread of settlement, loss of traditional camping grounds and difficulties obtaining employment. As a result there was a general movement towards towns, with the greatest concentrations of Aboriginal people at Katanning and Moora.
1916 Carrolup Reserve was expanded to 10,000 acres to enable the development of a self-supporting agricultural settlement.
1917 Establishment of the Moore River Native Settlement (reserve no. 16833 GG2/I111917) at Mogumber on 9,600 acres of land, twelve of which had been cleared previously by farmers. The area was known as 'Palm Flats' and is described as 'an old meeting ground for the tribes. The land was thought to be suitable for a farm that would soon become self-sufficient, but this did not prove to be the case.
Moore River was initially conceived as a settlement station for Southern and Midland Aboriginal people, but the catchment area quickly expanded to include the Eastern goldfields, Murchison, Pilbara and the Kimberleys.
Although the place was established as a training farm for the Aboriginal people, their education was not confined to learning the skills of domestic servitude and labouring. Through their isolation on the settlement, the Aboriginality of the 'inmates' was controlled and trained out, and they were expected to adopt, either willingly or unwillingly, appropriate (white) forms of behaviour.
Plans for the settlement drawn up and early burials are located at 'the Elbow' and north east of the cemetery. The first shelters (for the white staff) were tents.
Between 1915 and 1920, expenditure on missions was cut back by half - gradually phasing them out of their role with children, who were sent instead to the settlements. Ellensbrook was the first children's mission to close in 1917.

1918 Aboriginal inmates averaged 22 in number.
The first building was constructed - a cottage, used as an office, store and assistant' s room. The Superintendent's five-roomed bungalow was built (the "big house") and a camp site for the natives was selected and cleared.
1919 93 'inmates' were registered.
A baker's oven was constructed, a dormitory for the young female inmates was completed along with a bake and cook house and a 'large shelter shed with a large open fireplace.
During this year, new laws came into force, under which an Aboriginal person of any age, from any part of Western Australia, could be removed from his or her place or residence and interned within the reserve.
1920 By June, the population of the settlement had reached 158. This brought intensive building activity including construction of the school hall (also to be used for concerts and as a church), levelling of the street, and construction of staff quarters.
Also constructed were a stable, sheds, a temporary dining room and a temporary boys' dormitory. Road works were undertaken including a small bridge across the main stream and a substantial stock yard. The settlement split its own fence posts and constructed furniture for the new school.
1921 Health problems were becoming more obvious; the doctor from Moora requested isolation and maternity wards be constructed. Fresh water was a persistent problem, despite digging numerous wells. Due to the lack of water, fresh vegetables, meat and milk were 'practically unknown'. Inmates supplemented their diet with kangaroos and fish and yabbies from the river.
One acre of land was set aside for use as a cemetery (reserve no. l 7702GG 20/5/1921).
Building works included repairs to the church/school hall, alteration of kitchen facilities and a new tradesman's hut and assistant's quarters.
The manufacture of clothing for Aboriginal people (and other government departments) began at the settlement.
1922 Closure of the Carrolup River Native Settlement in the south and removal of most of its inhabitants to Moore River.
Following concern over the water supply, an oil engine and pump had been installed to pump water from the river.
Additions to the girls' dormitory, a new kitchen built next to the dining hall, the two-ward hospital and wash house and bath rooms built and a sewing room constructed.
Six thousand garments were made by the women at the settlement.42
1924 More than one thousand blankets and seven thousand garments were made by the 'sewing room girls'.
Reference is made to the fencing of the whole compound. The 'Boob' also appears in records.
Middle Settlement Period 1925-1934
I 925 Introduction of new Superintendent John Brodie whose attitude was 'less of fatherly concern, ... and more of containment, control and full integration'.
1927 Brodie resigned following an incident where a young male inmate had been tarred and feathered. Arthur Neal took up the position and his wife took over as Matron. 'At the same time, extra funding was set aside to upgrade the settlement's farming activities. The settlement reserve was also increased in area to allow for the planting of a pine plantation by the inmates' .
1928 More than 300 people lived at the settlement (intended to house a maximum of 200 people). Over two hundred were accommodated at the settlement, while at least 100 people lived in camps on the site.
Facilities included a slaughter-house and yards, butcher 's shop and a carpenter's shop. Preoccupations of the settlement supervisor relate to repairs and maintenance and the provision of better washing and sanitary facilities. The original buildings had been built from second-rate material in a short time and ablution facilities were minimal.
1929 A hospital constructed to alleviate epidemics of diseases, such as measles, pneumonia, scabies and ch ickenpox, that were exacerbated by over-crowded living conditions and poor diet. This building had two eight-bed wards, a kitchen, offices and nurses' rooms, and was built of lime and cement concrete.
1932 Policy during the Depression was to bring as many people as possible into the settlement and other institutions. The population at Moore River reached its peak at nearly 500 people.so At the same time, Government funding was slashed and living conditions that were never good deteriorated further.
1933 The Aboriginal population of Northam is taken to the settlement.s1

Late Settlement Period 1934-1951.
1934 A Royal Commission was established into Aborigines which gave a very critical account of the settlement.
1935 £500 granted by the Lotteries Commission to extend and complete the hospital. This work included a men 's ward, surgery and operating theatre, nurses ' quarters, medical ward, children's room and offices. The Lotteries Commission also financed the construction of an electricity plant.
Treasury made available money to renovate all other buildings. A cow shed with yards and a lined two-roomed cottages was built.
1937 Lotteries and Treasury financed the construction of an infant's dormitory for 24 children, with a kindergarten and domestic sciences and manual training rooms for older children.
Funds granted for a new;'native village'. The site was surveyed, roads and paths constructed and trees planted. Six camps for single men were re-built from camps in Geraldton. Eight two-roomed cottages were begun and thirty blocks marked out for further cottages.

1938 Six cottages, a cook house and recreation room had been constructed in the village.
1939 A 0 Neville retired as Chief Protector and is succeeded by Bray.
1940 Superintendent Paget takes over from Neal. Bate describes this as 'a period ofrapid degeneration
Camp accommodation is described as: '14 single camps, to hold 2 persons each, and 6 married couples cottages, these accommodate 40 adults with a few young children. The remainder, 46 at present, are camped in old dilapidated tin humpies ...
People were still being brought into the overcrowded dormitories. Those that could not speak English, or whose names were difficult to pronounce, were given new names in '... a callous and racist fashion'.
1944 An outside inspector describes that 'the whole system [was] in a deplorable condition' Aboriginal people from Moore River write to Pe1th, complaining of the terrible conditions, resulting in a backlash of discipl ine, control and suppression by the supervisors.
1946 The detention block completed, replacing the shed known as the 'Boob'.62
1948 S G Middleton, with experience in papua New Guinea, took over as Commissioner of Native Affairs, bringing 'a new era of competence and active decision-making to the Settlement.' Seventeen buildings were demolished and replaced, others were extended or altered and 'a considerable amount of sanitation work' was completed.
1951 Following public debate, Middleton closed down the Settlement, believing that isolated institutions hindered government assimilation policies. The Government had little understanding of the situation, reporting that some inmates were 'blatantly exploiting the Institution by leading a life of complete idleness, wh ilst being fed and clothed and cared for, at the expense of the Govemment. The place was handed to the Methodist Overseas Mission and 'the inmates dispersed.
Mission Yea rs 1951-1968
1951 Name change to Mogumber Methodist Mission and the place is administered by the Church. This was a period of gradual rehabilitation. The quarters were abandoned and new buildings were constructed on a site east of the original Settlement.

Final Years 1968 -
1968 Legislation passed allowing Aboriginal people to be counted in the census and defining Aboriginality based on identification and custom, rather than biology. The Mission closed.
1973 The cemetery is vested in the Aboriginal Lands Trust.
1989 The land is vested in the Wheatbelt Aboriginal Corporation
The cemetery at Mogumber Mission is one of the largest Aboriginal burial grounds in Australia, containing over 400, mainly unmarked , graves

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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.