Turtle Factory (fmr)

Statement of Significance

• The place has historic value for its association with a unique if poorly executed enterprise in Western Australia the processing of turtles
• The place has historic value for its association with a boarding house which operated from the premises and later the Star of the Sea school.
• The place has social value for members of the community who attended or were associated with the Star of the Sea school or the former boarding house.

Physical Description

It has not been established if any of the original building remains from the 1920s construction.

History

The former turtle factory was constructed in 1923 as an initiative of Chelonia Ltd, a company floated in Scotland with capital of £125,000. (Chelonia is the Latin name for turtle)
The intention of the company, as recorded in The West Australian, was 'the exploitation of turtles in Western Australian waters and the erection of a factory at Rockingham, south of Fremantle'. The turtles were to be collected on the North West Coast and the factory would produce turtle extract, soup and oil for export, in addition to turtle shell destined for Italy. It was further stated that 'owing to the nourishing qualities of turtle extract it was expected that the medical market alone could absorb all the company's products'. The manager of the project in Rockingham was William Benstead with local businessmen Herman Mandelstam and Henry Barron Rodway.
By October 1923, the factory was complete although production had not begun when visited by the Premier, the Colonial Secretary and other dignitaries. The guests did however have the opportunity try some turtle soup manufactured by the company. It was explained that the turtles were caught in the north west then placed on the deck of the local steamship service to travel to Rockingham. Hosing down the turtles twice daily was considered sufficient for the trip.
The building was described as being a substantial two storey structure built of Fibrolite, a local Western Australian trade name for asbestos. The company also had its own jetty to service the factory which was known locally as 'Turtle Jetty'.
Taggart writes that an event was planned at the Rockingham Hotel to launch the product but the turtles all escaped from the pens before the product could be tasted.
A report of the project in 1924 stated that the enterprise had failed and the key promoters were no longer to be found. The staff at Rockingham were discharged and the premises were abandoned until c1930 when the property was leased to A. H. Woods who opened a boarding house and renamed the building Peron House.
In May 1948, the building was opened as a parish school by the Sisters of Notre Dame des Missions, named the Star of the Sea School. The school functioned from this site until 1973.
During World War Two the building was used by the defence forces and modified with the addition of extra facilities such as a kitchen, toilet, showers, storerooms and sheds.
Aerial photographs indicate that the majority of the school buildings were demolished c1978. The largest remaining building, parallel to the coast was built between 1965 and 1974. A smaller building perpendicular to that building and further away from the coast may be the only remaining structure constructed for the Turtle factory. Further research is required to determine if it dates from the 1920s.
The property is currently [2017] used as hardstanding for the Cruising Yacht Club of Western Australia which has its clubrooms in Val Street Rockingham. The largest building is now designated as the chartroom. The purpose of the smaller building has not been determined.

Integrity/Authenticity

Authenticity: Little - None

Condition

Fair

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

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.