Deanmill Townsite

Child Places

• 15842 Deanmill Primary School (fmr)

Values

Deanmill has high aesthetic value as a historic precinct comprising a collection of relatively intact timber mill workers cottages and related buildings, including a hall and primary school. Deanmill is a substantial collection of buildings and streetscapes that collectively form a relatively intact timber town townscape. Deanmill has historic value as an integral part of State Saw Mills’ operations from 1913, and subsequently as a mill workers’ precinct under various owners until the present day (2012). Deanmill School is associated with John Todd, the youngest ever Sandover Medal winner, and later coach of the West Coast Eagles.

Physical Description

Deanmill is a 115-hectare mill settlement on Reserve 16355. Currently contained within the reserve area are the mill operations, a number of mill houses, the Deanmill Workers’ Club, the Deanmill Football Oval and part of the disused Deanmill Tramway. Deanmill Hall is a prominent building on corner block, with timber walls, a brick chimney and a corrugated iron gable roof. It is raised on timber stumps to allow for the sloping block. Stairs have been removed from both entrances to prevent illegal entry. Deanmill Primary School is a substantial single-storey building, in a typical Educational Department School design from the pre-WWI era. It has timber walls, brick chimneys and a corrugated iron roof. The Mill workers’ houses are of simple utilitarian design, timber and iron, with verandahs at front and rear.

History

Deanmill is the town that developed to hose the mill workers from State Saw Mill No.1 which was established in 1913. Deanmill was so called after Alfred Dean the first and long term manager of the mill. The mill cottages are typical of the housing supplied to workers in the early 20th century. The small scale housing and uniformity provide high streetscape value to the township. Private milling companies had been in operation long before the State Government decided to launch the State Saw Mills. Although the idea of a government timber industry had been considered in 1906, it was not until the Scaddan Government came to power that it was implemented. State Saw Mills constructed three mills in the early 1910s to cut karri sleepers for the Transcontinental Railway contract. These were named, No. 1 Mill (now Deanmill), No. 2 at Jardanup (a short distance west of No. 1, renamed ‘Jardee’ in 1924) and No. 3, 32km away at Big Brook (now Pemberton). By 1914, there were around 36 private and public mills operating throughout the state employing over 5,000 men.

Uses

Historic Themes

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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.