Mason and Bird Heritage Trail and timber bridge

Statement of Significance

·         The trail has historic value for its association with the Mason Mill which was the first industry in the district which lead to the establishment of a community in Carmel.
·         The trail has aesthetic value as a trail through a relatively undisturbed stretch of state forest.
·         The bridge has research value as a rare example of a tram track constructed of timber.

Physical Description

Bituminised track through native bushland joining Masonmill Road and the Bickley Outdoor Recreation Camp following the route of the former Mason and Bird tramway.
On the trail is a bridge constructed of rough-hewn timber. The bridge is a solid framework including four sets of braced legs/columns standing in the river with the timber deck supported on the frame. The timber deck includes timber rails.
Extends across the stream with timber boards and rails remaining

History

Road transport, rail transport, timber

Integrity/Authenticity

Level of Integrity - Moderate; Level of Authenticity - Moderate

Condition

Good In the early 1860s Benjamin Mason, a merchant of Perth, established a timber station on the Canning River at Mason's Landing. Timber from the surrounding area was pit-sawn and then transported on flat-bottomed barges via the Canning and Swan rivers to Fremantle or Perth. Realizing the limited potential that the area held compared to the thick stands of jarrah available in the Darling Range, Mason applied for a licence to cut timber near Bickley Brook, in what is today the suburb of Carmel. Upon obtaining his permit in 1864 Mason built his second timber mill, the Hills Station (also known as Mason's Mill). In 1870 Benjamin Mason took Francis Bird, a young architect newly arrived from England, as a partner. Bird put some £25,000 into the business and is considered to have been the designer of the timber tramway which stretched from Mason's Landing to the Hills Station. The 14km track was built by convict labour and took seven months to complete, at an estimated cost of £300 per mile. The tramway was opened by Governor Weld on February 8th, 1872, and was the second railway to be opened in the State. Part of the tramway included a timber bridge over the Bickley Brook. The timber from Mason's Mill was used in a variety of projects throughout Perth and surrounds. The company was one of the largest in the state but struck financial difficulties and was dissolved. The track ceased to be used as a tramway c1882. The track was known as 'Hardinge Road' after Thomas Henry Hardinge who owned property nearby. Evidence of the former track were still visible in the 1970s and a walk trail was established in 1988 as a bicentennial project. As part of the project the bridge was restored with the assistance of community groups, local businesses and the combined efforts of the City of Gosnells and the Shire of Kalamunda. The trail includes several other sites that are relevant to the development of the district and community of Kalamunda.

Uses

Historic Themes

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.