Mandogalup Post Office (fmr)

Parent Place or Precinct

12125 Mandogalup Townsite

Statement of Significance

Aesthetic Value: The limestone building ruins, despite being in a dilapidated state, retain evidence of skilled stonemasonry and have acquired an attractive patina consistent with their age and condition.
The remaining archaeological material reveals the layout and characteristics of the earlier buildings that formed the focus of Mandogalup townsite, and combine to represent a historic precinct.

Historic Value: The place has historic value as the site of the first Mandogalup post office and store, built by local settler Percy Britton in the 1920s, and is associated with the early development of the district.
The place is also associated with local settler, Ben Miles who was also a storekeeper and postal officer at Mandogalup

Research value: The place has potential archaeological value in revealing the way of life of early settlers in an isolated rural community.

Representatives: The remnant structures on the site are evidence of local business that were central to small regional communities in the Inter War and the period following World War Two.

Level of significance: Considerable

Physical Description

The site of the former Mandogalup Post Office can be seen from the south side of Anketell Road, across the road from the main Mandogalup townsite.
The site of the former Post Office comprises a number of built and landscape features including a small limestone stru ture, the remains of a brick chimney, and the limestone base of a former tank stand. Other remnants of the former Post Office building and associated structure may remain on the site but access to the site was not obtained.
There are numerous significant plantings located in the vicinity of the built structures, including a mature pine tree, a number of large fig trees, a variety of fruit trees, a pair of Cape Lilacs and a large deciduous tree.
The limestone building, believed to be a former creamery was located to the south east of the original Post Office building and is approximately 4m x 3m, with a simple rectilinear form. The structure has random coursed limestone walls, with a single door opening on its west side that retains its timber lintel. Earlier assessment noted that the building has what appears to be a reinforced concrete roof, with bricks forming a rounded plinth on top, presumably once supporting a water tank (no longer extant). The east wall has largely collapsed.
The stone tank stand is located north of the ruins, and northwest of the creamery, and comprises a circular stand with random rubble limestone walls, approximately 600mm high, and a smooth cementitious top.

History

The crossroads of Anketell Road and Mandogalup Road were originally the centre of the tiny township of Mandogalup, and on the southwest corner stood a house and shop, built by Mr. Percy Britton, of saw-cut limestone. The store was partly subsidised by the Public Works Department, which employed upwards of 1000 men on the construction of the Peel Estate drainage scheme, but even so its prices were almost double those of Fremantle. The store and post office was run by local settler, Benjamin Miles, until the beginning of WWII, when it was taken over by the Brittons ‘for the duration’.
A number of elements extant in 2008 (partial limestone building, W.C. remnant building materials and grape vine) have been removed.
In 2021, the structures evident in 2015 are still in place although degraded.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Moderate
Authenticity: Moderate

Condition

Poor to ruinous

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.