St Francis Xavier Church & Presbytery, Quairading

Parent Place or Precinct

02301 St Francis Xavier Church Group, Quairading

Child Places

• 24641 St Francis Xavier- Presbytery
• 24785 St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church

Statement of Significance

The Church is a important as a fine Inter-War Romanesque church built to the design of Edgar le B. Henderson. The Church and Presbytery are associated with the Catholic Church's intensive building programs of the 1930s and 1950s to meet the growing worship requirements of the State.

Physical Description

St Francis Xavier Church & Presbytery, Quairading comprises a Catholic church designed in the Inter-War Romanesque style (1936) and a modest red brick and tile Presbytery (1954).

History

In the 1930s, the Catholic population of Quairading had grown such that a church was required for its large number. In 1935 St Francis Xavier Church was built. Its construction was part of a State-wide Catholic building program which saw 24 new churches being constructed between 1935 and 1940. In 1952, Quairading became a seperate Parish (from Beverley) and in 1954 a presbytery was built. The construction of the presbytery was part of a post-World War Two Catholic building program.

Uses

Creation Date

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St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church

Parent Place or Precinct

24588 St Francis Xavier Church & Presbytery, Quairading

Uses

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Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

The church is significant in the townscape of Quairading. The associations with the Catholic community, and sense of place evoked by memories of ceremonies and celebrations that have taken place are significant. The architecture is a fine example of the period by a respected architect.

Physical Description

Formal white rendered structure with a corrugated iron roof. Gabled frontage features an arched entry.

History

In 1906 the Catholic St Francis Xavier pioneers were in Quairading

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact Authenticity: High degree

Condition

Very Good

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St Francis Xavier- Presbytery

Parent Place or Precinct

24588 St Francis Xavier Church & Presbytery, Quairading

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

Association with the Catholic church and community

Physical Description

Red brick construction with a tile roof.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact Authenticity: High degree

Condition

Very Good

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Quairading State School & Quarters (fmr)

Child Places

• 17589 Quairading State School (fmr)
• 17588 Teacher's Quarters (fmr), Quairading

Physical Description

Comprises Quairading State School (fmr) (1913, 1919, 1949) and former quarters (1917). The original school was a single-room timber buidling. An additional matching room was added in 1919, and the pair were modified in 1949 for use as a manual training & domestic science centre. The building was destroyed by arson in 2016. The former quarters comprises a single-storey timber-framed residence with ancillary buildings to the rear.

Condition

Quairading State School (fmr) Precinct is generally in good condition and has been reasonably well maintained. All of the buildings are still in use and demonstrate evidence of on-going maintenance, with the exception of the former school. The former school shows evidence of lack of maintenance and repair and the interior has recently been subject to soiling by pigeons entering through opened windows. Externally, the timber joinery of the former school requires repainting and minor repair where weatherboards have become loose, or fascias damaged. Sections of joinery, particularly the windows on north elevation also require repair and the rainwater goods (gutters and downpipes) are missing from the north elevation.

Uses

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Creation Date

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Quairading State School (fmr)

Parent Place or Precinct

04914 Quairading State School & Quarters (fmr)

Uses

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Statement of Significance

The place is significant a sit represents the beginnings of education in Quairading town. The building is one of very few remaining school buildings that have been retained insitu in the shire or the wheatbelt.

Physical Description

Standard weatherboard and iron one room school structure.

History

The establishment of a school to provide an education for their children was one of the first priorities for the early settlers. The Education Department required that the minimum number of students necessary to keep a school open and retain a teacher, was 8 children. As the town of Quairading developed, larger school premises were constructed on the west side of McLennan St, and that site has evolved over the years to become the District High School. The original school building has been retained in its original site and functions as an arts and craft facility for the school.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact Authenticity: High degree

Condition

Very Good

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Teacher's Quarters (fmr), Quairading

Parent Place or Precinct

04914 Quairading State School & Quarters (fmr)

Uses

Historic Themes

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Statement of Significance

The place represents the significance of the schoolmaster to facilitate education in the community.

History

Provision of a home at the time reflecting the community respect and significance of the schoolmaster in the community.

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Toapin Weir

Condition

The infrastructure and natural landscape that comprise Toapin Weir are in good condition. The gravel carpark, fencing and visitor facilities are well cared for and are not intrusive. The weir wall appears to be sound as fas as can be determined. Pipes and other water-supply infra-structure appear to be regularly maintained to a high standard.

Uses

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Statement of Significance

Toapin Weir was the first example of a reticulated water scheme from a rock catchment area. It demonstrates technical and design innovation. It demonstrates significant associations with the pioneer family of the Dangin area, and the engineer of the Goldfields water supply.

Physical Description

In 1912 a concrete wall 18 feet high by 200 feet long was constructed. It was 12.5 feet thick at the base and tapered to the top of the wall. Designed by Jonah Parker and Engineered by Hodgson, who had been the Engineer-in-Charge of the Goldfields Water Supply during the construction of the pipeline, the wall cost £5000. The catchment area at Toapin Rock formed a natural basin, and it only needed the wall across the bottom to retain up to 4 million gallons of rain water. In 1935 the retaining wall base was strengthened and the height raised an additional 6 feet, in order to facilitate an increased capacity to 6 million gallons of water. There is some debate as Io the success of the raised wall as it reduced the run-off catchment area. In 1940 the weir roof system had a pin inserted through every pile, into the rock bottom. 365 piles of white gum from Talbot Brook were used on the project, and evidence remains in situ.

History

In the late 1830s, Stephen Parker was the first European to select land at Dangin Springs, and his son Edward Read Parker began farming in the area in 1859. Edward's son Jonah expanded the selection and acquired 16000 acres on conditional purchase making the Dangin Estate one of the largest farms in the state at the time. Jonah Parker pioneered the production of Eucalyptus oil in 1892. In the early 1900s Jonah Parker laid out a townsite and subdivision of his property. The area was surveyed and allotted, and Dangin townsite was declared in 1902. Dangin was totally fenced in by the surrounding allotments, and a temperance town was decreed by Jonah Parker. The Toapin Weir land was originally taken up by James Morrison in 1860 who constructed a dwelling in the vicinity. The land was subsequently acquired by Jonah Parker in 1898, as a 28000 acre poison lease, although Morrison continued to live there and played a part in Parker's plans for a water catchment. The dam scheme was devised by Parker in order to supply reticulated water to the town of Dangin, which it subsequently did. The railways also availed themselves of the water service. The private scheme was unequalled in the entire Commonwealth at the time. In 1927 the Public Works Department took over control of the weir, and in 1934, enlarged the capacity of the weir in order to serve the town of Quairading. In 1936 the control of the Toapin Weir was taken over by the Dangin Quairading Water Board. In 1940, due to excessive evaporation it was deemed necessary to roof the entire weir. The Toapin Weir system was connected to the Kalgoorlie Water Supply in 1965. The weir is still a useable water supply.

Integrity/Authenticity

integrity: Intact Authenticity: Retained

Condition

Very Good

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