MIZEN SAWMILL STUDY
Copyright       David Mizen  2021
Images Added & Published by Gordon Freegard 2021

CANNING JARRAH TIMBER COMPANY    1891 - 1902

Facilitated by E.V.H. Keane, Locations 160 to 166 were transferred from Bank of New South Wales by endorsement to the Canning Jarrah Timber Company Limited (“CJT Co Ltd”) on 28th July 1891. The Certificates of Title reveal there was a later transfer from the CJT Co Ltd to Canning Jarrah Timber Company Western Australia Limited on 23rd March 1898. The land was transferred back to the CJT Co Ltd on 26th June 1900. It appears likely these companies were manifestations of the same group of individuals.

EDWARD KEANE       #1
 

         Canning Mills and Timber License 12/1 (Approx. 1890)

Section of Lands Department Map Sourced from State Records Office item No 506556 (Department of Lands and Surveys)
 

Note the black ink line running from the” mill” on location 75 eastward to the railway. This implies that at least in the very early days of CJT CO there was a railway link into Masons mill, from a logistical point of view it would make sense to move the heavy plant by rail rather than by bullock cart or by horse. This is also supported by the news report cited above that White was having all equipment and buildings moved to the new location.

Note also that there is no reference to any bank. Further, that the shaded area of 12/1 only extends halfway down location 163.

As a result of the turmoil in the timber industry there was a large re-organisation. A number of the timber cutting companies merged to form Millar’s Karri and Jarrah Company (1902). This included The Canning Jarrah Timber Company Ltd. As a result, Canning Mills was absorbed into the Millar’s operation (Austin & Gunzburg, 2008, p. 15). As a consequence, license 12/1 became the property of Millar’s and with it the right to exclusively cut milling timber with in the license area.
 

In September 1899 The Western Mail reports that the Canning Mills would be progressively closing as the rates for timber where unprofitable (Unknown, The timber trade, 1899). As Canning Mills were closing down Mornington mill was being constructed (Unknown, 1898, p. 3)

There are few contemporary reports on the nature of the arrangement of the various mills that made up the company’s operations. The first of these appears in December 1893, the report describes a “main camp”, presumably Location 165, and a number of outlying mills. The first of these is the No. 1 sleeper Mill (Unknown, A visit to the Canning Jarrah saw mills, 1893). The main camp is situated at Canning Location 165.

Canning Location 165 – No. 1 Mill, No. 2 - Yankee Mill - Canadian Mill/ No. 3 Mill

The first published description of the mills at Location 165 appears very shortly after completion of the railway and is titled Canning Notes published on the 5th August 1891. The first building noted is Lionel Whites house and is described as a “fine brick home”. The reporter then notes the mills and describes two operational mills and a third under construction. The first mill is described as “the Spot Mill” and was “the first mill constructed”, the reporter states the mill was constructed to cut timber for the companies own purposes (probably sleeper cutting for the Zig Zag railway and Keane’s part in the Geraldton railway). The reporter then notes the stores and trades man’s buildings. The second mill is described as the “Canadian Mill”, “[t]his is one of Waterson's plants. Fitted with a traversing log carriage and twin saws for breaking down large logs, and is capable of cutting flitches four ft. wide" (Unknown, 1891).

The reporter then notes large excavations and a third mill under construction and states:

This mill, when completed, will be capable of cutting logs sixty feet long. It will be

driven by a pair of Tangyes' engines, steam being generated in two large Cornish

boilers, and will be capable of turning out fully 25 loads of timber per day

(Unknown, Canning Notes , 1891).

The general lay out of Location 165 is set out in Lands Department Survey Map Canning 155; the relevant section is reproduced below. The survey was done after the relocation of the Forest Inn to Location 165 in 1893. The report makes clear that in the first year of operation there were 3 mills on Location 165.

It is assumed that the first mill referred to in Canning Notes is the No. 1 mill. This mill is not shown on Canning 155. It is likely the mill had been relocated prior to the survey. It seems likely this mill became the No 1 Sleeper Mill on Mundy Brook.

In 1901 Welbourne Lanyed the proprietor of the Forest Inn was prosecuted for allowing gambling on ‘his’ premises. The report gives his address as the Forest Inn the Canning No. 2 Mill (Unknown, "Hazard" and "Nap", 1901). The inference is that the No. 2 Mill was situated on Canning Location 165 adjacent to the Forest Inn.

A reporter visiting the Canning Mills in 1893 describes the first mill visited at the “main camp”. The report refers to the “Yankee Mill” (Unknown, A visit to the Canning Jarrah saw mills, 1893). It is assumed that the “Canadian Mill” referred to in Canning Notes, the “Yankee Mill” and the No. 2 Mill are one and the same. The reporter visits the outlying operations and returns to the No. 3 Mill at the “main camp”. It is assumed this mill was further away from the hotel towards Karragullen. Lands Department Plan Canning 155 (section below) shows the general layout of Location 165 and notes 2 mills, however, the entry on the plan does not identify which mill is No. 2 and which is No. 3. It is assumed that No. 2 is the northern most of the two and No. 3 is the southernmost.

It is also assumed that the dashed red line represents the railway main line and spur lines for the engines sheds and landing for unloading logs. The railway continues through the site and continues to Location 161 and appears to terminate at the boundary of that Location.

The other observation that appears relevant is that the site was surveyed prior to the Munday Brook Diversion works carried out in the early to mid-1890’s. As part of the diversion works the creek running through Location 165 was straightened and buried in a wood lined trench and covered.
 

Section of Lands Department map Canning 155 Sourced from Landgate
 

The map section shows the layout of Location 165 prior to the Munday Brook Diversion works. 

Note:          1.     No Canning Road.
                   2.     Slaughter House centre left.
                   3.     Post Office and Location 441. Location 441 is the site of the second church on the site.
                   4.     The hotel appears to be much further north than the later Liebow building and dates the map to                             after the hotel was relocated from Victoria Reservoir.
                   5.     Store and office north of mills.
                   6.     “Closet” west of mill.
                   7.     Engine sheds right of mill.

CANNING MILLS             #2

PLAN SHOWING LAYOUT OF CANNING MILLS 1889 - 1925
Information supplied from various sources  2008 - 2011
MAP NOT TO SCALE

       Map drawn by GORDON FREEGARD
Copyright : Gordon Freegard     2008-2022

No. 1 Sleeper Mill

The Munday Brook spur line was commenced 25th November 1891 and by February 1893 extended some 5 miles into the forest (Price, 1985). In January 1893 the Daily News reports that:

Mr. Traylen, as chairman of the Perth Board of Health, asked the Premier whether he is aware that the Canning Jarrah Timber Company is about to erect another mill on Munday's Brook, in the Perth water supply area; (Unknown, Legislative Assembley, 1893)

The West Australian reports in 1894 that new mills were now constructed on the other branch of Munday Brook (Unknown, City council, 1894). The report notes new mills. There does not appear to be any contemporary record for the precise location of the mill or mills. However, the No. 1 Sleeper Mill is described as the first mill after leaving the main camp (Unknown, A visit to the Canning Jarrah saw mills, 1893). It is clear that there was at least one mill on the Mundy Brook spur line. There is documentary evidence that there was a mill situated in the Gully in the vicinity of Weston’s Hut Carinyah Road. Forrest Department map A.28 records an “old mill” in this location. An examination of the site suggests that there are “artefacts” that are not recorded on the map. There appears to be rail foundation continuing from the end point marked on A.28 following up the gully terminating in what appears to be 2 large log landings in the gully slightly west of Weston’s hut. There are also a number of brick pieces that appear similar to those found at the ruin of the Managers House on Location 166.
 

Section of Forests Department Map A.28 1940 (item 304823). Map sourced from Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
 ++++++ Indicates Railway
 - - - - - Track
 

Kangaroo Gully Mill

The “Kangaroo Gully” Mill is reported operational in 1897 (unknown, 1887). Its location is not stated; however, Webb  (1996) puts it 7 miles from Canning Mills. Austin and Gunzburg (2008, p. 261) place the No. 4 Mill at Kangaroo Gully close to where the railway meets the Brookton Highway. However, this conflicts with Heberle who places the No. 4 mill at Death Adder Gully (1997, p. 216). Kangaroo Gully is covered by Forests Department map B.2, there is no recording of a mill in this area. However, there is a debris field including bricks and what appears to be a short stretch of cobbled road in the area near the number “375” on the map section below. There are also two tracks that look like possible rail spur lines that run into the area. In addition, the map indicates the site is directly below Location 500 (Illawarra Orchard) and that there is a school site in between Illawarra and the proposed mill site. In order for there to be a school at that location there must have been a sufficiently large number of students. This suggests that there was an employer, possibly a mill close by. It should also be noted that Illawarra was in its construction stage and would not have been in a position to employ sufficient workers to require a school on its own account.
 

Section of Forests Department Map B.2 1939 (item 304816). Map sourced from Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

++++++ Indicates Railway
 

Photographer unknown. Photo from Ray Simpson Collection. Colour rendering by Gordon Freegard.
“Spot Mill out from Canning Mills” – most likely position Kangaroo Gully      #3
 

Newtons Mills

Newtons No. 1

Very little is known about this mill. The mill does not appear to have been recorded under this name. Possible location at the top of the now Dale Road near Illawarra Orchard. However, it is probable it is a different name for the No. 1 Sleeper Mill (Bechelli & Bechelli, 2020).

Newtons No. 2

Little is recorded about this mill. Lands Department survey map Avon 6 State Records Office item No 506556 records an ‘old mill’ situated above what is now Location 557 on Dale Road. It is reputed that this is the site of the mill known as Newtons No. 2 (Bechelli & Bechelli, 2020).
 

Section of Lands Department Map Sourced from State Records Office item No 506556 (Department of Lands and Surveys)
 

Mill is lower right. Red stripe through location 48/926 is ‘tram-way’ (CJT Co railway) now Dale Road. This is the only formal reference to a mill at this location.

Death Adder Creek

Forests Department map B.3 (1940) records an “old mill” near Death Adder Creek. There does not appear to be any newspaper articles or advertisements for, or relating to this mill. Heberle suggests an operating date range of 1890 to 1901 and that this mill is No. 4 in the CJT Co numbering system (1997). There is an extensive debris field near the mill site which suggests either a large operation or an operation of long duration.
 

Section of Forests Department Map B.3 1940 (item 304814). Map sourced from

Department of Conservation Biodiversity and Attractions

+++++ Indicates Railway

Note:        1.     The “old” Beverley Road followed the rail formation after the rail was

         removed, (upper left).
          2.     The “new” Brookton Highway marked lower left.

References:     Article:      David Mizen

                      Images:   1        Kalamunda & Districts Historical Society
                                     2, 3    Ray Simpson Collection
                                      

Copyright : Gordon Freegard      2008 - 2021