W.A. Timber Company

W.A. Timber Company was a syndicate of Victorian investors granted a timber concession of 181,500 acres on Geographe Bay in the south west of Western Australia in 1870.[1]

It went on to develop a mill and jetty at Lockeville, and the locomotive ordered for the railway for the mill was the first steam locomotive to operate in Western Australia, as well as being the first to be built in Australia for the 3 ft 6 in gauge.[2][3]

The location of the railway is more commonly known as the Wonnerup railway line [4]

Notes

  1. ^ Gunzburg, Adrian & Austin, Jeff & Rail Heritage WA & Gunzburg, Adrian & Austin, Jeff (2008). In Rails through the bush : timber and firewood tramways and railway contractors of Western Australia. Rail Heritage WA, Bassendean, W.A. ISBN 9780980392227
  2. ^ Minchin, Ray S. (1976) The "Ballaarat" Locomotive. A collection of material relating to the 'Ballaarat' Locomotive Battye Library catalogue summary: WA Timber Co's locomotive operated between Yoganup and Lockville 1871-ca.1886. From 1937 on exhibition in Victoria Square. Busselton. Scale drawings from photographs and reprints of 1871.
  3. ^ Minchin, R.S.(1978) The locomotive Ballaarat. Bulletin (Australian Railway Historical Society), Jan. 1978, p.19-23
  4. ^ Australian Railway Historical Society. Western Australian Division. W.A.'s first railway : commemoration at Wonnerup historic train and vintage car rally, 10 November 1963.[Bunbury, W.A.] : Bunbury Times print, 1963.

See also

Western Australia Timber Industry
Timber
native species Brown Mallet · Jarrah · Karri · Tuart · introduced species Pine · Tasmanian blue gum
Companies
WA Timber Co · Bunning Bros · Millars · Adelaide Timber company · Gunns
Towns/Settlements
Ports
Busselton · Flinders Bay · Hamelin Bay · Port of Bunbury · Rockingham
Forest and Woodland areas
Rail lines
Government