MURRAY DISTRICTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Located at the Old Schoolmaster's House Edenvale Precinct Pinjarra.
Opening hours from 11am to 3pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
2017 and the EXCITEMENT BEGINS!
The Peel Chapter of WA Museums meeting was held at Old Blythewood, hosted by MDHS and Vince Taylor on 4th February. Following the meeting, Vince delivered an excellent and informative talk on “Humpies and Homesteads” of Pinjarra in its early years. This was very well received and was attended by 20 representatives from museums and historical societies of the Peel Region.
Tours and Guest Speakers - During 2017 Murray Districts Historical Society has a number of interesting Tours and Guest Speakers to enlighten and enliven all as we proceed throughout the year.
The first General Meeting of 2017
was held on 22 February 2017 @ Murray Library at 7pm. Guest Speaker, John Jackson spoke about the “Aftermath of the Yarloop Fire”. John gave a very informative presentation with before and after photographs which put a genuine perspective on the devastation experienced and the hard work of the locals to bring the community lifestyle and people back to the township.
KEEP IN TOUCH …for more events during 2017 – excitement is in the wind!
In the meantime, look at our Website http://www.murrayhistory.org.au/home
and Like us on Facebook
ALSO …COME VISIT the Old Schoolmaster’s House for information on many points of interest eg:
- FLOODING of the MURRAY RIVER display.
2017
Photograph below by Brenda Newboult showing the Murray River in all its glory as the rains of mid-February swelled the banks of the river in Pinjarra to overflowing.
1964 Exploding Cows …
However, along with the revulsion that comes with this, there is also the humour:
“There was a dead cow and logs against the Ravenswood Bridge, which made it lean. They tried to push the cow away with a pole, but the cow exploded and covered Percy Simpson (the Shire foreman) with a terrible stinking mess. He vomited with the smell and lost his false teeth! He claimed his new teeth on compensation and got some new ones. It was like letting a bomb off. Four days in the water you can imagine what it was like.”
[Claude Yorke, August 2003]
1945
In June 1945 George Street, Pinjarra became a river as a huge flood swept down the Murray River. Children paddled canoes down the street and water lapped the base of the bridge. The handrails of the main bridge disappeared and a few of the planks from the decking as well. There was also a lot of damage to roads but this did not stop the people of Pinjarra celebrating the end of World War 2 later in the year.
George Street in Flood, 1945
1939
St John's Pinjarra in Flood, 1939
- JAMES STREET display and learn / reminisce about life in this major Pinjarra thoroughfare as it was - prior to car parks and major shopping centres.
Do you have an interest in the history of Pinjarra and the Murray Districts?
We are looking for more volunteers to assist with the opening hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 3pm.
If you would like to be included on the once per month Roster as a Volunteer, please advise
Jill via email alanjill37@hotmail.com or ph: 0408 846 567
