Greenough

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Greenough

24^th April

Greenough is 27klm south of Geraldton and deserving of a Blog in its own right (I feel!). Sitting on the Greenough Flats a flood plain close to the mouth of the Greenough River is the Central Greenough Historic Settlement which comprises 11 original buildings. At its peak in the 1860’s and 70’s, Greenough (pronounced Grennuff), was a highly successful wheat growing area. However from 1900 the combined effects of drought, crop disease (wheat rust), and floods led to the areas dramatic decline of the population on the “flats”. The once bustling centre of this farming community became a ghost town and today with funding from the National trust in particular 11 restored buildings survive. Dating from the 1880’s these buildings include a school, the police station, courthouse and jail. Two churches, a community hall and a few houses.

The most interesting building (for me) was the Police Station and Gaol. Built in 1870 at a cost of 1500 pounds the building complex served a number of purposes all associated with Govt Services. In addition to the courtroom, there was the police station and charge room, a retiring room used both by the magistrate and visiting doctor, the police sergeant’s quarters, a school teachers quarters, a kitchen for preparing the prisoners meal’s as well as the gaol block. The gaol cells comprised of 4 cells for white prisoners, holding one or two people in each. The fifth larger cell was for Aboriginal prisoners who were chained to an iron bar along the back wall. A small enclosed exercise yard was located adjacent to the cells. No long term prisoners were kept here, they were instead transferred to Geraldton. Yes it must have been an impressive building back then and it still is today.

We were allowed to take Jackie in with us which was great and we thoroughly enjoyed this little bit of history and the preservation work that has made it possible, well worth a stop if you are headed up (or down) this way.

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Photos

Greenough
POlice Staion, residence, court, Gaol etc..great building !

Greenough
Court Room

Greenough
Cell Block

Greenough
Anglican Church

Greenough
Catholic Church

Greenough
Convent

Greenough Flats
It gets pretty windy here and this is a common sight

Dongara
Great main street with all the fig trees

Dongara
good coffee spot to the right of Trish.

Comments

[Matty]

This honourable court is now in session
Great looking little courtroom. I can imagine that the Police station would have been a very busy place in the centre of town in its heyday. Does anyone live in or around the area? Because those churches look like they are ready to go and the Catholic one has ceiling fans!

[MikeandTrishV]

Oh Yeah..
..forgot to mention, both churches get some use not every week but often enough and they are also available for that special 'occassion'. The whole town is under National Trust and is classified as a 'ghost town'. Pretty cool place !