BROOMEHILL PLACES

Broomehill Places

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Like most towns along the Great Southern Railway, Broomehill has several historic buildings right in the centre of the townsite. Many of these buildings were built at the turn of last century as the townsite started to develop on the Great Southern Railway. Others can be found on old farming properties, townsites and throughout the district including places like Eticup. Eticup was the first place in the Central Great Southern region to be settled.

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SHILOH FARM SCHOOL

Shiloh, in Broomehill, south of Katanning, was a farm school for up to 16 boys who were wards of the State, referred by the Child Welfare Department. It was run independently by Mr and Mrs Beck on their farm, ‘Langwell’. Boys went to school on the property. Shiloh’s aim was to reform ‘delinquent’ boys through long-term placements and the development of farm skills. Shiloh closed in 1963. Continue reading

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ST ELIZABETH’S ANGLICAN CHURCH

Church services continued at Eticup until around 1920, while Anglican services at Broomehill were held in the local hall. As early as 1939, a fund was established to move the Eticup Church to Broomehill and rebuild it as a memorial to pioneers in the district. The foundation stone of the new church was laid on 18 April 1953, by Mr and Mrs V. Greenslade and was consecrated the ‘Church of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary’ on 25 July 1953. Continue reading

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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The former Presbyterian Church [2]was constructed from 1898 and the hall was consecrated as a place of worship as a Presbyterian Church on 21st April 1929. It later became the Broomehill Museum in 1979. The Broomehill Museum has aesthetic value as a fine example of a Victorian Gothic building. It has high streetscape value and continues t5o be an important component of the historic centre of the town of Broomehill. It also contributes to the community’s sense of place. This building has played an important part in the life of Broomehill people. It is a versatile building that has been used as a hall, church and museum and remains one of the more important historic buildings in Broomehill.

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BROOMEHILL SHIRE HALL

This place has been part of the Broomehill streetscape since 1910. It is a timber framed, iron clad hall in Federation vernacular style with an Inter-War Anglo-Dutch brick frontage. The hall is a single storey brick building with a CGI roof. The front of the building is very distinctive with a symmetrical rendered facade featuring Dutch Gables on either side of a double door main entry, and a smaller gable over the entry section. The 1910 hall is evidence by a high gable roof with vents seen in the gable from street level. The hall has been used as a skating rink, meeting place and for dances, socials and other functions. It was used regularly for most functions in Broomehill until the Recreational Centre was built in 1986.

Broomehill.

Great Southern Herald
2 June 1928 – P3

The new Broomehill Road Board Hall is now nearing completion and it is intended to bold an opening dance in the hall on Saturday, 9th June, when it is hoped that the hall will be filled. The residents of the district will now own one of the best halls for many miles for skating: and dancing and, no doubt, it will be much appreciated.

Broomehill
OPENING DANCE IN NEW HALL

Great Southern Herald
16 June 1928 – P2

The opening dance held in the new Road Board Buildings on Saturday last was well patronised by people from the district and adjoining towns, some 350 persons being present. Had it been possible to advertise the function better, many more would have attended. Although the ball is.one of the largest on the Great Southern, the floor space was taxed to its utmost. The music, supplied by the Comet Orchestra, was excellent and much appreciated and very conducive to “tripping the light fantastic.” It was undoubtedly the chief factor which attracted such a large number of people.

During the supper interval, W. T. McGuire, chairman of the Broomehill Road Board, spoke a few words and declared the hall open for future entertainments. He trusted the people of the district would feel the benefit of the improved conditions. It is hoped to hold a ball of a similar nature in a few weeks’ time, when electric light will be installed.

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HOLLAND TRACK

The gold find at Coolgardie by Bayley and Ford generated intense excitement throughout the country when it was made public in September 1892. As the news spread, the rush grew. Their discovery sparked a new gold rush to Western Australia. Eventually, Coolgardie had a population of 15,000 with another 10,000 living and working in the surrounding district. The streets of Albany were soon crowded with fortune seekers who came by ship from the Eastern States. Many of these “t’othersiders” travelled on the recently constructed Great Southern Railway to York and Northam where they purchased supplies and equipment before tackling the long trail east to the diggings. Continue reading

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