OUR SOCIETY HISTORY
This year we celebrate 50 years since the heritage-listed Butter Factory and it’s grounds were handed over to the Busselton Historical Society by the Shire of Busselton for the purpose of becoming a museum and permanent home for the Society’s heritage collection.
The timeline below highlights some of the events and activities that have contributed to our story. It also includes past members and volunteers who dedicated their efforts to preserve the history of Busselton.
Society Timeline
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The Busselton Historical Society President, Geoff Lord, first began negotiating the lease of the Old Butter Factory in 1974.
At the AGM held on 25 th March 1974, a letter from the Busselton Shire Council was presented inviting delegates to attend a meeting to discuss the future of the Sunny-West Butter Factory in Peel Terrace. In May it was reported that Society committee members had studied the plan of the Old Butter Factory, and at a Special Business meeting on the 17 th June a letter was read from Shire Clerk, Mr. Jock Holgate offering the Society the use of the Old Butter Factory.
The Society was financially sound, with savings of nearly $5,000, when it decided to take a “leap into the unknown”.
Mr. Elliott moved that the Society endeavour to stage a display in part of the building during the 1974 Christmas holidays, although it did not take long to realise how much work was involved in preparing the building to open to the public.
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The run-down Butter Factory Building was handed over to the Society by the Busselton Council. Hard work from members, mostly aged in their 70s, led to busy bees being arranged to bring “order out of chaos”.
The first display was held in the Butter Factory Museum on 18th January as part of the 1975 Festival of Busselton.
The Museum was to be opened on Sunday afternoons, at a charge of 30c per adult and 10c per child.
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Society members constructed a replica Group Settlement humpy, a basic shelter constructed of rough-hewn timber with corrugated galvanised iron cladding.
The Group Settlement Scheme, an agreement between the British, Commonwealth and W.A. Governments, was inaugurated in Western Australian in 1921. The object of the Scheme was to develop the south-western portion of the State by establishing dairy farms in the area.
Approximately 6,000 farms were established by migrants from the United Kingdom over a ten year period.
Upon arrival in Western Australia, the Group Settlers were allocated to a “group” and transported to their new home which was an area of virgin bush. Using timber, corrugated iron and the few basic tools provided by the Scheme, they had to start work building the group camp made up of humpies, which would be their homes until permanent housing was built.
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Upstairs rooms of the Butter Factory were renovated, prepared with artefacts and then opened to the public.
The Museum hosted their first ever school group - a class of 8 and 9 year olds and their teacher.
The Society welcomed a visit from the Hon. Minister for Tourism Graham McKinnon.
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As an alternative to being demolished, the Society accepted the offer of an original Group House. Society members dismantled the house into four parts and over three days it was transported to the Museum grounds. The building was in poor condition and so the Society funded the $5,500 refurbishment.
Group Houses replaced the humpies as permanent housing for Group Settlement families in the 1920s. Their all-timber structure was made of local wood weatherboards with a galvanised corrugated iron roof. All the timber was cut in the bush at the cost of £300.00 per house and the builders were given £40 per house to erect it. All Group Houses had the same basic design with two bedrooms, a kitchen with a Metters stove and sitting room with a brick fireplace. The floor was covered with linoleum and the toilet was situated well down the back of the yard.
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On 1st January the Museum officially opened a part of the WAY’79 celebrations.
The Hon. Graham McKinnon, Minister of Tourism, officially opened the Group House on 24th March, with many original settlers who had lived in similar houses present on the day.
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Mr. Alf Shaw elected BHS President, a position he held for two years.
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A Foundation Day Dinner was held at the Museum. There was an unveiling of a plaque naming our large showcase cabinet the ‘Jack Taylor Cabinet’ to honour Mr. J.G. Taylor’s commitment to the Society. He held the positions of Official Recorder, President (1966 and 1973) and the first Life Member of the Society.
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The Society participated in the celebrations of the Sesquicentenary of Busselton – 150th Year of Busselton. Together with the Busselton Shire Council, the Society led a pioneer and flag-raising ceremony at the Pioneer.
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Mr. D.G. Lord elected President for his second period, having served alternate years between 1967-1979 with Mr. J.G. Taylor.
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In September 1983, contractor Ashley Rains relocated the School Teacher’s house, in one piece, from the North Jindong State School site to the museum grounds. The Society paid to restore and reinterpret the building as a country one-room school.
Mr H.M. Atkinson was elected President, a position he held for three years.
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Initiated by two members, Margaret Tickle and Margaret Dawson, the Busselton Oral History Group started operating as a subcommittee of the Society. The first oral history recorded was Jack Taylor, interviewed by Rhonda Jamieson from the State Library.
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Busselton Shire Council’s Councillor David Couch accepted the position of Liaison Officer to the Society. This appointment was welcomed as matters of concern could be explained to the Shire Council for their consideration and vice versa.
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Mrs Pat Moody became the first female to hold the office of President since Amy Maitland 46 years earlier, and she was the first female President of the Society after it commenced operating from the Old Butter Factory. Pat served two terms (1987-1988).
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Under the leadership of Society President Mrs Pat Moody, opening hours of the Museum were extended to 6 days a week to allow for more visitors.
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Mr. Michael Atkins was re-elected President for another two-year term.
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Mrs Betty Blaikie appointed Society Patron. Betty was the wife of Mr. Barry Blaikie, a member of the W.A. Legislative Assembly from 1971 to 1996, representing the seat of Vasse.
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Mrs Hilda Lord elected President, a position she held for two years. She was also Vice President and Keeper of the Records during her long association with the Society.
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A 2-stall milking shed was erected on the museum grounds by the Society, using mostly original materials, to enhance the commemoration of Group Settlement farming life. Each Group Settlement farm had a cow shed where the cows were brought to be milked. The cow shed usually had four bush timber uprights which supported a corrugated iron roof over a floor made of a mix of weak cement.
Until the advent of milking machines (post WW2), all cows were milked by hand in the cow shed or the paddock, and the milk taken to the Cream Room where the cream would be separated and stored until it was collected by Butter Factory trucks. Cows were normally milked twice a day which meant that calves were separated from their mothers at an early age and hand reared.
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Mr. Arthur Baker was elected President, a position he held for two years.
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Due to the need for ongoing maintenance and restoration works, a decision was made to build a workshop/shed for members and volunteers.
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Mr. Frank Mouritz held the position of President for several terms, the first being between 1995 and 1996.
A Rotunda, a replica of a pavilion formerly located on the Old Busselton Jetty, was built on the edge of the Vasse River by builder Bob Walker. The design was based on historical photographs of the original pavilion, built in 1898, with some old jetty timbers used in its construction.
The pavilion was constructed at the No. 1 head, which was how the first end point of the 1875 jetty became known. It was a pleasant place to sit during both summer and winter as it had 6-feet high panelling on the east and west sides and ample seating. It was used for band concerts and other activities until its demolition in 1958.
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Mr. John Cannam elected President, a position he held for two years.
The Society celebrated the 75 th Anniversary of Group Settlement in the Busselton area with a weekend-long event. Members demonstrated farming equipment of yester-year, including a chaffcutter, winnower, horse and cart, horse works, log splitting and sleeper cutting with a broad axe.
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Mr. Frank Mouritz re-elected President, a position he held for two years.
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The Society obtained sponsorship from the developers of Bunker Bay Resort in order to erect a display wall comprising a section of the Cape Farm homestead (now demolished).
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Mrs Betty Robertson elected President.
Mr. Andrew Torrent donated a vintage tractor to the Museum collection. He had originally purchased the tractor in 1926, and it is believed to be the first tractor used in the Busselton area.
1979 - Group House relocated to the Museum grounds
2004 - Carriage Shed constructed
1974 - Back of the Museum building
2022 - WA Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Dawson visiting the Museum to collect his great-great-grandfather's bible which he used when sworn in as the 34th Governor of WA
1984 - Opening ceremony of the School House
1995 - Rotunda replica under construction
1996 - John Cannam with a visiting school group at the Museum
2018 - Aftermath of the devastating structure fire at the Museum
2001 - Barrabup Mill replica
2021 - 100 year anniversary of Group Settlement Gala Day
2002 - Members enjoying a lovely Tuesday morning tea
2005 - Ambergate Telephone Exchange relocated to the museum grounds
2009 - RAAF Medical Hut relocated to the museum grounds
2020 - Reopening after the 2018 Museum fire
2023 - Extra footpaths put in around the grounds for greater accessibility for visitors
2024 - Busselton Oral History Group were welcomed back as a part of the Busselton Historical Society
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Mr. Frank Mouritz re-elected President for the third time, a position he held for four years.
The Society acquired a windmill frame from Inlet Park when the Shire of Busselton was planning a road through the area that would require its demolition. The Southern Cross windmill was restored to working condition by member Gordon Cuthbert, with parts sourced from and donated by the Morawa Museum.
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Mr. Frank Elliott appointed Patron of the Society.
The Group House underwent a revamp, with cement slabs laid at the back door while the doors and handrails were painted at the front of the building. A new tool cabinet was installed in the newly re-painted Timber Room, and the Barrabup Mill model was re-wired. Two large paintings from the Vasse Hotel were hung in the Main Reception Room.
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Gathering for Tuesday morning teas has been a long-term tradition for Society members. Over many years a dedicated group of ladies have provided tea and coffee with sandwiches and scones with jam and cream for all the busy volunteers. In 2002 the kitchen received a make-over when the walls were painted, cupboards, flooring and sink replaced and window repaired.
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The Old Butter Factory is listed on the State Heritage Register on 23rd April.
Una Summerville became the first person listed on the Society Honour Board, a deserved accolade for her devotion to local history.
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Mr Alan Horridge elected President, a position he held for three years.
Hilda Lord became an Honour Board recipient for working tirelessly for the betterment of the Busselton Museum.
Roger and Lyndon Edwards funded the building of the Carriage Shed, which was opened to the public by Roger Edwards in February 2004. Builder Brian Pross used drawings by member Frank Mouritz to construct the Shed.
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The former Telephone Exchange building, thought to have been built in the 1940s, was relocated from Joe Tomcala’s property on Ambergate Road to the Butter Factory site. Society members restored the building and converted it into an exhibit featuring historic communication services.
From the 1920s smaller automatic exchanges called Rural Automatic Exchanges (RAX) were installed in rural areas that were struggling to find people to run the manual exchange. They were housed in purpose-built buildings and many country areas were dotted with these little metal or wooden buildings. It is thought that the very first RAX in WA was installed at Brunswick Junction in 1938.
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The Blain Wagon was restored by volunteers.
An extension was added to the Carriage Shed and the Research Room extension was built on the side of the Butter Factory.
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Mr. Frank Mouritz was elected President for the fourth time.
The extension to create the Treasurer’s Room was built at the back of the Research Room.
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Mr. Alan Horridge re-elected President for the period 2008 to 2013.
Mr. Joseph H. (Bert) Rogers became an Honour Board recipient after spending many years as Society Treasurer.
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Mr. Wally Lord was appointed Patron of the Society.
The Oral History sub-committee decided to move the oral history operations away from the Society and become its own incorporated body., known as the Busselton Oral History Group.
The Couch family donated the Medical Hut building to the Society. The hut had been bought by the family after all the aerodrome buildings used by the RAAF during WW2 as the No.4 Recruit Depot (4RD) were auctioned in 1946. This building was located at the Busselton Aerodrome in Vasse Commonage Road (later renamed to Queen Elizabeth Drive after the royal visit in 1954). Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force staff (cooks, stewardesses, drivers etc.) were stationed at the aerodrome from 1942 until its closure at the end of 1945. Local men who joined the RAAF during WW2 may have also trained there. These servicemen and women would have received their inoculations from this very hut.
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The model of the PS Jumna was housed in a new display after being re-painted and mechanically restored. An electric motor was fitted to drive the paddle wheel and engine. A landscape artist volunteered to paint a river scene as a backdrop to the display.
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Mrs. Maureen Bain became an Honour Board recipient.
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The Smoke Stack connected to the Lancaster Boiler, purchased in circa 1923, was replaced after being deemed unsafe by the Shire of Busselton. The refurbished Stack was placed on a brick base with a new concrete core, guy wires refixed to new concrete pads set below ground level whilst retaining the former guy wire posts above ground level. The original Stack from the 1920s blew down in a storm in 1935, causing building damage to the rear verandah of the Factory, the Receiving Room and about 100 cream cans.
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Mr Brian Slee was elected President, a position he held for four years.
Doris Lowe, and Frank and Kath Mouritz became Honour Board recipients for their untiring achievements to the museum.
Our famous Museum gates were handcrafted by member and resident Blacksmith Malcolm Paine. The gates are dedicated to the early pioneers of the Busselton District.
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Mrs. Valma Baker became an Honour Board recipient.
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George Reynolds and Malcom Paine became Honour Board recipients.
The Horse Shed display was completed and opened to the public. The display shows a Sleeper Cutter’s dray and Doctor’s buggy. A dray is a horse-drawn wagon from the 1900s which was commonly used for carting railway sleepers. This dray was fully restored by Society members and the model horse pulling the dray was made onsite in our Blacksmith’s Shed by a group of volunteers led by resident Blacksmith Malcolm Paine.
The Doctor’s buggy is a reproduction built by local Busselton man Richard (Dick) Hanmer at his Ambergate farm in the 1990s. Malcolm Paine purchased this buggy from Dick Hanmer and donated it to the Museum’s collection. The horse pulling the carriage in this display was made by Malcolm Paine with the assistance of other Society members.
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Mr. John Cannam became an Honour Board recipient.
It took the best part of a year for volunteers to construct a life-size model of a Dray Horse and its handler to accompany the re-furbished Sleeper Cutter’s Dray. The design for the horse was done by resident artisan blacksmith Malcolm Paine.
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Mrs Nola Angus became an Honour Board recipient.
Following the passing of past Society President and valued member, John Cannam, the museum’s workshop/shed was named in his honour.
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Mrs Sandra Johnston was elected President.
Over 140 VIP invited guests, including ex-butter factory workers, their families and descendants, and a raft of dignitaries, attended weekend celebrations to mark the centenary of the Butter Factory.
The fire of 2018 started in the mid-afternoon of 27th March, after a severe storm on the weekend caused roof damage and water leakage that triggered an electrical fault in an outdated power point.
The Busselton Fire Brigade managed to save most of the upper floor and the rest of the building, but one of the upstairs rooms was destroyed together with all contents, which included irreplaceable items from the early days of the Busselton district. All other rooms in the museum suffered varying levels of smoke and water damage.
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Following on from the fire in 2018 the damage of artefacts and restoration needs came to light. Thousands of artefacts were removed from the Museum building to allow for the removal of asbestos and restoration work. Time was spent examining the contents lost in the upstairs rooms, which included irreplaceable items from the early days of the Busselton district.
An Interpretation Plan was prepared by Hocking Heritage and Architects and funded by a Lotterywest grant, which resulted in a new and different approach to display and caring for artefacts, with training provided by the W.A. Museum.
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Mr. Alan Horridge was elected President for the third time.
After being closed for over two years following the 2018 fire, and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Museum re-opened to the public on 19th December.
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Mrs. Stephanie Piper was elected President.
A special Gala Day was held in October to commemorate 100 years of Group Settlement and many descendants from group settler families attended the day. A limited-edition souvenir booklet was published by the Society.
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The WA Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Dawson, was sworn in as the 34th Governor of WA on 15th July 2022. Mr Dawson is also the great-great-grandson of Elijah Dawson, one of the colonial pioneers of the Busselton area. Mr. Dawson requested that he be sworn in using the bible belonging to his great-great-grandfather, which is part of the Museum collection. On Sunday, 3rd July 2022 Mr Dawson visited the Museum to personally collect the Bible for the occasion.
A Memorial Rose Garden was opened to remember past members who gave their time and expertise to the Museum. This Rose Garden was officially opened by Museum Patron, Mr. Wally Lord, at the 2022 Gala Day and the first plaque erected was for Wally’s parents, Geoff and Hilda Lord, who were instrumental in getting the Museum established in the Old Butter Factory.
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Additional concrete pathways were installed around the grounds to link museum visitors to our outdoor collection, particularly those with limited mobility, prams and those needing mobility aids.
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The Society welcomed the Busselton Oral History Group back to the fold after they unfortunately had to wind-up their operations due to declining membership.
At the State Conference of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society, the Society was presented with an Award of Merit to acknowledge its “Dynamic contribution to the history of Western Australia”.
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To be continued…