History Of Boyup Brook

Boyup Brook was originally inhabited by Aboriginal people of the Bibbulmun Tribe. The name derived from the Aboriginal word "Booyup" meaning "Place of Big Stones" or "Place of Big Smoke". The large stones are referring to the large Granite rocks surrounding the Upper Blackwood area and the Big Smoke refers to the smoke from the burning of Grasstrees once referred to as Blackboys.

                                                                        Grass Tree in Boyup Brook

The First European explorer to come to the Boyup Brook area was a gentleman by the name of A . C . Gregory. Gregory had carved his initials and the year 1845, on a tree North East of Boyup Brook.  It is believed that A. C. Gregory was one of the first European explorers to cross the Blackwood River.

                                                                                                 The Gregory Tree 1983

The area was first settled in 1854 by Commodore Scott  who built his homestead 'Norlup' at Scotts Brook south of the town.  Commodore Scott was followed by James George Lee Steere in 1861 who settled near the Blackwood River. In 1871 William Forrest took up some land named Dwalganup. By the year of 1882 there were 19 families within the district.

                                                        Sir James G. Lee Steere    William Forrest 1896-99           

The township of Boyup Brook's first major building was the local school opened on the 9th February 1900. In 1909 a railway from Donnybrook had reached the settlement, making Boyup Brook more recognised. The early settlers made a living by kangaroo hunting and timber cutting.

                                                      Boyup Brook school and Headmaster's Dwelling              

In 1940 during the Second World War a flax mill was built in the town. This was built to meet wartime demands of flax for Europe. The flax mill was the last flax mill in Australia to close down in the 1960's.

The deseeder house within the Flax mill                          The Deserted Flax mill                              Aerial view of the Flax mill

There were a number of mills operating in the district prior to the Second World War. There was a large number of Timber Mills within the Boyup Brook district (closing in 1982), Wilga, Chowerup and smaller mills in the outlying districts.

                                                                           Wilga Timber Mill 1912

A very famous building within the Boyup Brook Townsite is Agricultural Hall. This building Was on of the first buildings withihn Boyup Brook and was used as an Agricultural Hall (town hall), an Infant Health Clinic and rest room and was also used as a pre- school/ playgroup building. The building was then turned into a Tourist Information Centre and stiil remains that today. After much renovation the building has retained its original look.

                                                                    Boyup Brook Agriculture Hall

There is a very detailed book in which tells the tales of the history of the Upper Blackwood in which was published in 1968. It is titled "History of the Upper Blackwood", unfortuntaely there are limited copies left just for reading. The Boyup Brook Pioneer Museum is a great place to visit to gain information and experience artifacts from the days of the early settlers in Boyup Brook.

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