Watheroo Timeline

The best way to show the history of Watheroo is to have a time line. Below you will find a timeline that has been documented by various different people throughout the years. Some has not been researched fully and as such may be slightly out in the time frame, but much has been researched and verified.

  • 1829 – Aborigines roamed by "Watheroo Springs".
  • 1848 – Gerald de Courcey Lefroy was the first white man to visit "Watheroo Springs".
  • 1850 – James Oliver held the ownership of MARAH. Pastoral leases were given to E.Mcintosh, T Ridley, E Collin, W Padbury and Father Aragon. (Father Aragon and Father Francis Salvado were monks for New Norcia).
  • 1851 – James Oliver sold out to Joseph Purser of Gingin.
  • 1860 – Joseph Purser settled at Marah.
  • 1868 – The Benedictine Community of New Norcia purchased MARAH from the estate of Joseph Purser.
  • 1870 – John Forrest explores.
  • 1886 – "Waddington Agreement" was signed for the construction of a railway from Guildford to Walkaway.
  • 1888 – Construction of the railway line begins.
  • 1894 – Watheroo Springs Railway Station was built and opened. George York the first Station Master.
  • 1894 – 24th November, first train steamed through Watheroo.
  • 1897 – First Known birth (not registered-Patrick Kelly son of Rodger and Catherine Hickey d.1899 age 2). York brothers arrive in Watheroo to shoot kangaroos.
  • 1901 – First registered birth of a person in Watheroo ( Ettie Elizabeth Murray daughter of Peter and Ellen Cook).
  • 1900 – George, Murray and Walter York took charge of the Watheroo Refreshment Rooms. Ran these rooms for seven years.
  • 1900-03 – The York Brothers built a house for their mother to live in on Carlisle.
  • 1900-1913 – Henry Elphick was the secretary of the Watheroo Progress Association.
  • 1904 – George York built a house on Glencoe for his new wife. First registered birth at Marah Mission of Louise Brown daughter of Henry and Mary Ryder.
  • 1904 – Mr. and Mrs. J Caviglia opened the first shop.
  • 1908 – Moora Road Board came into being.
  • 1909 – Watheroo Town site surveyed by Mr. D Rutherford.
  • 1910 – Mr. and Mrs. J Hoare ran the Watheroo Refreshment Rooms and the Post Office, and Mr. and Mrs. Caviglia opened a boarding house, and Charlie Smith opened up a blacksmiths shop at MARAH. R.A Dean and Co set up business in Watheroo and William and Sarah Cole were store managers for Mr. Whitelaw. H W Riches came to manage 'Merrewana' for Mr. Fawcett. Crop average – 10 bags per acre. Some of the early pioneers – in alphabetical order – Bradley, Bowman and Sutton, Burke, Cameron, Cuthbert, Elliot, Ellis, Evans, Elphick, Gurr, Fiddock and Squires, Gibson, Hale, Leist Bros, McCuish, Martin, Morley, Nelson, Niblock, Reidy, Dodd, Ward and York.
  • 1911 – Leslie Keamy built the first licensed premises. Harry and Frank Ward cleared land on 'Wong Wong' and farmed with Lew York.
  • 1912 – The Marah School opened in the old Benedictine Chapel. Miss Eva Crane the teacher with 22 pupils.
  • 1913 – Mr. H W Riches farms his own block 'Lilladale' Harry Elphick arrives at Watheroo from England to take up position as night officer at the Watheroo Station.
  • 1914 – The Watheroo Primary School opened, Miss Eva Crane, teacher. Jessie Cameron took over teaching at Marah.
  • 1913-1915 - Henry Elphick was night station master at the Railway Station.
  • 1915-?- John Maher took over the night station master position.
  • 1916 – Billie Brennand took over the Post Office. He ran a road side mail service to settlers along the Merrewana Road.
  • 1917 - Mr. Ernest Fawcett is northward member of the Moora Road Board. He owns one of the first motor cars in Watheroo, a model T-Ford.
  • 1918 - Development of the Watheroo Magnetic Observatory.
  • 1925 – First weigh bridge installed at siding.
  • 1926 – Tennis Court transferred to an area near the S.W Railway line in the corner.
  • 1927 – First Wheat crop on the sand plain.
  • 1928 – Cricket played on the West side of the railway line next to the tennis court.
  • 1929 – 1st sport club formed. Football ground is prepared.
  • 1930 – A sports ground committee is formed.
  • 1931 – Watheroo Observatory Golf Club was formed.
  • 1932 - Watheroo-Namban Football club won the 1932 Premiership.
  • 1933 – Watheroo CWA formed by Mrs. Ethel Keamy, Mrs. Murray York and Mrs. May Elphick.
  • 1934 – Trees were planted in the streets of Watheroo thanks to a submission sent to the Road Board by Mrs. V Scott.
  • 1935 – Deans sold out to Watheroo Trading and Agency Company. The Road Board takes over the Community Hall. Mr. Lloyd Riches buys the Co-op store.
  • 1937 – Departmental answer to overcrowding in the school was to issue new desks.
  • 1938 – Wheat bin built in Watheroo 9one of the first to be built on the Midland Line) Advent of Bulk Handling on and off farms. Interschool sports held at Namban.
  • 1939 – World War 11.
  • 1940 – CWA rest rooms opened on April 16th. The rest room was built by Mr. McLaren for 189 pound.
  • 1944 – March 17th, Mrs. Petroff closed the school due to lack of numbers. June 6th, school reopens with an increase in numbers. Loco Shed destroyed by a fire. Rebuilt the same year.
  • 1945 – End of World War 2. P & C opened a Savings Bank Account.
  • 1946 – Railway road buses are used. Midland Railway built a large dam on York's farm (now Millsteads) as dam near town brackish.
  • 1947 – The Carnegie Institute of Washington hands over the observatory of the Australian Government.
  • 1948 – WFC formed on its own after having been amalgamated with Namban. With Les Keamy (President), R.Williams (secretary) and Jack Clancy being Captain, Coach and Fairest & Best for the first year. P & C purchased the school's first projector. Proposal to move Kulja School building to Watheroo.
  • 1950 – New school opened in June – 1 room.
  • 1952 – P & C applied for another classroom and verandah.
  • 1953 – School teacher's quarters built on the corner of Marah and York streets.
  • 1956 – Watheroo Ladies Guild was formed with M.Elphick (President) A.Elphick (Vice President), M.Clancy (secretary) and M.Clancy (treasurer). Septic Tanks installed at school and teachers quarters.
  • 1957 – School bus driven by Mr. Lowe collided with a car driven by Mr. Len Mason on "S" bends at Gunyidi. Mr. Lowe hired an old ambulance to transport children.
  • 1958 – Geoff Ruscoe was appointed as a third teacher; "Old School" was used as an extra room. Bitumen Road went through Watheroo.
  • 1959 – Watheroo Observatory closed down. New Watheroo Hall opened by Hon. L Logan, M.L.C. School upgraded to Class 111 status. Arbor Day – York gums planted along York Street.
  • 1960 – New school buildings opened. First meeting of the Junior Farmers Club held on 11th February.
  • 1961 – Power connected onto school and teachers quarters.
  • 1962 – Plans were submitted to convert the railway Station to a hotel. Only hotel in Australia by a railway company. R.S.L room (old observatory building) officially opened on the 7th April by Mr. Lonnie (later sold to Junior Farmers and then kindergarten, girl guides and in 1989 to M & J Crutcher as shearer's quarters. Basketball commenced at school on Friday evenings. School phone installed – manual; No 38 (now 517038). Senior Room visited Clampett's to watch opening of Parliament on TV.
  • 1963 – Swimming lessons commenced in Moora. Bill Walton bought out Jack Lowe's bus run. Watheroo School joined with Moora Junior high School to travel to Perth to see the queen.
  • 1964 – Water supplied by the Country Water Supply Scheme. Midland Railway taken over by the W.A.G.R. Water coolers installed at the school. Gestetner purchased.
  • 1966 – Decimal currency introduced.
  • 1967 – Old school building removed.
  • 1969 – Golf Club formed. Officially opened 27th August 1972.
  • 1970 – S.E.C came to Watheroo.
  • 1971 – S.E.C Contribution scheme for farms. Fans installed at school. School numbers dropped – down to two full-time teachers.
  • 1972 – Telephone exchange became automatic.
  • 1974 – 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981: Football Premiers.
  • 1975 – Watheroo Motors was run by John and Ann Breukers. A grassed oval was put down on the sports ground. The Watheroo Community buys the Co-Op store on the 1st May. Central Midlands Senior High School Opened. School library added. Frank and Barbara Lindsay were managing the Watheroo Station Tavern and they advertised as the Watheroo Hotel.
  • 1977 – The Watheroo Community tale over the lease of the Watheroo railway Hotel.
  • 1978 – School resource centre/library opened by the Minister of education, Mr. Peter Jones.
  • 1979 – Watheroo Rural Youth started: mainly brought about by Jeff Wessling (shop owner at the time).
  • 1980 – Pre-Primary affiliated with the P & C. "Roos Tales" began with Linsday Longman as editor, Lyle Mills took over. Sports club rooms opened by Pop Hilfers. Cost of rooms was $35 000 –jointly financed by Local Committee, Shire of Moora and Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation. Watheroo Dart Club Formed. New house for Principal completed – Taskers moved in. Laurie Patten – his and the club's first "Hole in One", 17th May.
  • 1981 – Rural Youth took on the "Nissan Hut". Junior Red Cross started in the school. Station master lost to Watheroo. 25th Anniversary of Christ Church in Watheroo. Phone installed in Pavillion. Christmas Day fires at Watheroo and Coomberdale.
  • 1982 – Golf Associates first Open Day. Re-surfaced existing tennis courts. Gate at Pavillion built. School oval levelled and new cricket pitch laid – 2000 cubic meters of dirt removed – 12 men, 4 trucks, back hoe, grader. School netball courts resurfaced. Play Group started at P.P Centre.
  • 1983 – C.W.A 50th anniversary. Post office closed on Saturday mornings as from 2 July.
  • 1984 – Schools 70th celebration – March 16.
  • 1985 – New entrance to Sports Ground completed; York Street extended past Reed’s house to the new entrance – August. "Roos Tales" ceases publication.
  • 1986 – Inaugural Small Schools Sports Carnival held in Watheroo. "Roos News" started.
  • 1987 – Hotham valley Railway came to Watheroo.
  • 1988 – Watheroo store sold to Mick and Betty Bramley. Pre Primary area slabbed; Evaporative air conditioning of school: joint funding between school P& C and Minor Works.
  • 1989 – Original wheat bin dismantled and sold. Tenders called for demolition and removal of old hall. September 30th – 75th celebrations.
  • 1992 - Watheroo CWA disbanded.