Hester Park

Today I wanted to blog on an often misunderstood area of Thornlie (or perhaps Langford) - that is, our Hester Park!

Cornering Spencer and Nicholson road, just down from the Nicholson Rd Bridge, it is a spacious and open park that consists of two large ovals, a river (yes a river!) and some lovely bushland.

I often walk our dog down here as it is quiet and secluded...which often attracts unsavoury behaviour. But this I believe is just a consequence of the neglect and lack of local governments interest and investment in the park, a view shared by Bill Johnston in early 2013.
Hester Park; A Site of Neglect

When visit here, I am overwhelmed by the beauty and tranquility of the place, despite its excessive litter and dry landscape. The river is just beautiful, and the fresh air and trees are refreshing and aesthetic.

Contrasting with this is the lack of facilities (public toilets for one), the carpark riddled with potholes and just the sense of derelict decay.

As Thornlie folk, we must treasure this area and appreciate its assets. Should it be developed into housing, we would lose a special and historical area that holds so much value to wildlife and dog walkers alike.

I'd like us all to make the time to use and value this asset, for even in its current state, the sun still shines on this beautiful place. 

Forever 6108!

Thornlie Homestead Revisited ; Part 2

This week it was absolutely necessary to have a midweek blog on the new information I have found on the original Thornlie Homestead, the ruins of which are located in the Homestead Park on Glenbrook Road.

Digging a little deeper, I visited the Thornlie Library this evening to check out the "Thornlie Living History" collection. There are a range of A4 binded paper books with photocopied records of various historical topics relating to the history of Thornlie. They also have a range of "Oral History Interviews" which I did not get a chance to dig through on this visit, but will certainly be visiting again soon.

To bring some dimension to the photos from my Thornlie Homestead post, I managed to photocopy some images of the Thornlie Homestead from circa 1925. And what a magnificent homestead it was!

Pay close attention to the large trees to the right of the homestead in the following picture, and you will see the very same Olive Trees planted in 1837 and photographed in the June 16 blog.

http://thethornlieblog.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/heritage-listed-olea-eurpoaea-at.html

 At the time of this photograph, the Olea Europaea would have been over 80 years in the ground and well established trees.

Captain Thomas Bannister, the same Thomas Bannister who was credited with the plantation of the Glenbrook Rd Olive Trees, was the original owner of "Canning Location 17", and is believed to have been granted the land as an early settler.

There are comments throughout the documents which indicate the homestead had underground water tanks, chambers for the keeping of convicts who helped to shape the land and numerous outhouses that were built between the 1830s and 1920s. There is mention of chinese labourers clearing the land and various experimental farming ventures that were trialled on the river banks.

Below you will see a map from circa 1900s with the Lot numbers and occupiers of the land. 

Standing in the park today, it is difficult to imagine the building that was established there over 170 years ago. With a little more digging, here's hoping it wont be so difficult to imagine afterall!

Forever 6108!


Know Your Suburb Thornlie Leaflet
Yvonne henderson MLA Member for Thornlie
Sourced from Thornlie Living History Collection June 2013

Photographs of The Thornlie Homestead Circa 1925

Sourced from Thornlie Living History Collection June 2013

Thornlie Development Document

Hon G.P. Wild M.L.A; Minister for Water Supplies

DD 4th April 1963

Sourced from Thornlie Living History Collection June 2013

Heritage listed Olea Eurpoaea at Thornlie Community Centre

Today I visited the stunning heritage listed olea europaea located in front of the Community Centre at Homestead Park, Thornlie. There are 4 large trees which rain black olives over the ground and dominate the roadside afront the centre.

As the sun was setting, the ducks fed on the grass growth beneath the largest tree which stands alongside the entrance to the community centre car park.

The sun was glorious shining through the trees as it set, making beautiful photographic opportunities.

The trees were planted by Thomas Bannister in 1837 and plaques are mounted on the trees to celebrate this fact. Thomas Bannister was a pioneer and original settler of the area, with the Bannister family owning 'Canning Location 17' which is now part of the suburb of Thornlie.

The olives are native to the north of Iran and north of Iraq, south of the Caspian sea and are known to only grow to 8-15m in height. One look at the trees which are now an amazing 176 years old and it is clear that these trees represent the larger end of the scale.

With the community centre in the background, it is amazing to think of the changes to the surrounds that these trees have seen in their lifetime. The development of the suburb and the spectacular homes that line Glenbrook Road facing the river.

Accompanied by an interested and enthusiastic friend, we crushed the olives in our fingers to find the rich purple colours of the fruits. We tasted the olives which were bitter and tart - a silly assumption that they may taste like a store bought olive! Obviously they require processing in brine to determine them "table ready"!

Forever 6108!

History and Heritage Advisory Group Meeting February 2013
http://www.gosnells.wa.gov.au/files/e9c53136-7fdd-47b6-aa20-a16c009d7b21/Copy_of_Appendix_13_2_2A_26_February_2013.pdf?streamFile=true

Olea Europaea Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive