Through mill town

Uptake of the original large allotments was slow, and when an 1899 survey revealed iron and timber squatters’ camps scattered through the bush, smaller housing lots were offered. Two separate sawmills operating near the Parkerville station had both closed by 1900, but despite this, the uptake of the new smaller lots was successful.

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To quarry town

Quarries, opened to meet the demand for blue-metal, in particular to pave Perth streets, made Parkerville one of the busiest centres in the hills. The City of Perth established a quarry in the area, known today as Clifton quarry, and the sound of the works’ siren or dynamiting became familiar noises across the valley. The works closed seasonally, as well as during the Great Depression, causing Parkerville’s population to fluctuate. Gravel pits were also opened and Parkerville station had to be improved and expanded to cope with the amount of stone and wood being railed.

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And a home for children in need

Parkerville Children’s Home was established in the wet winter of 1903 at the site of an old sawmill. The children spent their first night in a leaky barn and were all drenched and their bedding ruined. The people of Parkerville came through, providing enough chaff to make new mattresses. Thus began an ongoing and close relationship between the community and the Home. In 1905, through the generosity of Guildford businessman Walter Padbury, a brick building was constructed at the Home. It was one of the first brick buildings in Parkerville, and was part of its revolutionary cottage system to house children.

 

State Registered Places in Parkerville:

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Parkerville Children’s Home & Cemetery