The Forests of Warburton - a Pictorial Heritage - 1853 to 2012

Scope

Home
Scope
1853 - Beginnings
1885 to present day - Dee Valley Mills
1889 to 1919 - Mills in the Wesburn and Old Warburton area
1890 - Roads to the Forests
1901 to 1964 - The Warburton Railway
1902 to 1906 - Anderson's Mill
1902 to 1939 - East Warburton and Onwards
1903 to 1907- Robinson's Mill No. 1
1905 to 1949 - Tramways of the Mills
1905 to 1928 - Parbury's Brookfield Mill
1906 - Wondwondah Estate and the Adventist Church
1907 to 1913 - Richards Mill
1907 to 1922 - Robinson's Mill No. 1
1908 to 1922 - Robinson's No 2 Mill (Cement Creek)
1909 to 1916 - Hermon's Mill (La La Estate)
1909 to 1949 - The Warburton Steam Railway
1911 to 1915 -The O'Shannassy Aqueduct and Weir
1915 to 1973 - Brimbonga Seasoning Works - East Warburton
1918 to 1925 - Sunnydale Mill, East Warburton
1919 to 1920 - Slocum and Walker's Mill
1920 - From the Bush to the Bungalow
1922 to 1932 - Enterprise Mill (La La)
1925 - Family Snow Trip to Mt Donna Buang
1932 to 1937 - Horner's Mill
1938 to 2000 - Tuckman's Mills
1950 - Welcome Back to Warburton
The Donna Buang Range
Timeline
Epilogue
Bibliography
The Author's Personal Websites

new3mapwarbybonzle.jpg
2012 - Map of Warburton and surrounding areas

timbertrainwarbynd.jpg
1910 - Timber Tramway at East Warburton

1919mtvictorialogsa.jpg
1919 - hauling logs at Mt Victoria

Scope

The Study examines the Warburton Forests, and looks at the development and in particular the evolution of the sawmilling industry in Warburton and nearby areas.

General descriptive information about the history of important locations is given, with maps.

It includes the principal mills, which were:

  • Robinson's Wonwondah Mill - 1903 to 1907 (Robinson, Duncan and Munro)
  • Robinson's No. 1 Mill - 1907 to 1922
  • Robinson's No. 2 Mill - 1909 to 1921
  • Enterprise Sawmilling Company 1922 to 1925
  • Cuming, Smith and Company - 1925 to 1932
  • Richard's Mill - 1907 to 1913
  • Anderson's Mill - 1902 to 1906
  • Parbury's Mill (Brookfield Mill) - 1905 to 1928
  • Horner's Mill - 1932 to 1937
  • Slocum and Walker's Mill - 1919 to 1920
  • Tuckman and Peacock (Warburton) - 1938 to 1950
  • RIchard's Mill (East Warburton) - 1945 to 1974
  • Seasoning Works (East Warburton) - 1914 to 1973
  • Horner's Mill (La La Estate) - 1909 to 1916
  • Sunnydale Stave Mill (East Warburton)

There were many smaller Mills in the Warburton area - some of these were short-lived and their operations are not described in this present study.

They include:

Mason and Grant (East Warburton) - 1923 to 1932
Bell and Lay (East Warburton) - 1944 to 1945
Spencer (Wesburn) - 1950 to 1981
Adams (Warburton South) - 1948 to 2001
Yelland Brothers (East Warburton) - 1948 to 1970

Mills in other areas near Warburton are generally outside the scope of this study, with some exceptions.

pre940towersmall.jpg
1920s - Lookout Tower at Mt Donna Buang

1940towersmall.jpg
1940 - Lookout Tower at Mt Donna Buang

1952towersmall.jpg
1952 - Lookout Tower at Mt Donna Buang (photographed by the author on YMCA trip)

donnabuangjuly232012a.jpg
July 2012 - Lookout Tower at Mt Donna Buang (author's photo)

1918sunnydalemill.jpg
1918 - Sunnydale Mill - East Warburton

Contact Bob Padula