Blackboy Hill, Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackboy Hill Commemorative Site |
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Blackboy Hill
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| Australia | |
Memorial and flagpole aligned to setting sun on Anzac Day
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| For Australian Imperial Force | |
| Location | 31°53′49″S 116°02′44″E / 31.8970°S 116.0456°E |
| Statistics source: | |
| Designated | 31 March 2006 |
| Reference no. | 4479 |
Blackboy Hill gets its name from the "black boy" plants, also known as Xanthorrhoea preissii. These native Australian plants grew a lot in this area. Today, this site is part of Greenmount, Western Australia.
This place was once a military camp. The original camp buildings were on the hill where St Anthony's Primary School and Greenmount Primary School now stand. The part of the land that remains is a special memorial. It is officially called the Blackboy Hill Commemorative Site. However, signs in the area often just call it Blackboy Hill.
Contents
Blackboy Hill: A Training Camp for Soldiers
Training Troops for World War I
During the time leading up to the First World War, Blackboy Hill was a big military training camp. Many soldiers from the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) stayed here. The AIF was Australia's main fighting force in World War I. Soldiers trained at Blackboy Hill before they went to battlefields in Europe and the Middle East.
The camp started with very basic facilities. Over time, better equipment and buildings were brought in from other parts of the city. This helped to improve the camp for the soldiers.
How Soldiers Arrived at the Camp
Soldiers would travel by train to the nearby Helena Vale Railway station. From there, they would march to the camp. This route was chosen so that the troop movements would not get in the way of the regular trains on the Eastern Railway.
A special post office called Blackboy Hill Post Office opened on 29 August 1914. It closed on 30 November 1918. These dates show when the camp was most active during the war.
After the First World War
Around April 1919, after the war ended, the military camp was used for a different purpose. It became a hospital to treat people who had Spanish flu. This was a serious illness that spread around the world.
In the 1930s, during a time when many people didn't have jobs, the camp area was used by workers looking for relief.
The site was also used a lot during the Second World War. Soldiers from the 2nd AIF and other Australian military groups trained here.
Blackboy Hill Railway Stop
For a time between the 1940s and 1960s, there was a railway stopping place called Blackboy Hill. This stop was located between Bellevue and Swan View. It's important to know that this railway stop was not connected to the old training camp or the troop movements from World War I.
The Camp Chronicle Newspaper
While soldiers were at the camp, they had their own newspaper. It was called the Camp Chronicle: the soldiers paper. This newspaper shared stories and details about daily life at the camp. It was a way for soldiers to stay informed before they left Australia for overseas service.
Blackboy Hill Commemorative Site Today
The commemorative site is a small area, about half a hectare in size. It is located on the southern edge of where the old camp used to be. It sits next to Innamincka Road in Greenmount Hill. A larger public park, about 1.5 hectares, surrounds the site. This park helps to separate the memorial from the nearby schools and houses.
Anzac Day Commemorations
Today, the most important event at this site is the annual Anzac Day commemoration. This special day remembers all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in wars. The Anzac memorial is located between the two primary schools. The local Mundaring Council helps to look after the site. A committee also helps to manage it.
The Scout Association of Western Australia (Bilgoman District) and the Returned and Services League of Australia help with the Anzac Day services. These include a sunset service, a dawn service, and an all-night vigil.
Most of the original large camp area is now covered by houses. However, before building started in the early 1990s, you could still see parts of the old army camp and many rubbish pits.
Renewed Interest in the Centenary
As the 100-year anniversary (centenary) of the camp's use approached in 2014-2015, people in Western Australia became very interested in the site again.
Even much earlier, in 1937, there were stories that showed how important the site was. For example, the Western Mail newspaper published a story about "Battalion Eleven." This group of soldiers had formed at Blackboy Hill. The story began with a poem:
They were the boys from the Western State,
Brave Battalion Eleven;
They did not tarry, they did not wait,
When the call was given.
First to respond to their country's need
Nothing they feared, nor death did they heed.
Brave Battalion Eleven!—S.M. Harris
In 1937, many soldiers who had been at the camp were still alive. They could share their memories and stories. This meant that the information from that time was very rich. It included details that are harder to find in reports from 2013-2014.
A Book About Blackboy Hill
In 2013-2014, a project funded by Lotterywest helped create a book about Blackboy Hill. Valerie Elliott and Shannon Coyle from the Katherine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre led this project.
Many people helped write the book. This included local military historian Paul Bridges. He was from the Guildford Historical society and used to be with the Mundaring and Hills Historical Society. He wrote the first chapter, called Overview: BlackBoy Hill Training Camp.
The book has chapters written by more than ten different authors. It even includes research done by students from the nearby Greenmount Primary School.
Centenary Events
In August, September, and October of 2014, many events were planned to celebrate the centenary.
Centenary Train Journey
In October 2014, a special "centenary train" traveled from Midland to Fremantle. This train journey remembered the soldiers who trained at Blackboy Hill. They would have traveled by train to Fremantle to board ships and go off to fight in the war.
Archaeological Discoveries
Shane Burke, a professor from Notre Dame University in Fremantle, has led archaeological work at the site since the 2000s. He has worked with students to find out what secrets the area still holds. This is challenging because a lot of houses and other buildings have been built in the area.
Images for kids
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A plaque at the Blackboy Hill Commemorative Site.
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Flowers placed at the memorial on Anzac Day 2010.
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The Blackboy Hill memorial facing east in 2010.
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A view of Blackboy Hill looking towards the primary school.
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Sunset on Anzac Eve at Blackboy Hill in 2010.
