Deanmill, Western Australia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Deanmill Western Australia
1920s photo of the Number 1 sawmill
Deanmill Location in Western Australia
Established	1914
Postcode(s)	6258
Area	[convert: needs a number]
Location	5 km (3 mi) from Manjimup
LGA(s)	Shire of Manjimup
State electorate(s)	Warren-Blackwood
Federal Division(s)	O'Connor
Localities around Deanmill: Dixvale Ringbark Ringbark Glenoran Deanmill Manjimup Glenoran Jardee Jardee

Deanmill is a historic timber town. It is located in the South West region of Western Australia. The town is close to Manjimup. Its postcode is 6258.

The Story of Deanmill: A Timber Town's Beginning

Deanmill started as a special town built around a sawmill. This happened after a law called the Government Trading Concerns Act 1912 was passed in 1912. This law allowed the government to start its own businesses. One of these was State Saw Mills.

Building the First Sawmill

State Saw Mills bought a timber company for £80,000. Then, they began building their first sawmill in 1913. This mill was later named Deanmill. They also built two other mills nearby, which became Pemberton.

The mills cost about £138,000 to build. Their main job was to make timber railway sleepers. These are the wooden blocks that support railway tracks. They were needed for the Trans-Australian Railway. Building the mills was tricky because of heavy rain. This caused delays in delivering the railway sleepers.

How Deanmill Got Its Name

State Saw Mills created a town around the Number 1 mill. They named it Deanmill after A. Dean, a construction engineer. It was common practice back then to put timber mills in valleys. This allowed homes and other buildings to be built nearby.

Deanmill Primary School Opens

The Deanmill Primary School was built in 1914. The Public Works Department helped build it. The school first had one classroom, an office, and a shed. All these buildings were made from timber.

Deanmill Today: A Look at the Town

Today, Deanmill still has its sawmill and mill houses. You can also find the Deanmill Workers' Club there. The town has the Deanmill Football Oval. Part of the old Deanmill Tramway and Heritage Trail is also still there.

Keeping the Timber Industry Strong

In 2002, the Premier of Western Australia, Geoff Gallop, visited Deanmill. The government was planning how to manage forests from 2004 onwards. They worked with a company called Sotico. The goal was to ensure a steady supply of jarrah timber. This helped keep the timber industry going in the area.

Looking After the Environment

Experts have checked the sawmill's impact on the environment. A study in 2004 found arsenic near a drainage channel. This was because State Saw Mills used arsenic to treat timber in the 1920s. The government took responsibility for this issue.

Another company, Wesfarmers, was responsible for creosote contamination. This affected the groundwater and soil. Wesfarmers and the government shared the cost of cleaning it up.

Who Lives in Deanmill?

In 2006, about 405 people lived in the Deanmill area. About half were male and half were female. The average age of people in Deanmill was 39 years old. Most residents, about 90.9%, were Australian citizens.

Common Jobs in Deanmill

Many people in Deanmill worked as labourers. Other common jobs included managers, technicians, and trades workers. Some residents were professionals or worked in sales. The main industries were timber processing and school education. Growing fruit and farming sheep and cattle were also important.