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Benjamin MasonPrint Page Print this page

26-February-2016 (Bryan Hardy)
26-February-2016 (Bryan Hardy)

Photographs supplied by Father Ted Doncaster / Bryan Hardy

The monument, which features a portrait bust, commemorates Benjamin Mason, who was a pioneer of the timber industry.

By 1866 Mason had constructed his own timber station and 100 men and their families were living in the area. In 1870 Mason formed a partnership with Francis Bird and it was this partnership which effectively opened up the Kalamunda area. By 1872 Mason and Bird had built their own horse drawn wooden railway line and timber was being transported from the mill to the Canning River for shipment down to the port of Fremantle. It is still possible to see the site of the original timber station on Mason's Mill Road which runs off Canning Road at Carmel.

Although Mason and Bird were the first timbercutters in the area, the combination of transportation problems and competition had driven them out of business by 1882 and their property was put up for auction. 

Location

Address:James & Station Streets, Francis Bird Park , Cannington, 6107
State:WA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -32.023889
Long: 115.942222
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Industry
Artist:Andrew Szato

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Monday 2nd June, 1975
Front Inscription

This monument commemorates the pioneer of the Jarrah Timber Industry in Western Australia

Benjamin Mason of Cannington, 1828 - 1893

And was dedicated by his grand-daughters Eileen and Dorothy Newman on Foundation Day

2nd June 1975

From 1860 to 1880 Benjamin Mason was the driving force in establishing the young Colony's Jarrah timber export trade. He developed his simple mill in the hills at Carmel from the era of the crosscut saw and bullock team into a thriving and valuable enterprise based on the modern steam-powered cicrular saw. In the 1870`s his loaded horse-drawn trucks rumbled down the Bickley Valley timber tramway for loading on to barges at the Canning Landing, these were poled down the Canning River, past Riverton and Muddy Reach, then along the Convict Fence to Salters Point, here they were taken in tow by a small steamer down stream to Fremantle where overseas vessels were waiting to take the timbers to Eastern States ports, also to India, which country bought large quantities of our products. By his pioneer efforts and those of his associates and timber men, he established Cannington as an important and thriving township

Sculptor  Andrew Szato

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au