John DunnPrint Page

The monument commemorates pioneer settler John Dunn who was killed by Aborigines in 1880. It was erected by the Phillips Road Board to commemorate the centenary year of Western Australia and was unveiled by Mrs Moir, widow of the late William Moir and the first European women to visit the area, on the December 20th 1929.

The first settlers into the area were the Dunn brothers. It is thought that John Dunn became interested in the area when he became temporarily marooned while sealing off the coast near Mary Anne Harbour. Dunn moved into the area in 1868 and spent `the first three years clearing scrub, building sheep yards and preparing for permanent occupation` on a piece of land he would name `Cocanarup`. In 1871 John Dunn took three months to overland some sheep from Albany with his brother George. He was formally granted 4049 hectares on 1 January 1873. 

John Dunn was killed by local Aboriginals in 1880. 

On December 20 a large crowd assembled at the Ravensthorpe Soldiers' Memorial Park to witness the unveiling of a tablet in memory of the late John Dunn,and also the turning on of water to the park. John Dunn came here about 60 years ago, and with his brothers, George, James, Robert, and Walter, took up and developed Coconarup Station. They were among the earliest pioneers of this district. In 1880, while at work alone on the run, John Dunn was attacked and killed by the natives. Some time after this his brother James was also attacked and left for dead. The memorial, consisting of a marble slab, with inscription placed on a neat cement pedestal, was erected by the Phillips River Road Board to celebrate the Centenary year. At the conclusion of the addresses Mr. Chambers called on Mrs. Moir, widow of the late William Moir, and the first white woman to visit these parts, to unveil the tablet. 
Excerpt from West Australian (Perth), 7 January 1930.

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