River an ‘angler’s paradise’

Queen for a gift of Red, Fallow and Roe Deer."

Also listed on the report were “laughing jackasses”, which these days are better known as kookaburras.

"Twenty-nine giant kingfishers or laughing-jackasses, have been received, and most of them have been liberated in various localities," Hackett wrote.

While kookaburras are native to Australia, they were only found on the east coast until the society's decision to import them to WA.

At the time the society in WA was founded, scientists in the Eastern States had already begun to realise that introducing species to new areas and countries might not be a good idea.

In 1897, the committee had invited the Director of Melbourne Zoo, Albert Le Souef, to select a site for the zoological garden.

Contributer: TOM REARDON

MR L LE SOUEF, of the Acclimatisation Society, suggested in an interview with a Collie Miner correspondent in early 1908 that the Collie River was an angler’s paradise.

In order to understand the role of Mr L Le Souef it is important to know something about the society.

The Western Australian Acclimatisation Society’s committee first met in 1896. It had two roles. One was to introduce animals from Europe into the Australian wild and the other was to establish a zoological garden.

In an early report to the WA Parliament, in 1898, president John Winthrop Hackett described the committee's progress in introducing such species as deer, oysters, eels and pheasants.

He wrote in the report: “Being convinced that the conditions of the colony are specially fitted for the acclimatisation of deer, the committee is making every endeavour to procure some of these beautiful and useful animals from the other Australian colonies. An application has also been made to Her Majesty the

Mr Le Souef chose the current South Perth site and his son, Ernest, was appointed as director and work began in June 1897.

On October 17, 1898, the Zoological Gardens were opened by the Governor of West Australia, Lieutenant Colonel Sir Gerard Smith.

On Thursday January 28, 1908, Mr Lancelot Le Souef visited Collie with the idea of seeing how the English Perch, which had been “liberated” by the society some seven years before, had acclimatised, and to verify reports of the species being caught in the Collie River.

Once his investigation was completed, he would then be able to report back to the committee on the advisability or otherwise of throwing the river open to fishing.

To reach a conclusion Le Souef undertook tests using a set net specially constructed for this task.

It was an experimental net as the first time it was used was in the Collie River and according to Le Souef, it proved very successful.

The test concluded that the waters of the Collie River were stocked with perch.

However, it was too early to reach the same conclusion about carp and tench.

It would appear that from around the time of its formation, the acclimatisation committee had been working towards getting all the southern waters of Western Australia stocked with edible fish and, after numerous experiments, it had been found that the fish most suitable for the waters in the south were the English perch.

Large numbers of trout had been placed in different rivers and streams but by 1908 there was no trace of them and so it was concluded that the waters of the south were not suitable for trout.

It was therefore decided to concentrate on stocking the rivers with perch. What is of interest here is that years later a trout farm would be established on the Collie River.

It seems that prior to his visit to the South-West, large numbers of perch had been reported in the railway dam at Chidlow’s Wells.

This dam was stocked with perch and the residents in the three months of April, May and June of 1907 took out over nine hundred kilograms of perch.

An official test of this dam using rods caught over 20 kilograms of perch.

Because of the large number of small fish caught in the dam it was decided to transport a lot of these to other rivers in the South-West.

It had been found that streams stocked with fish in the 1890s had fish in them. However, because of the abundance of other food in the rivers, the perch were not hungry enough to be attracted by bait on a line.

Le Souef suggested that once this food supply was not as plentiful, the bait on a line would become attractive to perch.

He concluded that the government had always supported the work of the society because it recognised that country waters were “at present absolutely valueless”.

It was the belief of the government that rivers should be made productive, giving both food and pleasure to the inhabitants who abided by these waterways.

It was the belief of the Society that hunting and shooting as a sport were losing popularity because the animals hunted such as kangaroos were fast being culled and that very soon sport other than fishing would be an unknown quantity.

If fishing as a recreation was to survive, Mr Le Souef suggested that size limits should be placed on catches and small fish be allowed to grow.

He was in high praise for the Collie Anglers’ Society which had helped the acclimatisation society in any way it could to ensure his work was completed. Members had assisted him on all his ventures on the waterways.

It is worth printing his remarks about the Collie River as he found it in 1908:

“The Collie River is literally one of the finest rivers in the State.

"I have seen nearly all of them but rarely seen such a stretch of water as the Minninup Pool, extending four and a half miles. It will be of much use to publish photos of this stretch of water because very few people have any idea at all that there is such a magnificent expanse of water, the prevailing idea being that the river is just a series of little water holes which dry up in summer.

“When that stretch of water is thoroughly stocked with fish, it will be equal to giving Collie a good fish supply and fishermen all they want.”

Could this be said of the Collie River in 2023, I wonder?

Across

1. sleeveless jacket (6)

3. soft, pinkish fruit with a stone (5)

12. equal to 1000 watts (8)

13 accustom, especially to something unpleasant (5)

14. a kind of maple-tree (8)

18 wedge-shaped joint used to join two pieces of wood (8)

19. pear-shaped pumpkin (9)

20 a narrow opening in rock (8)

Down

2. racquet game where players hit a shuttlecock (9)

4 most favourable (7)

5. coloured wax drawing implement (6)

6 help to grow or develop (6)

7 flavour pod of a tropical plant (7)

ACROSS

Church Notices

ALL SAINTS’ ANGLICAN CHURCH:

46 Venn Street.

Church Services: Every Sunday at 9am. Morning tea after the service.

Holy Communion: First and second Sundays of each month.

Clues

1. sleeveless jacket (6)

3. soft, pinkish fruit with a stone (5)

12. equal to 1000 watts (8)

13. accustom, especially to something unpleasant (5)

14. a kind of maple-tree (8)

18. wedge-shaped joint used to join two pieces of wood (8)

19. pear-shaped pumpkin (9)

20. a narrow opening in rock (8)

Down

2. racquet game where players hit a shuttlecock (9)

4. most favourable (7)

5. coloured wax drawing implement (6)

6. help to grow or develop (6)

7. flavour pod of a tropical plant (7)

8. turn round (6)

9. hot brown liquid served with meat (5)

10. beginner (8)

11. something that cures or relieves (6)

15. make an impact (7)

16. the line where two edges of cloth join (4)

17. long walk in the country (6)

20 years ago

No funds for aged care rooms

An extra 30 people could have been housed at Riverview, but the facility had nowhere to put the beds.

The complex was granted operation funding for an extra 30 beds on top of its existing 41, but no funding was provided for capital works to house the extra residents.

Euthanasia supported

Then-Collie MLA Mick Murray said he would support a terminally ill person's right to die. He was responding to questions on upper house member Robin Chapple's bill if it was to come before the lower house.

The bill had been in the upper house since the previous year.

8 turn round (6)

9 hot brown liquid served with meat (5)

10 beginner (8)

11 something that cures or relieves (6)

15 make an impact (7)

16. the line where two edges of cloth join (4)

17 long walk in the country (6)

School too hot: mother

Higher than usual March temperatures prompted a Collie mother to lobby Education Minister Alan Carpenter to install air conditioning in all Collie schools.

She started a petition after her children had suffered heat-related illnesses.

Logging threat to wildlife

The Collie Conservation Group raised concerns that logging in Fleay's Block could threaten numbats, as well as possums, owls and other fauna living in the area. The comments came after a Department of Conservation and Land Management report was released showing that 12 of 29 collared possums died within weeks of logging finishing in a forest near Bridgetown.

Blocks sold well

Twenty-two blocks were auctioned off in Collie, with the cheapest selling for $3,400 and the most expensive going for $20,200. The bidders came from as far away as Kalgoorlie and Albany.

Sport

Last trot meeting for season

The last meeting for the Collie Trotting Club season had a good class of runners in the feature race, the 2003 Griffin Coal Collie Cup, with a full field of 10 horses. However, two horses scratched early and then second favourite The Last Padron was involved in an incident and also scratched.

With only seven horses left in the race, Claim Jumper took an easy win.

Morning prayer: all other Sundays. Enquiries to warden: Gwen Molnar. Phone 9734 4020 or 0439 375 598.

Op shop: Open Tuesdays to Fridays 9am - 3pm

Church office: Tuesdays only. Secretary email: collieanglican@gmail. com

Website: www.allsaintschurchcollie.org

BAPTIST CHURCH: Cnr Prinsep and Elouera Streets, North Collie.

Church Enquiries: snr Elder Bob Greig 0418 903 693

Elder Stephen Sopolinski 0457 896 365 Sunday Service : 9.30am Visitors Welcome.

Kid's church: during Service. Morning tea after service.

Ladies Bible Study Group: Tuesday 9.30am at the Church.

CHURCH OF CHRIST: 165 Prinsep St.

Pastor: Shayne Goldfinch 0422 515 257.

Elder: Evan Mandry 0407 445 788.

Secretary: Glynis 0403 159 668.

Sundays: 9.30am, Family Service and Kids Church.

Thursdays: 9.30am, Craft & Friendship – Phone Heather 9734 4066

Saturdays: 7.30am, Periodically, Breakfast – Phone Evan 9734 1354.

Weekly Bible studies on various days. All enquiries welcomed. Vision Radio (87.6FM) is a Ministry of our Church.

COALFIELDS BAPTIST CHURCH: 43 Venn Street, Independent Baptist Church, Simple Bible Preaching, Psalms, Classic Hymns and Spiritual Songs, KJV, Friendly Congregation. Main Service Sun 10am Bible Study Sun 4pm. All Welcome! Tea and Coffee Refreshments after Services.

Enquiries:

Pastor Josh Denford 0403 300 802 coalfieldsbaptist@gmail.com facebook.com/cbccollie

FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH: 46 Johnston Street, Collie. All are welcome to join with us in fellowship. Friday: Food Ministry 10am-12noon, Prayer meeting 7pm Sunday: 10am morning service. Sunday School during service. For enquiries phone Pastor Garry Fisher on 9734 3796. ST BRIGID’S CATHOLIC CHURCH Cnr Prinsep and Medic Streets. Parish Priest: Fr. Gerald Tan Office: 9793 2011. email:stbrigidscollie@ optusnet.com.au

Weekend Masses: St. Brigid’s: 6.00pm Saturday, 10.00am Sunday. St. Mary’s, Darkan: 8.00am, 1st and 3rd Sunday each month.

Baptisms and weddings by request. Vinnie’s shop: 9734 5664. Shopping hours: 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday.

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST

CHURCH: Cnr Wittenoom & Steere Streets. You are welcome to fellowship with us, we meet every second and fourth Saturday. Bible Study 9.30am, Service 11am. 88.0 faithFM

WEST ARTHUR:

The Uniting Church meets on the first and third Sunday of the month at 9am. KYB is held on Tuesday at 9.30am at the Old Duranillin School.

The Catholic Church meets on the first and third Sunday of the month at 8am. The Anglican Church meets on: Second Sunday of the month at 8am at Darkan Fourth Sunday of the month at 8am at Darkan. Third Sunday of the month at 8am at Arthur River.