Darlington History Group

Five Years of Persistence Brings Results for Darlington

The Darlington History Group is happy to announce that a combination of support and financial contributions from the Western Australian Heritage Council, the State Government (Matthew Hughes MLA), the Shire of Mundaring, Lotterywest and considerable fund-raising by the Darlington History Group has moved the proposed Darlington Heritage Walk Trail Project to a fully funded stage.

Further, the History Group is delighted that it will be partnering with the Shire of Mundaring to roll out the manufacturing, construction and implementation stage which will commence during the second half of the current year. The History Group and the Shire have joined forces, with the Shire being instrumental in auspicing the grant application to Lotterywest. The success of this funding means that the Darlington Heritage Walk Trail will be completed.

It has taken the History Group almost five years of consistent activity which included the initial historical research, many hours of discussion by the Project Working Group, the drafting of a Masterplan, consultations/meetings with community organisations, schools, dozens of interested local residents, several community on-site meetings, indigenous representatives and so on. During that time the History Group maintained continuous consultation with the Shire of Mundaring.

The History Group engaged a Heritage Professional to draft the overall design works and signage which took more than 12 months of consistent work. Additional site works have also been drafted by a local architect.

The value of the proposed Heritage Walk Trail is enormous. The History Group’s research has discovered that Darlington has a very rich and important history. The proposed walk trail is located adjacent to the eastern railway constructed in 1883. It was the first railway service that connected the Perth colony with the rich farm and primary producing areas in and beyond the Darling Scarp and Perth Hills. Then there was the establishment of the famous original Darlington Vineyard and Winery by Dr Alfred Waylen and Hon. Josceline Amherst. That was just the beginning.

As time moved on Darlington’s character and culture became strongly influenced by its past history. The History Group strongly believes that the best way to preserve that history is to make it work for us. The implementation of the trail will bring the history to life, helping visitors and residents to build awareness, appreciation and understanding of Darlington’s unique story.

In the meantime, for further historical information consult the following books written by local historians

Cliff Burns and Arlene Collings and published by the Darlington History Group.

WHERE

To

GET

THEM:

You may purchase the books from The Little Nook, The Hive, Darlington Post Office, or phone Cliff 9299 6696. “The Original Darlington Vineyard” is $12 and “Historic Structures and Buildings of Darlington” is $15. There are more books of local interest on our website, including our local “Walk Trails and Circuits”, the “History of the Darlington Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade”, “Arts on the Edge” (the history of the Darlington Arts Festival), “Local Flora and Bushlands”, and many more. Visit dhg.org.au

Darlington Hall Centenary Celebration

DHG would like to thank Antoinette, who publishes the Darlington Review, for designing the full page poster for the Centenary. Check out the poster opposite for the details.

SIZZLING SIZZLING SIZZLING! PUT A SNAG ON THE BARBIE AND HELP DHG RAISE FUNDS ON 16 SEPTEMBER, 2023

DHG will be at BUNNINGS cooking up your favourite distraction of why you really are at Bunnings. Come and say hi, buy a sausage in a bun with loads of onion and plenty of flavour, and help us keep Sharing the Heritage.

TIME TO PRUNE YOUR STUFF! DONATE YOUR GOOD USED ITEMS TO US – AND FEEL GOOD DOING IT!

We collect Bric-A-Brac in good condition all year round, so that we can have a marquee full of Great Stuff at the Darlington Arts Festival. Christine is wanting your Great-Stuff-You-No-LongerNeed , so put it in a box and call Christine on 0490 793 015. We thank you in advance!

Rose

Whipper

Rubbish Removed General Garden Work

Tel: 9299 8538

Mobile: 0407 088 550

The Parkerville Tavern, Coral Coast Beef and Lion Mill Vineyards are excited to bring you an exquisite evening of Beef and Wine Pairing. Celebrate winter at the Parky and enjoy a four-course, winter-inspired dinner, matched with locally-produced, boutique wine with an additional glass of sparkling wine on arrival and ending the evening with a coffee or tea.

Menu:

- Glass of Sparkling wine on arrival

- Beef Croquette | Wine: Tempranillo

- Beef Short Rib, Kim Chi | Wine: Shiraz

- 150g Sirloin, medium, confit garlic puree, bordelaise | Wine: Zinfandel

- Plum & Cinnamon Bakewell Tart, Chantilly | Wine: Liqueur Zinfandel

- Tea & Coffee

Limited places. Go to parkervilletavern.com.au/whats-on/ or scan the QR code to book

Marloo Theatre’s All Sorts One Act Season A Season of Short Plays with Something for Everyone

One Act Plays are a fascinating format for storytelling. Intriguing characters, fascinating stories and theatrical experiences all making for great bite sized entertainment. This September, Marloo Theatre is proud to present ‘All Sorts’. In this year’s one act season, three short plays will be presented at each performance and each one is vastly different to the next, with a bit of something for every taste from comedy to drama and thriller.

The first of the three plays is ‘Too Many Daughters’, written by Claire Epstein and directed by Taneal Thompson. This hilarious comedic parody plays on the stereotypical storyline of classic Jane Austen, taking a leaf out of the book of ‘Pride and Prejudice’. The Ashworth Family is made up of the overbearing mother, the long suffering father and twelve (or is it thirteen) daughters. Florence Ashworth is determined to marry off her daughters to eligible suitors but money, horse related accidents and a austere Dowager Countess always seem to get in the way. Director Taneal Thompson is loving taking the lead on this parody show. “It is a truth universally acknowledged that people who enjoy a laugh must be in search of this enjoyable little comedy” she said. “It is sure to delight fans of Jane Austen as well as the period drama, romance and the ridiculous” she concluded.

Too Many Daughters Cast

Florence Ashworth - Rebecca McRae

Paul Cook - Nicolas Ashworth

Evie Jagot - Henrietta Ashworth

Chloe Wiggers - Imogen Ashworth

Cordelia Ashworth - Brianna Thompson

Felicity Ashworth - Meg McKenzie

Alastair Blackwood - Gavin Crane

Gwendolyn Ashworth - Sophie David

Cecil Thorburn - Kieran Ridgway

Lady Thorburn - Candice Preston

Peter Billingsby - Chris McRae

Servant - Tim Jagot

Anne Ashworth - Georgia Stidwell

Charlotte Ashworth - Sienna Stidwell

Margaret Ashworth- Olivia Keary

Second on the ‘All Sorts’ bill is ‘Wickie on the Wind’, a brand new play written and directed by Chris McRae. Based on true events, this story is set in Albany where the Point King Lighthouse and Keeper’s Cottage now lie in ruins. Widely considered to be one of the most haunted locations in Western Australia, the last lighthouse keeper of Point King was John Reddin, whose ghost is said to inhabit the area.

The play recounts the story of local yachtswoman Jennifer Smith who provides a first hand account of this historic ghost story. Writer/Director Chris McRae was compelled to write this story. “It is a relatively unknown piece of history and an absolutely fascinating story” he said. “The mystery surrounding lighthouses, their keepers and history intrigues me and this story is an amazing combination of the historical and the supernatural” he continued.

Wickie On The Wind Cast

John Reddin - Grant Malcolm

Jennifer Smith - Alexandra D’Ulisse

Elsie Reddin - Harper Ranger

The third and final one act play in this season is the chilling ‘One Lane Bridge’ written by Stephen Gregg and directed by AJ Giltrow. A dark and snowy night and a treacherous drive winding through a mountain canyon is what faces young Eli. He soon finds himself with unknown passenger Samantha and things take a dark turn as their scary stories begin. A dark and unsettling thriller with moments of relentless fear. Director AJ Giltrow describes the show as a thrilling spectacle. "This show is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat in anticipation” he said. “There is a constant sense of suspense over what will happen next” he continued.

One Lane Bridge Cast

Eli - Keaton Humphreys

Samantha - Jessica Wilkins

Hayden/Narrator - Sean Wcislo

Cora/Narrator - Peri Watson

Ezra/Narrator - Beau Van Der Beeke

Darlington Theatre Players’ ‘All Sorts’ One Act Season will run for five performances from the 8th-16th September at Marloo Theatre in Greenmount. Each show includes performances of all three one act plays and tickets can be booked at www.trybooking.com/CJPCC