Pemberton -film location for Jasper Jones
Visiting Pemberton Western Australia is like stepping back in time. It was the perfect location for the recent filming of Jasper Jones, starring Toni Collette and Hugo Weaving.
Pemberton is one of the few remaining south west towns that still have surviving buildings from earlier times. Rustic timber mill houses, a main street, meeting halls and back alleyways all speak of yesteryear.
A Brief History
Pemberton history goes back a long way. Nyoongar people hunted, gathered and traveled extensively throughout the region for thousands of years. By comparison Europeans have only been here for a blink of an eye.
Grazing and Timber
Around 1860, European settlement started with grazing and pastoralists. In 1907 the construction of Trans Australian Railway Line created a huge demand for thousands of wooden sleepers. Meeting this demand a hardwood timber mill was established in Pemberton and supplied by the local forests. Prized hardwoods, such as karri and jarrah trees were used in the construction of the Indian Pacific line.
Early Agriculture
Yet agriculture in the south west was still struggling. In a bid to boost population and clear more land for agriculture, the State Government embarked on the Group Settlement Scheme around 1920. The Scheme enticed post World War One British ex-servicemen and their families to take up farming. Many applicants to the Scheme had no agricultural experience. Nor where they made aware that the land promised was uncleared karri forest. With little more than an axe and spade supplied by the government, the settlers were faced with clearing land for crops and cattle with their bare hands. Needless to say, it was an abject failure with many families starving and walking off the land.
Hops and Tobacco
Tobacco were grown within the region for a short time. During World War Two there was a tobacco shortage and production was at its peak. However production declined not long after.
Hops for beer making was grown for nearly 50 years. They were used by Perth’s Swan Brewery. To irrigate the hops, Waterfall Dam also referred to as Karri Valley Dam was constructed at Beedelup Brook. Eventually the hops market became less viable. Eastern States hops could be produced at lower cost, which spelt the end to that industry.
A second wave of migration of European migrants occurred after World War Two. Agriculture was still slow to develop until tractors became more widely available. This lead to the rapid clearing of land. Many of the migrants came from farming backgrounds. What followed was an expansion of cattle farming and agriculture.
Four National Parks
With time other industries such as tourism developed. The town’s close proximity to several national parks gave visitors a range of attractions. There are towering karri forests, secluded rivers, inland sand dunes and rugged coastline.
There are several national parks adjacent to Pemberton. These include the Warren National Park, Beedelup National Park, Gloucester National Park, and the D’Entrecasteaux National Park. There are rugged coastlines and extensive inland sand dunes.
Others consist of heavily forested regions with sheltered rivers and creeks. Farmlands and vineyards boast large dams which characterise much of regions’s unique landscape.
These parks and the proximity to the Southern Ocean contribute to a clean environment for food, wine and tourism.
Pemberton Artists
Artists have been drawn to the Pemberton region for years. If you are visiting the area call by the studio of Peter Kovacsy. Peter is a renowned artist who has been living and working in the region for several decades. Through the mediums of wood metal and glass, Peter references the environment and the interplay of light. He is the only local creative with a studio arts practice. His studio gallery is well worth a visit, you may even be lucky enough to see a work in progress.
Climbing Giants
At around sixty metres tall, karri trees are some of the tallest eucalyptus trees in Australia. To the ever resourceful forest workers they also served as useful fire lookout towers. You can climb these lookouts but it is not for the faint-hearted. Two fire lookout trees open to the public. The Bicentennial Tree in Warren National Park and the Gloucester Tree in the Gloucester National Park.
Pemberton Cool Climate Wine Region
With its clean environment, proximity to the Southern Ocean and buffering by national parks the region attracted the attention of the wine industry. Described as a cool climate wine region it offers the advantage of a slow and controlled development of the grapes. This is desired by wine makers for enhancing flavour development.
Initially just a handful of vineyards and cellar doors had set up around Pemberton. The Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation gazetted the Pemberton Wine Region in 2006. It extended south of Manjimup towards Northcliffe with Pemberton at its centre.
Pemberton Wine Region Book
In 2008 I published the hardcover book Pemberton Wine Region Western Australia. It is the first premium quality photography book to focus on this emerging region.
The region’s unique terrior is visually explored, showcasing its outstanding natural beauty. Images of majestic forests, rivers, massive sand dunes and rugged coastline capture the landscape that shapes the region’s wine and character.
The book was the Australian finalist in two categories at the Gourmand Book Awards recently held in Paris 2010. The categories were Best Wine Photography and Best Book on New World Wines.
