Yarloop

Yarloop is a milling and timber town situated between Waroona and Harvey, 126 kms south of Perth on the South Western Highway. It was first called Yailoup then later Yarloup before adopting the present name in 1899. Yarloop began as a timber rail siding in 1896 and was a private town before being gazetted as a public townsite in 1962. The name is probably of Aboriginal origin despite a popular theory it came from 'yard loop' referring to the railway

Yarloop - Highway Entrance

A couple of old boilers and accompanying signs stand like sentinels at the beginning of the Yarloop entrance road, at the South Western Highway. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL001

Yarloop - Road Sign

After travelling a little way towards town from the highway there a couple of welcome signs either side of the road. This is probably the more ornate. January 2014. Photos Ref: YARL002

Yarloop - Timber Mill

The timber mill which can be seen from the highway. Activities here have been somewhat scaled back over the decades. Today there is not much timber in the yard. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL003

Yarloop - Gunn's Timber Mill Office

On the town access road is the Mill Office. The mill is owned by Gunns. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL004

(This building was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Post Office and Steam Workshops Entrance

This building doubles as the Post Office and also for the office/entrance point of the Yarloop Steam Workshops. The historical workshops are open from 10.00am to 4.00pm daily. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL005

(This complex was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Steam Workshops Entrance Sign

A close-up of the sign on the steam workshops entrance building. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL006

Yarloop - Steam Workshops

Built about 100 years ago, the workshops remain almost unchanged. The sign says that these workshops are amongst the few remaining all-timber engineering workshops world-wide, and thus are of significant heritage value. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL007

(This complex was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Steam Workshops

Another look at the workshops buildings this time featuring some old mechanical equipment in the foreground. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL008

(This complex was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Cabin Restaurant

Next to the Post Office and Steam Workshops office is the Cabin Restaurant. A fine-looking timber building which compliments its neighbour. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL009

(This building was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Hotel

The Yarloop Hotel is across the park and railway line from the workshops and restaurant. This seems to be one of the few hotels around which is actually younger than a lot of the other buildings in town. The hotel was erected in 1901 but then rebuilt after a fire in 1955. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL010

(This building was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Hotel

A view running along the front of the Yarloop Hotel. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL011

(This building was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Bridgette and Me Shop

Bridgette and Me shop is on the west side of the railway. This building is now the Post Office. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL012

Yarloop - Disused Shop

On the west side of town is this tiny old shop which is not in use anymore. This sits between what is now the Post Office and the General Store. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL013

Yarloop - General Store

The main store in Yarloop and in fact the only general type of store in town. People were calling in this morning for milk and newspapers. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL014

Yarloop - Cottage

Dotted around the town are many wooden cottages such as this which were originally built as homes for timber workers and those employed in the workshops. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL015

Yarloop - Hall 1938

The Yarloop Hall is a fine sturdy structure. The paint on the date on top of the building has worn off somewhat but close scrutiny suggests 1938. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL016

(This building was mostly destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - St Joseph's Church

St Joseph's Catholic Church of Yarloop. The Church opened on June 26th 1906. December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL017

(This building was destroyed in the January 2016 bushfire)

Yarloop - Railway Station

The Yarloop railway station resembles an old bus shelter. The Australind passenger train only stops here on demand.  December 2010. Photos Ref: YARL018

Yarloop - Railway Station

Yarloop now has this smart new railway station which has an elevated platform to make boarding the train easier.  December 2018. Photos Ref: YARL019

Yarloop - Post Office

The Post Office on the west side of the railway line. The post office was, up until recently, included in the Steam Workshops building. January 2014. Photos Ref: YARL020

Yarloop - Masons Hall

The Yarloop Masonic Lodge No. 138 W.A.C., consecrated in 1928. January 2014. Photos Ref: YARL021

Yarloop - Non-Denominational Church

A return to Yarloop nine months after the devastating bushfire. This building was spared. This is on the south side of town and used to be the Anglican All Saints Church built in 1909. Up until recently the building was abandoned, the home of just bees. The January destruction of the Catholic Church and the need for a spiritual presence in town has seen the building renovated by the community and opened as a Christian Non-Denominational Church. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL022

Yarloop - Sunken Houses

In the centre of town are what appear to be sunken houses. These are near the railway line. There are only two left but apparently years ago there were others. These are not houses at all. They are merely buildings constructed to cover the top of old water wells which were used by the railways in days gone by. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL023

Yarloop - Station Street

This view looking north along Station Street seems normal enough. These shops were amazingly untouched by the January 2016 bushfire as were the houses you can see. What this picture doesn't show are the commercial buildings and 95 homes that were lost. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL024

Yarloop - Hotel Site

The Yarloop Hotel site on Station Street. The hotel was totally destroyed in the fire. All that is left after the site clean-up is the sign. Look at the above picture and over on the left you can see the hotel sign - the fire was that close to those other places. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL025

Yarloop - Steam Workshops

The car parking bays marked out in the picture 2 above - Station Street view - are right outside what were the Yarloop Steam Workshops, the Cabin Restaurant and adjacent cottages. This is all that is left of the complex. Twisted metal and the shell of a couple of steam steam locomotives. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL026

Yarloop - Steam Workshops

Another part of the remains of the Steam Workshops. You can see buildings behind which survived the fire. Many of the structures which did not survive were those constructed out of untreated jarrah. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL027

Yarloop - War Memorial

The War Memorial just across the road from the ruins of the Steam Workshops. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL028

Yarloop - Hall

The 1938 Yarloop Hall on Station Street was severely damaged. This is a look at the front of the building which is made of brick. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL029

Yarloop - Hall

The rear of the hall was almost certainly constructed of wood and alas was destroyed in the fire. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL030

Yarloop - House Site

During the nine months since the bushfire, the sites of destroyed houses have been cleaned up so most are just a flat sandy blocks revealing nothing of the destruction and horrors. This one caught my eye with its eerily surviving driveway, steps and thriving front garden, but the house behind has gone. The town lives on. I see positive people rebuilding or living on their old home blocks in transportables or caravans. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL031

Yarloop - Primary School

Part of the local primary school in the south side of town which was untouched by the fires. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL032

Yarloop - Library

Adjacent to, indeed joined to the primary school, is the Yarloop Public Library. This was opened by Barry Godley, Director of Operations, Education Dept, on August 21st, 1987. There are no books in here at present. September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL033

Yarloop - Highway Road Sign

The road sign on the South Western Highway stays at it ever was and so it should. Perhaps it serves as an inspiration to rebuild? September 2016. Photos Ref: YARL034

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