The Old Mill and Miller's Cottage

The Old Mill (1835) and Miller's Cottage (1837) Point Belches, South Perth is for all people with a shared love and connection to these unique heritage sites.

Situated across the river from the bustling City of Perth and tucked under the wing of the Narrows Bridge this tranquil spot is rich in history, an important site to the aboriginal people and later to the settlement of Perth in 1829. Built six and eight years after settlement The Old Mill and Miller's Cottage remain sentinel to the changes of Perth.

More Information

The Old Mill site is run by the City of South Perth. For details about opening times and venue hire please check out the City's web page by clicking the button. Old Mill

The Old Mill, South Perth

by June Shenton Turner September 2010 for Friends Of The Old Mill

When young engineer, William Kernot Shenton, arrived in the Swan River colony on the Lotus on 6 October, 1829, he brought with him equipment to build a saw mill. Quickly adapting to local needs, he converted it to a horse-powered mill at Fremantle and ground the wheat that came in from overseas. As the colony’s first crops began to yield he moved his equipment to the South Perth peninsular and in 1833 designed a wooden windmill, built by Lockyer and Son, near the point where it would catch the prevailing breezes.

This mill was kept busy as the expanding acreage under crop brought more grain to its millstones. However it was not secure. In 1834 it was raided by the Murray River natives and 980lbs of flour taken. A more secure mill was needed. William set about erecting a safer, stronger mill of understandably fort-like appearance.

A simple ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed by the governor, James Stirling. This mill was constructed of thick limestone blocks with a cap that could be pivoted to turn the sails into or out of the wind. The natural inlet from Perth Water served as a miller’s pool and a port for vessels while loading and unloading. A spur was cut connecting the pool to the mill for the carriage of goods betweenboat and mill. Again millwrights Lockyer and Son were employed.

By 1836 the cottage beside the mill had been built and the wooden mill turned into a store or warehouse. In 1840 Shenton mortgaged the mill and surrounding buildings to Edward Hamersley (father of Margaret Forrest) although he was still advertising his products. From then until his death by drowning in 1842 he lived on his property at Australind

Volunteer

a poem by Mark Hancock April 2005 (former Manager Library & Heritage, City of South Perth and Old Mill Volunteer)

"I’m sitting here, daydreaming at the mill
an autumn morning sunny, cool and still
I put the sign out, sweep the leaves up from the floor
and struggle to unlock the cottage door:
with FM classics on the radio
competing with the ceaseless traffic flow,
I sit reflecting on the history
of Shenton’s Mill and what it means to me:
William Kernot Shenton, Lockyer, Steele,
were men who put their shoulder to the wheel
to overcome the challenges they faced
and meet the expectations on them placed
by colonists who strove to understand
the harsh conditions of a hostile land:
they built the mill and helped to grind the wheat
and here I sit daydreaming at their feat!"