The Lynton Convict Hiring Depot

18 Apr

Located between Geraldton and Kalbarri is the Lynton Convict Hiring Depot. Constructed started in 1853 but wouldn't be complete until 3 years later... where it promptly closed. Those three years were tough, including cases scurvy. If you were lucky enough to not have scurvy, you got to work in a lead mine! This is an interesting story of early European colonisation in a part of Western Australia that's still quite remote. Access was only by boat through Port Gregory... assuming it didn't sink.

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Sources:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynton_Convict_Hiring_Depot

https://freotopia.org/depots/lynton.html

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/public/inventory/details/c1e2a67e-237c-4ac9-bbe6-8a844f608262

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/public/inventory/details/ec535693-e601-43cf-9482-e27d5d062487

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/32d52548-e20d-49a3-b7e9-76f7374296f1

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/f9e357a6-b08a-4e86-a82d-775599141bc3

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/d91e3c2d-0234-41fe-b014-83becca4dc40

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/4f9434f4-14e8-4787-8680-05e63c9a140e

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Places/AggregateDetails?lgaContains=northampton&streetNameContains=&isCurrentlyStateRegistered=False&SearchToken=300a3289-66b0-441f-9ad3-3a11f633c2fa&page=10&itemsPerPage=20

https://www.brownsigns.net.au/historical/lynton-heritage-site-convict-hiring-depot/

https://freotopia.org/places/championbay.html

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Lynton-convict-hiring-depot-site-plan_fig2_225545931

https://www.kalbarri.org.au/linga-longa-at-lynton-station

https://museum.wa.gov.au/maritime-archaeology-db/wrecks/id-1437#:~:text=Built%20at%20Sunderland%20England%20in,whom%20the%20vessel%20was%20named).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_Secretary_of_Western_Australia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_Charles_Gregory

https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Admin/api/file/5cdc1846-63ff-35ef-74e9-1e59c081f743

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://asha.org.au/pdf/australasian_historical_archaeology/25_04_Gibbs.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjeleKBu7iMAxXDhlYBHT4KMiIQFnoECFgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1p4rJXxuZw0CyhcVDvc4VE

https://enrolledpensionerforcewa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Port-Gregory-EPG-Gazette-2001-No-3.pdf

https://www.australiasomuchtosee.com/2014b8.htm

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/quarry

https://freotopia.org/ships/pyrenees.html

https://shipwreckswa.com/leander-1849-1853/

https://shipwreckswa.com/mary-queen-of-scots-1843-1855/

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Geraldine-Mine-c1870s-showing-the-dry-bed-of-the-Murchison-River-in-the-foreground_fig2_42796336

https://asha.org.au/pdf/australasian_historical_archaeology/25_04_Gibbs.pdf

State Library:

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1603240__Slynton__P0%2C5__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1907125__Slynton__P0%2C9__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1902670__Slynton__P0%2C16__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

Newspaper Sources:

March 10th, 1854

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3175062?searchTerm=%22lynton%22

Notice of lots for sale in Lynton and Pakington. Ten pounds each.

October 23rd, 1867

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/69386236?searchTerm=lynton%20convict%20depot

An advert selling the land the depot was on.

October 14th, 1899

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3236831?searchTerm=lynton%20convict%20depot

The first pastoralists settled in 1850. Henry Sandford’s brother was the Colonial Secretary. When the convicts first arrived, they build a road from Port Gregory to Lynton which included a causeway over portions of the lagoon.

April 13th, 1902

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/57216151?searchTerm=%22captain%20sandford%22

Sandford being a horrible bastard

May 27th 1933

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/67234713?searchTerm=%22captain%20sandford%22

A recounting of Mrs Duncan’s Life

April 11th, 1946

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38574341?searchTerm=lynton%20convict%20depot

In December 1854 the Comptroller General visited and made a report. Convicts still living in a tent. The hospital was a separate tent.

Photo & Plan Sources:

Geraldine Mine

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.433048947033025&type=3