History 1920s - 1930s
The first three blocks in the Hyden district were allocated to Tom Lynch and other members of his family in 1920. Before long, other blocks were taken up by people from other districts. For the first few years, some of these men worked part time on their blocks. There was no bank assistance, and to finance themselves they worked on establishing farms further in. A few began cropping, carting the grain to Kondinin, 30cwts at a time, up to 70 miles. Houses were built from whatever was at hand, and as cheaply as possible – used super bags, bush timber and corrugated iron were the mainstay of many. Education was by home tutoring and correspondence only.
The Government developed plans for opening 3500 farms in the Lakes District, with 250 acres on each block to be cleared; the provision of water by gathering the runoff from Hyden, King and Graham Rocks and the Humps, to be sorted in a large dam at King Rock; and the Stileman Railway Plan was to bring the train in a direct route from Fremantle to Salmon Gums, via Corrigin, Kondinin, Hyden, Graham Rock and Lake Carmody. These plans meant Hyden was set for a rapid climb to prosperity, and new settlers were arriving all the time.
A small, unofficial township grew up on Rod McPherson’s
property, slightly east of the present on, and adjacent to the growing wheat
stack. Unfortunately, while the
wheat kept growing, commodity prices began to drop, and the Depression hit the
world. By 1929, the proposed railway
plans were cancelled, financial support promised to immigrants from the British
Government was withdrawn, and an official report on soil alkalinity in the
district caused the Bank to withdraw assistance. Many settlers decided to
cut their losses and leave. Settlers
in allegedly salt affected areas were told to relocate to other farms – although
the
After enormous amounts of discussion, delegations, and
patience, a railway line was built to Hyden from
Although the years were hard and income was low, the spirit
of the district was very much alive.
A branch of the Wheat Grower’s
In 1931, a voluntary working party erected Hyden’s first telephone link.
Although a townsite had been surveyed near the top of the
hill towards Hyden Rock, when the Railway was built it stopped at the wheat
stack on the flat. Despite strong
calls from the
Residents began pressing for a school, and the Education
Department agreed to open classes in the pavilion in 1934.
After a couple of years, a school building was moved from South
Around this time, more farmers began to run sheep, extending beyond small flocks for meat to growing wool on a commercial scale. The first off-shears sale was held in 1938. A few farmers were also running pigs, and a general increase in prosperity led to the building of more substantial homes to replace the original rough dwellings. The advent of the refrigerator brought hard butter, cold beer, and longer keeping meat. In 1937, the bulk wheat bin opened, greatly facilitating the handling of grain.
The 30s saw the establishment of enthusiastic and skilled sporting clubs, including an athletics club, rifle club, and a three hole golf course. Horses began to give way to power farming, and the first kerbside petrol pump appeared in town.
In the beginning 1920s - 1930s 1940s - 1950s 1980s onwards