Clackline

Clackline is a very small rural town on the Great Eastern Highway, 17 kms to the west of Northam and 80 kms east of Perth. The town was gazetted in 1896. The old railway from Chidlow through to Northam used to run through here. This was lifted years ago. The name Clackline comes from a nearby brook which was called thus by surveyor John Forrest when he was in the district in 1879. From the highway, the shop and the old rail carriage are easily spotted

Clackline - Town Sign

Here is a handy sign telling anyone who cares to read all about the history of Clackline and a brief district history. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK001

Clackline - Store and Post Office

Clackline is a small hamlet a few kilometres west of Northam on the Great Eastern Highway. This is the local village store. The store opened in the 1890's and not only being a general store, it has served as a manual telephone exchange in years gone by, and also as the local post office. May 2009. Photos Ref: CLCK002

Clackline - Store and Post Office

Another look at the Clackline Store over nine years later. The store is now closed. Post Office operations are conducted by the former storekeepers in the old Kalgoorlie Express rail carriage, just across the road. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK003

Clackline - Kalgoorlie Express Train Carriage

In the old days the train line ran through Clackline. These days it runs through Toodyay to the north. The local visitor map listed this place as a train museum. On the side of the carriage there is "The Kalgoorlie" indicating that this was an early Kalgoorlie Express railway passenger carriage. May 2009. Photos Ref: CLCK004

Clackline - Kalgoorlie Express Train Carriage

A close look down the side of the old "Kalgoorlie" train carriage. January 2012. Photos Ref: CLCK005

Clackline - Post Office in Rail Carriage

Looking down from the shop onto the refurbished rail carriage now sporting all the Post Office signage. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK006

Clackline - Post Office in Rail Carriage

Another look at the rail carriage this time featuring the post box and the mail shed. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK007

Clackline - Post Office in Rail Carriage

The last look at the old carriage. That tractor is a new-comer! Looks good. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK008

Clackline - Community Hall

The local Community Hall is set on a small hill just up behind the old shop. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK009

Clackline - Hillbilly Ridge

Close to the Community Hall is Hillbilly Ridge which looks like a private property. Someone has gone to a lot of trouble to create and mark out all those tracks with stones, and creating interesting stopping places. There is much more to this place than you can see in this picture. It's all really quite amazing. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK010

Clackline - Centenary Commemoration

In the park off to the east of the store and train carriage is this 1829-1929 commemoration of British settlement in Western Australia erected by the then Clackline school pupils. Archie Paton was the sculptor. January 2012. Photos Ref: CLCK011

Clackline - Rock Formation in Creek

This rock formation is a couple of hundred metres east of the store and train carriage. It is part of the Clackline Brook which is dry at this time. This part of the Brook is just below the Centenary Commemoration sculpture. May 2009. Photos Ref: CLCK012

Clackline - Creek Flowing

The same rocks as above but from a different angle. The brook is flowing quite rapidly this visit. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK013

Clackline - Creek Bridge

Some kind persons have erected this small bridge so passers-by such as me can traverse the brook. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK014

Clackline - Wooden Road Bridge

This wooden bridge was constructed in 1934. It carried the Great Eastern Highway and was built to span over the Kalgoorlie railway line (thus eliminating two railway crossings) and the Clackline Brook. The bridge only carries local Clackline traffic now. The Great Eastern Highway has another creek crossing slightly to the north of here. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK015

Clackline - Wooden Road Bridge

Next to the above 1934 bridge there still remains evidence of other bridges. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK016

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

In 1898 whilst looking for gold, explorers found vast quantities of high grade fire brick clay just up the hill from here. In 1900 the Clackline Firebrick Company was established. Bricks made here (and later other pottery) were reputedly of a higher grade than those imported at the time. Bunnings took over in 1903. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK017

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

The refractory is located about 2 kms west of the Clackline townsite, oddly enough, on Refractory Road. Here is a view alongside one of the kilns. Perhaps finished bricks were extracted via those portals? July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK018

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

The base of the chimney stack closest to Refractory Road (there are two others in the rear buildings). You can see deterioration of the bricks and a fairly severe vertical crack. One day this will fall down. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK019

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

Fuel tanks lay idle next to the front kilns and drying shed buildings. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK020

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

The rail line through Clackline closed in 1966. This refractory closed soon after that perhaps because of the lack of local accommodation (and now transport) so they simply couldn't get the labour. This tumbling down building appears to have been a storehouse. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK021

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

In the vicinity of the main factory is this structure which may have been an administration building. It's falling to bits. Next door is an engineering workshop in a similar state. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK022

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

Here is the front of one the factory kilns. Despite the fact that this place is Heritage listed, it's all falling apart. It's not at all fenced off. It's also a bit creepy today with a loose roof sheet tap-tapping in the wind, perhaps warding me off. I was disinclined to venture into some places due to the poor condition of the buildings. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK023

Clackline - Firebrick Company Foundry

Behind this shed (out of picture) is a huge pile of clay. Foreground could be the remains of a crusher. To the left are hoppers which may have been used to fill the brick moulds. You can see rail lines on the floor of this shed which indicate that batches of bricks where moved from here to the kilns in that fashion. July 2018. Photos Ref: CLCK024

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