Shire of West Arthur awarded $19,000 grant to highlight Darkan’s history with heritage trail

The Shire of West Arthur has been awarded a $19,000 Community Heritage Grant to help redevelop the Darkan Heritage Trail and shed some light on the historic town’s past. Gazetted in 1906, Darkan is home to some significant buildings including the CWA meeting rooms, the Darkan Town Hall and the Darkan Hotel. “We have a heritage trail at the moment but it was developed back in 1988 as part of a bicentennial project,” Shire of West Arthur project officer Kerryn Chia said. “The route now passes through some private housing blocks, and that was the impetus for us to look at redeveloping it. “The grant will allow us to redevelop and reroute the trail.” The revamped trail will feature some of Darkan’s heritage buildings and historic sites, broadening its present environmental focus. “We will redevelop and reroute the trail so that it goes past some of the more interesting historic buildings in town and includes a bit of the history of the sheep industry and other events that have occurred in the district,” Ms Chia said. The Darkan Anzac and pioneer memorials in the town’s railway reserve are also planned to be part of the trail, connecting the Coalfields Highway to the town centre. “Coalfields Highway tends to be a bit of a thoroughfare,” Ms Chia said. “Most of our main-street businesses are on Burrowes Street, and the railway reserve sits in between. “We’re looking at using the heritage trail to draw people into town — we’re hoping that people will stop at the information bay and walk through the town and learn a bit about the place.” Established in 2020, the Betty Brown Historical Centre will be one of the trail’s most significant sites. “Betty Brown bequeathed money to the Shire to develop a museum to display her mother’s lacework and her father’s wool trophies,” Ms Chia said. “We’ve done that and expanded it.” The museum houses eight displays that celebrate the contribution made by eight women whose lives and work helped shape the West Arthur community. “Betty made quite a contribution to the district,” Ms Chia said. “She not only donated money for the museum, she also left money for the Arthur River Church, donated to the Darkan Swimming Pool, and left money to establish a scholarship for girls who want to study agriculture, medicine or dentistry.” Ms Chia is eager for work on the trail to get started. “I’m looking forward to getting into this project,” she said. “I think it will really add to our town.”