Beacon
Beacon is a small town in the north-east wheatbelt in the Shire of Mt Marshall. Beacon is approximately 320 km north-east of Perth, located 42 km north of Bencubbin and the M40-Wyalkatchem-Southern Cross Rd, 140 km north-east of Wongan Hills, 142 km north-west of Merredin. Beacon is approx 70 km south of the Emu Proof Fence. The district is made up of both pastoral and cropping country and has numerous granite outcrops and nature reserves that put on a magnificent wildflower display in season.
Beacon Contacts
Beacon Community Groups and Sporting Clubs - click here for a full list of Community Groups and Sporting Clubs that are currently active in the Beacon community.
Community Services - click here for a full list of services in the Shire of Mt Marshall including medical, fire, ambulance and police.
Beacon Mens Shed - click here to visit the Mens Shed website.
A Brief History of Beacon
Surveyors had been at work since 1921, dividing the country into 1000 acre blocks. A number of blocks were allocated after the paying of a fairly stiff survey fee. George Shemeld is acknowledged as being the earliest Beacon pioneer, taking up land in 1922. Interested settlers formed the North Bencubbin Railway League in 1924 to extend the railway line to the Beacon Rock area. Land at Beacon was not officially opened for selection until 1926 with further development of the area 25 km north of Beacon coming about after the railway line was laid from Kulja - Bonnie Rock in 1931. More land was opened for farming in the Tampu - North Beacon area out to the vermin fence in 1965.
In those early days the town was known as Beacon Rock, but was changed in 1931 to Beacon to avoid postal confusion with another siding. In those early days of settlement the Progress Association was formed, as the infrastructure needs of the growing community were many. It needed a railway, stores, school and all the services that make a community function. Initially folk traveled to Bencubbin, Mandiga, Gabbin or Kulja for bread and groceries until Frank Rowlands started a delivery service from his store in Bencubbin around 1929. He then opened a store and Post Office. Around this time other stores were opened such as a bakery, butcher and delicatessen.
Social life was hampered before the hall was built in the early 30’s, but several homes in the district with wooden floors were thrown open for dances. Sport also played a big part in the community and clubs formed in the early 1930’s. A school soon followed, and aside from a few years following the Great Depression where it was closed because of too few students, it has continued to serve the community with additions to the building along the way. Beacon remains a vibrant and well established town today and now serves the people from areas such as Cleary and Wialki, which have gradually declined as town sites.
For more information on Beacon please visit their community website www.beaconwa.com.au.