MEDIA RELEASE - Timber whim will see better days
November 2016
The Shire of Manjimup has accepted ownership of the timber hauling whim that is currently located on the southern side of the Manjimup Visitor Centre.The whim will be relocated this week to the Manji Mens Shed, who have agreed to restore the whim so that it can continue to be displayed as a heritage icon of the region.
The whim, which previously located outside the Bunnings Logging Division office on the South Western Highway, was donated to the community of Manjimup through the Manjimup Visitor Centre, by Auswest Timbers. Inspection of the whim has confirmed that the main body of the whim and the associated steel work appear to be in reasonable condition, however the timber wheels have deteriorated, due to the age of the whim and termites, to a point where the whim is no longer considered to be structurally sound.
"The Visitor Centre wrote to Council seeking our support for the restoration of the whim," explained Shire President Wade DeCampo. "It is a unique piece that has significance to the history of our region, so with the support of the Manji Mens Shed, we have opted to restore and re-display it as a part of the Manjimup Town Centre Revitalisation project."
Historically, timber hauling whims were utilised in early timber harvesting operations to transport large logs, often pulled through the forest by teams of bullocks. Whims were made in a range of sizes to cater for varying log sizes. "The diameter of the wheels on this particular whim is 10 feet and investigations indicate that a number of similar sized whims were destroyed in the Yarloop fire, so this could be one of very few of this size that still remain," said Cr DeCampo.
"The Manji Mens Shed have gained experience in a restoring a timber wheel that was originally manufactured using similar construction techniques to that of the wheels on the timber whim, so we have every confidence that they're perfect for the job," said Cr DeCampo. "To have community members involved in the restoration of a community asset reinforces the uniqueness of this historic piece."
The Shire of Manjimup currently displays a smaller timber whim within the Manjimup Timber and Heritage Park. "The plan is to have this larger piece on display either in the Manjimup Timber and Heritage Park or along the heritage trail that will be developed as a part of the Manjimup Town Centre Revitalisation Project," concluded Cr DeCampo.
Representatives from the Manji Mens Shed will conduct work to stabilise the whim prior to transporting it to their workshop for restoration.
