Walk on the Wildside

The event showcasing some of what Boyup Brook has to offer is ‘Walk on the Wildside’. This will be the fourth year the event has taken place and it commences on Friday 6th October with Blooming Wildflower Tours. The Bus Tour leaves from the railway station, gathering from 9.30 for a 10am departure and returns at 2pm There is also a second tour in the afternoon from at 2.15 to 4pm.

On Saturday 7th October commencing at 9.30am and leaving from the Visitors Centre will be a 1.2km Heritage Walk Trail, walking on footpaths and visiting places and buildings of interest in and around the township.

During the day there are a further three bus tours visiting places of interest: 9:45am Boyup Brook Museum, 11am Flax Mill, noon Harvey Dickson’s Country Music Centre.

In the afternoon you won’t want to miss it when locals rev up their classic and vintage vehicles and do a lap of the town. During the course of the day you will be able to see the cars on display and speak to the proud owners.

Over this two-day event the Boyup Brook Visitors Centre will be open featuring collections galore, many unique and treasured collections will be on display over event.

Katelyn Lansdell is the Boyup Brook Visitors Centre Administrator, she tells us of the hidden, unique treasures, which have been entrusted to Visitors Centre to showcase, “The Boyup Brook Visitors Centre is a delightful building in the centre of town and is the oldest standing building in town, and the second oldest in the shire. When it was first built in 1910 it was known as the Agricultural Hall.

“The unique treasures that are housed and are on display at the Visitors Centre are The Keith Carnaby jewelled beetles and butterflies, KRADAL dolls and Ivan Carnaby bird eggs collection, all these displays which when viewed are seen as wonderous.”

Notes taken from the Boyup Brook Visitors Centre leaflets explains more: In 1979, the ‘Carnaby Collection of Beetles and Butterflies’ was installed at the Boyup Brook Visitor Centre.

“As one walks through the door of the room which houses the collection, on the left-hand side are the real jewel beetles. The majority of these have been gathered in Western Australia. It is said that his collection is one of the most important in the world, second only to that at the British Museum of Natural History.

KRADALS doll collection; Ede Tuckett was born in 1927 and moved to Chowerup in the Shire of Boyup Brook. She first started collecting dolls in 1982, with the display ultimately growing to over 700 dolls.

During school holidays she would take her grandchildren to many parts of the south west visiting doll shows and always coming home with something new. Ede had a special bond with her ‘grandees’ and spent hours with them in her home, setting dolls up, making dresses or putting dolls together.

KRADALS is a composite of the first initial of her grand daughters’ names: Kelly, Renee, Amanda, Deanne, Anne (2nd name of Chenae) Linda and Sandra.

In 2005, Ede moved to Perth and was unable to take her treasured family of dolls with her. She generously donated some of the collection to the Tourism Association of Boyup Brook, after the family had first choice.

She wanted people to continue to enjoy her legacy for years to come.

Ivan Carnaby Bird Eggs; Ivan Clarence Carnaby was the older brother of Keith Carnaby whose interest was in entomology and is well known for his collection of jewel beetles.

Ivan had little formal schooling as he was troubled with bronchitis throughout his childhood. When he was 14 his father bought him an orchard in Parkerville so he could be living away from the dampness on the coast each winter.

He was kind and generous to his brother naturalists and aided all in their work. In his studies he was an acute and thoughtful observer and it is a pity his publishing record is comparatively slight. He found writing arduous and left most of the recording to others, whom he assisted with enthusiasm.

Ivan could however deliver, off the cuff, very erudite lecturettes.

He was honoured for his research by having a bird and skink named after him. Carnaby Cockatoo and Carnaby’s Wall Skink, Carabyi skink.

Ivan died in the Boyup Brook Hospital from a heart attack at the relatively young age of 62.

When a private comprehensive collection of his birds’ eggs was offered to the Western Australian State Museum in 2020, the Museum accepted what they wanted to completed their display and offered the remainder to Boyup Brook. The eggs are found in the Collections Room within the Boyup Brook Visitors Information Centre.”

The displays are quite something, if you haven’t seen these displays, you are really missing out.

Bookings are required for the 2023 Walk On The Wildside event. Please head to the website www.boyupbrooktourism.com.au where you’ll find an online booking form. Alternatively, over the counter bookings will be available at the Boyup Brook Visitor Centre by telephoning 9765 1444.