First Settler Landing Stone Memorial Seat

The First Pioneer Landing Stone Memorial Seat is located on Old Coast Road, overlooking the Leschenault Estuary. It recognises the vision and commemorates those hardy pioneers who settled the Australind and the Harvey Region in the early 1840s.

Built in 1938, the wording on the plaque reads:

‘The Australind Settlement (on Wakefield Principles) was formed in 1841 on the eastern side of Leschenault Inlet by the Western Australian Company. A town site of 1,000 acres was surveyed and the division of 100,000 acres into small farms was planned. Through causes beyond the control of settlers and despite the labours of the Chief Commissioner Marshall Waller Clifton, F.R.S., the achievement fell short of the vision.

This Memorial recalls the vision, commemorates those hardy pioneers who continued to labour here in face of great difficulty and records the benefit Western Australia received from the coming of settlers and officials in the ships.

ISLAND QUEEN ………….December 1840

PARKFIELD ………………March 1841

DIADEM……………………April 1842

TRUSTY ……………………December 1842

Erected by public subscription and The Western Australian Historical Society 1938.’

The plaque on the estuary side has a map of the intended town with:

‘Plan of the intended Town of Australind in Leschenault Inlet Western Australia as finally arranged by Marshall Waller Clifton Esq. F.R.S. Chief Commissioner of the Western Australian Company in Australia assisted by Thos. Greensell [Greensill] Esq. Acting Architect and Surveyor, F. W. Thomson Esq. Acting Engineer and Surveyor.’

Directly opposite the Memorial is the Pioneer Memorial Park on land donated by Emily Clifton. The Memorial also forms part of the Australind Heritage Trail.