GUNGIN - GUNJIN

	Grid Reference	Original: Close to the Pole site Pole tower: -31.988808, 116.130743l (GDA)
	Department	DEC
	Work Centre	?
	District	Perth Hills
	Grading	?
	Elevation (ASL)	Both: 400m
	Height	Original: 9m Pole tower: 18m
	Construction	Original: Timber Pole tower: Timber
	Cabin size	Original: ? Pole tower: ?
	Public access to site	Yes
	In use since	Original: 1921 - 1959 Pole tower: 1959 - 1991?

Photo of the second (pole) tower was kindly donated by DEC

The West Australian had a call for tender in it's paper on Thursday 14th July 1921:
FIRE DEPARTMENT TENDERS, closing 19th inst. are invited for the supply of material for and erection of FIRE LOOKOUT STATIONS, each consisting of an observation tower and hut, on the summits of Mt. Dale and Mt. Gunjin. Further particulars from the Conservator of Forests, Perth.

The following is an extract from an article in The West Australian from 11th Dec 1923:
They have erected on two high points in the hills, Mt. Gunjin and Mt. Dale, about 15 miles apart, lookout towers, each fitted with maps, prismatic compass, telephone, and heliograph. The country has been divided into blocks and compartments, and all fires spotted by the lookout man or by patrols in the bush, who communicate with the lookout by heliograph, are exactly located on the maps, arrangements being made instantly, by telephone and heliograph, to forest employees to hasten to the spot and extinguish the fires.

The original tower was demolished and sold for £ 2.0.0 in 1959 and the second (Pole) tower was demolished in 1991.

Please click on thumbnails for enlargements

Screenshot of old map supplied by MLC in late 2019

The original Gunjin tower in 1930. Sourced from the collections of the State Library of Western Australia and reproduced
with the permission of the Library Board of Western Australia. Please click here for the original location.

We are still researching when and why the name changed from Gungin to the current name, Gunjin.
Please get in touch with us if you can help us solve these mysteries, thanks.

In a 'Report on the operations of the Forests Department Western Australia for the year ended 30th June 1959' it states: Designs for Fire Tower Lookout and Office Extensions. A 60ft. guyed pole fire tower lookout was designed and is in the course of erection. This is the first tower of its type to be built in Western Australia. Designs were also prepared for office extensions and timber storage sheds.

The Gunjin pole tower in c1960. Photo was supplied in May 2020
by the Mundaring and Hills Historical Society Inc. via Trish Beaman
and used with permission, thanks.

The first photo above is a screenshot from an old video tape and shows the Pole tower being pulled up in position in 1959 and the original one still standing.
The other two photos were taken and supplied in late 2022 by Tom Niven. Tom gave the following descriptions:
2nd photo: Old cement base for the pole of Gungin Tower. 3rd photo: One of 3 wire rope anchor blocks for the old Gungin Tower. SSE from the Pole base.
Tom also gave us first hand experience of what it was like on top of the Pole: I came back past the old Gungin tower site, remembering the first time I climbed up, early 70's, The towerman was a good friend and the cabin would move on the cross on top of the pole which is one of the reasons it was discontinued for usage, great view though.

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