Mortlake & District Historical Society Inc.

The Mortlake & District Historical Society Inc. was formed in 2000 and has grown in a short time from a small group to a society with more than 90 members. MDHS exists to collect, record and preserve material - newspapers, photographs, documents and family history material - relating to the heritage of Mortlake and the surrounding districts of Hexham, Woorndoo, Darlington and Ellerslie. We have taken as our logo an image of the Mortlake Mill. Dating from 1856, the Mill originally had canvas sails atop it. By 1858 the Mill had been converted to steam power. The Mortlake Mill is undoubtedly the town's icon, the National Trust classified chimney being a notable landmark.

MDHS Inc.'s home. The building is the former Lands Department building but prior to that it was the office for the administration of the Soldier Settlement scheme after World War II. 'The Ark' was officially opened on April 18th, 2004 by Judith Kershaw, President of the WVAHS. The name 'The Ark' is an echo of the name given to the former Temperance Hotel - known locally as 'The Ark' - which stood on this site from the 1850s until destroyed by fire in 1931. The Ark Heritage Centre is open by appointment with the Librarians: Florence Charles (0438 925176) or Sharyn Anderson.

A photograph from the late 1800s showing clearly, in the centre of the image, the original 'Ark', a Temperance Hotel and subsequently a boarding house.

This painting by Mortlake artist, William Ares Alen, was produced in 1916. It depicts Alen's impression of what the Mill and its adjoining cottages - still standing today - could have looked like in the 1860s. This painting was selected for the front cover of MDHS's book 'Women of the Mount', published in 2009. (Image courtesy of Mr George Toleman.)

The Mill during its recent restoration. Over many years the Mill fell into disrepair and had become neglected. In recent years the Mill Committee has been responsible for overseeing the building's stabilisation and restoration.