MC Davies mill town currency

A curious aspect of the local timber industry was the currency which was issued by the M. C. Davies Karri & Jarrah Company Ltd for use at the Karridale mill town store. The fact that the town had its own currency indicates the size of the operation! Maurice Davies starting cutting timber near the Collie River in 1876, but he soon shifted his focus to the karri and jarrah forrests near Augusta. From 1882 Davies built a huge timber empire which employed hundreds of workers, many of whom lived at the Karridale mill town. Over a hundred kilometres of railway was built to take the timber to jetties built at Hamelin and Flinders Bay. By 1890 Davies’ company was responsible for 32% of all timber exported from Western Australia. In 1902 the company amalgamated with other timber companies to form the Millars Karri & Jarrah Company.