Chidlow

History

The Chidlow townsite was originally known variously as Chidlow's Flat, Chidlow's Springs or Chidlow's Well after a well and stockyard on the old Mahogany Creek to Northam road. The well was sunk by William Chidlow, a pioneer of the Northam district, who originally established the Northam road. Chidlow arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1831. Settlement began in 1883 when it became known that Chidlow's Well was to be the terminus of the second section of the Eastern Railway, which was opened in March 1884. Chidlow's Well railway station and townsite were renamed Chidlow in 1920. The railway station and yard were of significance in the operation of the Eastern Railway from the 1880s to the 1960s. Lake Leschenaultia was originally constructed to provide water for the steam trains. Various proposals have been put forward to rebuild the railway to Midland especially due to the restricted nature of public transport to the Chidlow area. Nowadays, the Railway Reserve Heritage Trail retraces the 70 kilometres of the old Eastern Railway, which was constructed from Fremantle to York in the 1880s.