Donnelly River Village won the WA Heritage Award for its contribution as a private business to maintaining the heritage of this wonderful place!
This community of dedicated owners worked together to conserve Donnelly River Mill and Townsite Precinct, which now operates as a successful tourist and holiday destination. An innovative ownership model, with owners directly involved and guided by a conservation plan, it is an exemplar of good heritage management of a fragile site.
Wheatley Village Pty Ltd is a community of 35 unitholders and their families who purchased the Donnelly River Village (Wheatley) in February 2010.
The Wheatley town site was established in 1949 to provide housing for the timber workers at Bunning Bros Donnelly Mill which is situated next to the village.
The Wheatley community has carefully renovated the workers cottages and they are now offered as holiday accommodation. The village’s conservation plan is central to all planning and business decisions and each owner has responsibility for maintaining a particular cottage with their own funds.
This passionate group of owners have taken a very rundown village set in the middle of the majestic Karri forest between Nannup, Bridgetown and Manjimup, and restored it to a pleasant holiday destination that celebrates it cultural heritage as a former timber town and gives guests and visitors an insight into life in simpler times.