Pearce Road Historic Site

Pearce Road is named after pioneer farmer, magistrate, and skilled photographer William Pearce Clifton.

Pearce was the fourth child of Australind’s first Chief Commissioner, Marshall Waller Clifton, and his wife, Elinor. He arrived with his family at the Australind settlement in 1841 on the Parkfield when he was 25 years old.

One of his first projects was constructing nearby Upton House for his mother’s cousin, famous English activist Elizabeth Fry.

In 1844, he married Annette Gaudin and established Ringwood Farm in Australind.

Pearce’s first business venture in Australia was unsuccessful. The company Clifton & Plowes of Australind, run by Pearce and George Plowes, was dissolved on 16 May 1842. Despite the early failure, Pearce also began one of Australia’s first businesses with Scott Andrew Stirling, establishing an Australind and Bunbury branch of a General Merchants, Land and Commission Agents under the firm of Clifton, Stirling and Co in June 1842. Unlike his first venture, this one prospered and was featured many times in the local papers.

In 1846, Pearce was granted his property near Bunbury Port, which he named Leschenault Homestead. With the assistance of Daniel Mcgregor, they dismantled two cottages in Australind and floated them down the river to the site. The homestead was regarded as a social hub of the district and was a base for the local hunting club.

Keen to improve connectivity between his new homestead and Australind, Pearce managed the construction of the first Lower Collie River Bridge in 1948.

Pearce also became involved in the early timber business, and in 1854, he supplied one thousand loads of wood to Adelaide.

During his visit to Fremantle in 1867, Pearce met HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Alfred, and they continued to correspond.

In 1870, he became the Resident Magistrate of Bunbury.

This area is also a significant site for the Wardandi people.