Morffit's Cave

Author

City of Mandurah

Place Number

09066

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Location

1461 Old Coast Rd Bouvard

Location Details

Lot 2 on Plan 38503

Other Name(s)

Eagles Nest Cave

Local Government

Mandurah

Region

Peel

Construction Date

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
RHP - To be assessed	Current	30 Aug 2013

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	27 May 2014	Category 1	Category 1 National or State significance The highest level of protection is appropriate including referral for entry on to the appropriate national and/or state registers, and the provision of maximum encouragement to the owner/s to conserve the significance of the place. The place should be photographically recorded and a conservation plan be prepared.
Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register	YES				Heritage Council

Statement of Significance

• Formed important part of the childhood experience of local children.
• Important site to local Aboriginal people.

Physical Description

Large single chamber cave located within a narrow band of Tamala limestone approximately 8km long by 0.5km wide on the western side of the Peel Harvey Estuary. It is one of at least fourteen caves in the area.

History

Long known by local Aboriginal people J W Charnley the secretary of the Mandurah Progress Association reported the discovery of limestone caves to the Chief Inspector of Fisheries in 1921. It was so named because it was located on Henry Morfitt’s property. Morfitt was a convict granted a ticket of leave in 1863 and was by 1870 a free man. He worked around Mandurah for many years before taking up land around the cave farming and fishing in the area with his family for the rest of his life.
Non-figurative engravings in the cave are thought to be 21000 years old.

Integrity/Authenticity

Authenticity : High

Condition

Good

References

Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
Tourist & Publicity Bureau file 121/21, Mandurah Caves (Acc 924)	Battye Library
B Loveday	Western Caver Vol 25 Pages 19-23	1985
Ronald Richards "Mandurah and the Murray: a sequel to the history of the old Murray District of Western Australia	Shire of Murray and City of Mandurah	1993

Place Type

Geological monument

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Original Use	PARK\RESERVE	Park\Reserve
Present Use	PARK\RESERVE	Park\Reserve

Historic Themes

General	Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY	Settlements
PEOPLE	Aboriginal people

Creation Date

17 Jul 1997

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

10 Jan 2020

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.