Contine Hill: A Historic Landmark and Gateway to Nature
Contine Hill is also a historic site with important ties to the main settlement at Dryandra located 8km to the north.
During the early 1900s, natural mallet forests in the area were heavily utilised for tannins by settlers to supplement their farm income. Tannin is a naturally occurring chemical in the bark of the mallet tree and was used for tanning animal hides to make leather.
During the depression years (1930s) extensive areas of Dryandra were sown with mallet with the aid of sustenance workers. Forest Department staff were located at the Dryandra settlement and at additional outstations including Congelin and Contine Hill. These outstations were strategically located on the highest hills overlooking the mallet plantations and each had a fire tower. The overseer's wives performed the tower work, informing the staff at the settlement of any fires within the vicinity of Dryandra. After 1959, a glut on the world market increased royalty and production costs, and increased competition from synthetic products. This eventually led to the collapse of the industry in the early 1960s. The plantations then became an important source of timber. Licensed harvesting from plantation areas for timber continues today under the Dryandra Woodland Management Plan.
There are two short walk trails at Contine Hill - the Fire Tower Walk and the Breakaway Walk - see more info HERE
The main lookout faces to the west and south west and makes an ideal location to image the setting Milky Way in September/October time. It is considered Narrogin Astrophotography Hotspot. Read more HERE