Moore McDougall. Moore McDougall. Moore McDougall. Moore McDougall.
1909 – 2004
Written by Toni and Shirley McDougall
Donald Ross Moore immigrated to Australia from Canada with his family arriving in Western Australia as a 12-year-old. After spending time in foster care in Ravensthorpe, he found work with the McPherson’s in Dumbleyung and, in 1909. came to Nyabing to find suitable farmland for himself.
Donald rode out to Nyabing with a friend from Dumbleyung and stayed overnight at Ralph Patterson’s, choosing land close to the town site on the Kukerin-Nyabing Road. The land he chose became known as “Homelands”. It was the first good country that had not already been selected in the area.
Corporal DR Moore,
taken before leaving for the front.
In 1917 Donald married Lily Patterson in Perth and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Army [2] to fight in the First World War. He was sent to fight in France until 1919. At the end of the war, Donald contracted the Spanish Flu and stayed in England to recuperate. He worked as a clerk on the docks in London and finally returned home in 1922.
‘Just in from Drill’
Front L-R: Don Moore, Pte McIntosh, Rear L-R: Pte Bennett & Pte Thomas
Upon his return, Donald recommenced clearing the farm as well as building a home for his wife and young daughter Doris (born 1918). The family grew when son Ross born in 1923 and another daughter, Hazel, was born in 1925. Both girls were home-schooled by their mother. Ross, after some initial home schooling, attended the local primary school. Ross rode his bike to school each day some – 7kms in addition to his farming duties.
Donald also dedicated time to helping the local community and served as the first Secretary of the Roads Board (1923-1925) and, after the war, he served as a Shire Councillor (1950-1955).
Donald and his son Ross ran the farm until the outbreak of World War II when both men enlisted. Donald served as a Staff Sergeant based in Fremantle with Ross spending much of the war in Queensland as P.T Instructor. He attained the rank of Sergeant before being sent abroad to see action in Borneo at the end of the war.
Donald and Ross both returned to the farm at the end of the war in 1945. They continue to clear the farm and keep things moving forward despite many challenges. Donald passed away in 1959 and is buried in Nyabing Cemetery. This left Ross to care for his mother Lily who passed away in 1976.
Ross continued running the farm, as well as helping the community to build the All Saints Church and serving as a committee member and inaugural secretary for a number of years. Ross farmed “Homelands” until 1986 when his nephew Lindsay (son of Doris) and his family bought the farm. Ross retired to Perth, where he finally married and travelled the world with his wife, Jean. Ross passed away in 2001. Jean still lives in Perth.
By 1939, Donald’s oldest daughter, Doris, had married Victor McDougall. Victor McDougall had selected land, not far from “Homelands”. They helped run both farms while Donald and Ross were fighting the war.
Doris and Victor’s farm, known as “MorMack” was adjacent to the McDougall Reserve, (so named as the land was donated by Victor to CALM). They had five children; Polly, Malcolm (dec), Owen, Lindsay and Glenn. The older children were all home schooled by Doris. Owen and Lindsay later attended the Nyabing School for a short time with Glenn attending until 1968.
Doris was a dedicated member of the Nyabing CWA and a keen church goer. Victor and his son Lindsay farmed the property together. As funds were low, Lindsay went away shearing to help keep the farm going, however, the farm was eventually sold in 1968.
Doris and Victor moved to Kojonup to run a garden nursery and Victor passed away in 1971. Doris and her youngest son Glenn then moved to Perth. Doris passed away in 2007.
Lindsay and his wife Shirley and their five daughters continued farming “Homelands” until 2004. Their three youngest daughters (Robyn, Toni and Karyn McDougall) all attended the local primary school, then Katanning District High School.
Tracey attended K.D.H.S. and Susan came to live at “Homelands” bringing her two children with her (Sophie and Shellby Jones). Both attended the school in Nyabing. Lindsay and Shirley ran the farm until it was sold in 2004 when they moved to Denmark and now farm cattle.
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