Cowaramup has always been shaped by people who show up, lend a hand, and quietly invest in their town. Families, volunteers, farmers, and local legends have helped build the strong, connected community that exists today.
Among them is the Duggan family, whose involvement in town spans generations. The land now becoming Birdwood Cowaramup was once part of their working farm, and their contribution to the town extends well beyond it, through decades of support, generosity, and community involvement.
Three generations of Duggans have proudly farmed the land in Cowaramup since the first generation settled here in 1927. Over the last century, they’ve generously given their time, energy, resources and land to help grow, support and beautify the town you see today.
William (Bill) George Duggan and his wife Mabel Beatrice migrated from Britain under the Group Settlement Scheme agreement – one of thousands of English families recruited by the Australian Government to establish a dairy farming industry in Western Australia.
With their five children in tow, Bill and Mabel boarded the passenger liner TSS Borda on 23 July 1925 to make the long six-week journey to Fremantle.
Arriving in Western Australia on September 1, 1925, they lodged with Bill’s sister, Kate, in Subiaco for eight months while Bill went to work in Hyden, clearing land. When their son Tom fell ill, Bill returned to Perth and, eventually, the family moved to Yoongarillup (near Busselton), where Bill’s older brother was dairy farming. Bill, who had never farmed before, took one hour to milk his first cow.
Within 12 months, the land was deemed unfit for raising cattle – lacking the necessary trace elements to support the herd – and the Duggans headed south to join Settlement Group 12 in Cowaramup in 1927. Here, Bill Duggan took ownership of 200 acres and began farming with 12 dairy cows and a few pigs to sustain the family.
Clearing and farming the land by hand while working at the local timber mill and burr (clover) rolling in the Wheatbelt to pay off the farm made the first few decades incredibly arduous. The children were set to work every morning, milking the cows before walking a few kilometres to school.
And just as the Duggans were beginning to adjust to their new way of life, a fire ripped through their home. They lost everything they’d bought over from England: Furniture, clothing and cherished family photographs. Only their piano survived, bearing scorch marks. While the family built a new home, they lived in the cow shed, with their children sleeping in the feed troughs.
Some years later, Bill Duggan purchased the land on both sides of Wirring Road. He transferred one block to his son, Colin (Col), in 1949 and built his home and business on the other. The fig tree from Bill’s orchard still stands today on the corner of Bussell Highway and Wirring Road.
Bill Duggan sat on the Local Road Board (the local shire) from 1940 to 1946, and he and his wife were active members of numerous local committees. They instilled a great sense of civic pride in all their children and grandchildren, inspiring them to make significant contributions to the development of Cowaramup into a robust community.
The Duggans’ third and fourth generations of energetic doers, enthusiastic organisers and visionaries are local dairy farmers who’ve worked tirelessly for the community, often providing farm vehicles to do some of the heavy lifting on community projects.
Col assists in the creation of Pioneer Park and the amphitheatre.
Col and his son, Rod, were approached by the Shire to provide land for the first subdivision on Waverly/Bussell Highway, which was completed in 1992.
Caption: The first subdivision on Col and Lorna’s land, 1990.
Col Duggan became a member of Cowaramup Lions Club and was president in 1995. He was active in organising various activities to raise funds for Lions Club projects.
Rod Duggan partners with Neil and Jill Turton to establish Down South Realty and provide a real estate service to the community.
Lorna tends the wine barrel planters on the main street, as well as the lawns and gardens at the oval and church lawns. She’s also nicknamed ‘The Phantom Gardener’ for anonymously planting up and beautifying the corner of Waverley Road.Caption: Lorna was twice awarded the Lions Certificate of Appreciation and won the Colin Duggan Citizen of the Year 2021 award for her invaluable service to the community.
Col and Rod donate land and organise two rodeos on the family farm to raise funds for a Homeswest and Lions Club project to develop 11 senior citizens’ units at Cowaramup Village.
Caption: Cowaramup Village was officially opened on 2 October 1999
Rod permits the installation of a water tank on their land on Wirring Road to supply the town with water.Rod assists in laying the pipeline that supplies water from the old dam to irrigate the cricket oval and the Cowaramup Primary School.
Resident Joy Penfold proposes a niche wall for the Cowaramup community, and Col plays an instrumental role in organising the construction of the wall and name plates.
Caption: Niche Wall built by Warren Morris & Paul Lyle
Col and Rod assist with planning Cowaramup Community Centre and are stunned by the unveiling of ‘The Duggan Pavilion’ plaque in honour of Col and Lorna’s community work.
Caption:Lorna & Colin in front of Duggan Pavilion plaque
The Duggan Pavilion, opened on 15 October 2005
Rod excavates the main dam and transports the earth to expand the cricket oval.
Rod leases land to the Cowaramup Lions Club for the wood yard in 2018 (and later the worm farm in 2024), for $1 per year over 15 years.
Rod sells the Wirring Road property that the Duggans have farmed for almost 75 years to expand the town with approximately 350 new homes.
When times were tough on the land in the 1930s, the Duggans set up a small general store (next to what is now The Servo on the main street), selling general goods, green groceries and fodder to local farms, which Bill delivered by horse and cart.
In 1942, Bill received the certificate of authority to operate under Elder Smith & Co. In 1962, when Elder Smith & Goldsborough Mort merged, he partnered with fellow stock and station agent Roy Earl to support the growing local dairy industry.
Tom Duggan and Neville Earl took over from their fathers and continued with the Elders agency until the switch to Wesfarmers in 1977. Two years later, third-generation Rod Duggan joined Neil Earl in running the business, and this became the Cowaramup Agencies you see today – continuing the family tradition of delivering outstanding service and specialist support as suppliers to the agricultural, horticultural and wine industries of the region.
As major players in strengthening social connections and community spirit, you’ll also find the Duggan name on many Cowaramup sporting club teams and committees, as well as the country show winners’ list.
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