Push to restore and preserve the Carrolup-Marribank Mission near Katanning full of Indigenous history

Off a dirt road just past Cherry Tree Pool sits the Marribank Mission abandoned and dilapidated since the late 1980s, previously known as the Carrolup Mission when it first opened in 1915. No fencing or gates bar public entry to the mission, and cars are free to fly through the historic centre as they travel to nearby farms. It saddens Frank Krakouer, a former resident of the mission, to see the area he grew up in during the Stolen Generation left to wither. Famous for the recently discovered paintings of Indigenous child artists, the mission is a sad sight to see. Buildings are a hollowed-out shell of their former selves, some holding residence to local wildlife and plants. Previous efforts for the mission to be restored appear to have been met with resistance, only small structural repairs such as guttering appear to have been carried out. Born in Cranbrook, Mr Krakouer arrived at the mission aged six in 1959, and would spend his formative years at the mission which sits upon 3000 acres north-west of Katanning. Dismayed by the lack of attention to the mission, Mr Krakouer would like to see the mission turned into a safe retreat and haven for those who need it. Mr Krakouer indicated that there might also be Indigenous burials on the mission site, indicating the importance of site preservation. With the upcoming referendum on The Voice, Mr Krakouer said it was important as ever to tell Indigenous stories of the missions scattered throughout Australia and preserve the painful and sometimes inconvenient history of mission life. “There’s only around 20 of us mission children left from the 1950s and we grew up as brothers and sisters,” he said. “I want to see the mission as a place of peace, where people can get themselves back on their feet and on track if they need to.” Caroline Narkle, Mr Krakouer’s partner, spent time at the Wandering Mission in her youth which is in a similar state of disrepair to the Marribank Mission. “Missions and their history should be talked about by everyone, not just the few,” Mr Krakouer said. “It’s important our stories are preserved and the missions aren’t ignored.”