M. C. Davies

Maurice Coleman Davies
Born	Template:Birth date London, England
Died	May 10, 1913(1913-05-10) (aged 77) Perth, Western Australia
Occupation(s)	Timber merchant, pastoralist
Known for	Founder of Davies Karri and Jarrah Timber Company; managing director of Kimberley Pastoral Company

Maurice Coleman Davies (24 September 1835 – 10 May 1913) was a prominent Australian figure in timber trading and pastoralism. Originally from London, he relocated to Tasmania during childhood, later moving across Victoria, Melbourne, and Adelaide before establishing himself in Western Australia. There, he launched the Template:Thinspace Davies Company, which evolved into the Template:Thinspace Davies Karri and Jarrah Timber Company. This enterprise became a leading timber operation, employing hundreds of workers, constructing more than 100 kilometres of private railways—including the Flinders Bay branch railway—and developing private ports dedicated to timber exports. Additionally, he founded the Kimberley Pastoral Company, where he served as managing director.

Early years

Davies was born on 24 September 1835 in London to parents John and Catherine Davies (née Hart). At approximately five years old, his family emigrated to southern Tasmania, initially engaging in farming before moving to New Norfolk, where his father took up shopkeeping. In 1851, they joined the Victorian gold rush in the Victorian Goldfields; Maurice worked in Blackwood before relocating to Melbourne.

By 1856, Davies had settled in South Australia, where he established a prosperous business supplying building materials. By 1867, he was operating as a general commission agent and merchant based in Adelaide, specializing in hardwood timber for railway construction and related industries. He formed a partnership with John Wishart to build a bridge over the River Torrens and was involved with Baillie, Davies and Wishart, which secured the contract for constructing the Aldgate to Nairne segment of the Adelaide–Melbourne railway in 1872. This venture demanded dependable hardwood supplies—a resource scarce in South Australia—which sparked Davies' interest in Western Australia's jarrah and karri forests.

In 1875, he applied for a lease encompassing of forest near Bunbury and obtained a timber-cutting licence the following year. He established two sawmills along the Collie River, which operated for eight years; however, their success was constrained by inadequate road connections between the mills and the port of Bunbury.

Timber industry

Starting in 1877, Davies concentrated on timber-rich lands north of Augusta, abundant with jarrah and karri forests and adjacent bays suitable for shipping. After an initial rejection of his licence application in 1879, he secured timber rights in 1882 and expanded his holdings through additional land acquisitions and licences. His company grew steadily, establishing numerous sawmills and constructing over of railway—including the Flinders Bay branch railway—to facilitate timber transport. He also built jetties at Hamelin and Flinders Bays to enable efficient ship loading. The town of Karridale was developed to house his workforce. By 1890, Davies was responsible for approximately 32% of Western Australia's timber exports.

By 1894, all six of Davies' sons had joined the firm, leading to its rebranding as Davies Company Ltd. That same year, he played a role in advancing what later became known as Bussell Highway and contributed to constructing the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in 1895. Despite continuous growth efforts, by 1897 market demand had surpassed company capacity, prompting Davies to publicly list the business in London as Davies Karri and Jarrah Company Ltd.

Consolidation of Timber Enterprises, Diversification, and Later Life

The subsequent five years proved difficult as emerging timber companies in Western Australia intensified competition, while demand from South Africa declined due to the Second Boer War. The international market became saturated with jarrah and karri timber. In 1902, Davies Karri and Jarrah Co. Ltd combined forces with seven other firms to establish Millars Karri and Jarrah Forests Limited, commonly referred to as the "Millars Combine." Soon after this consolidation, the primary mill at Karridale ceased operations, and by 1913, all mills owned by Davies had been closed.

After exiting the sawmilling industry, Davies continued to engage in shipping, gold mining, and pastoral ventures. He was a founding member of the Kimberley Pastoral Company in 1881, which acquired Liveringa station; he held the position of managing director until 1913. Through strategic acquisitions, he merged several properties into what became Kimberley Downs station, while his family maintained control over Napier Downs. Furthermore, Davies managed the Palmirup Grazing Company, which possessed extensive landholdings near Kojonup and Katanning. Davies passed away at his home on St Georges Terrace in Perth on 10 May 1913 and was laid to rest in the Jewish section of Karrakatta Cemetery.

Personal life

Davies wed Sarah Salom, sister of Maurice Salom, on 24 March 1858. Together they had twelve children; at the time of his death, six sons and two daughters survived him.

See also

• Neil McNeil, pioneer in Western Australia's timber sector
• Cape Leeuwin water wheel