Dunsborough resident Mick Marlin is an accomplished surfer, surf photographer, journalist, and historian.
In this post, Mick reviews Geoffrey Edwards’ 1989 book The Road to Prevelly, which traces the history of Prevelly Park and its Greek chapel at Margaret River. Edwards and his wife Beryl bought and named the park in 1952 to honour the Greek village that sheltered him, his mate Bill, and hundreds of Allied soldiers during World War II.
2021 Surfing pioneers Mick Marlin & Rob Conneeley at Tom Hoye paddle-out Surfers Point Margaret River. Photo courtesy Mick Marlin.
Cover The Road to Prevelly book published 1989, featuring Greek Chapel.
Mick’s book review
I’ve just finished reading The Road to Prevelly by Geoffrey Edwards for the third time.
A wonderful book, published in 1989 describing the journey Mr. Edwards took to opening this lovely part of WA to visitors and the building Greek chapel on the hill.
For those who don’t know Prevelly’s history, here is a brief summary of Mr. Edwards book.
Geoff’s family emigrated to Australia from the UK in 1923, settling on the Peel Estate Mandurah.
In 1939 Geoff joined the Australian Army and despatched to Greece.
In what was known as the Battle of Crete in 1942, Geoff was captured by the Nazis and imprisoned in a POW camp on the island.
Not to Geoff’s liking he and mate Bill McCurry escaped and with the north star behind them walked over the mountains to a little hamlet called Prevelly, dodging German patrols all the way.
The local farmers and shepherds fed and guided them on their perilous journey.
At Prevelly, monks and locals were hiding allied soldiers.
Over 8,000 Cretans were killed by the Nazis during this time.
Geoff and Bill along with dozens of others, escaped on a British submarine HMS Thresher at night and were and taken to Egypt.
In 1944 Geoff rejoined his battalion and was deployed to Syria.
In 1944 Australia’s soldiers were sent back to Australia to defend the homeland from the Japanese now heading south. Geoff spent the remainder of the war defending Australia in Geraldton and as far away as the Atherton tablelands in Queensland and Sydney.
When posted to Sydney Geoff reacquainted himself with a young lady he’d met when on the way to basic training three years previous.
After war’s end Geoff and new wife Beryl trained across the country to Perth.
Geoff completed a TAFE course in carpentry and started building houses around Scarborough. Geoff and Beryl had a dream of setting up their own holiday park and campground.
After driving down and checking blocks in Albany and Denmark they were taken down a dirt track west of Margaret River townsite to Sussex Location 166, a hundred acre block a kilometre south of Walcliffe House.
Geoff fell in love with the area which contained 2 old fisho’s shacks and not much else except for bush and bullfrogs.
They purchased the block in 1952 and named it Prevelly Park in honour of the place in Greece that had sheltered himself and his mate Bill and hundreds of allied soldiers.
The next couple of years were spent driving down from Perth on weekends delivering building materials and clearing the land and building little cabins.
Geoff and Beryl put their life’s work into building the park and raising their daughter Marilyn.
That grew into the Prevelly Park as we know it.
A parcel of land south of the campground was subdivided and is the original Prevelly township.
1959 Prevelly Beach Estate sales brochure.
1959 Prevelly Beach Estate sales brochure.
1960s Prevelly Park caravan park and camping grounds brochure.
That’s a story in itself and after 9 years of hard work the Edwards sold the park and relocated to Perth with their teenage daughter about the begin high school.
On a trip back to Greece Geoff decided to build a memorial to the people of Greece and Prevelly.
With help from local politicians and residents, a site was chosen and approved by the local council It’s not every day that a country shire gets presented with plans for an authentic Greek chapel.
John Georgiou as appointed as architect and local Ron Nixon as builder. Work began at the end of 1978.
They journeyed to Sydney to meet His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos who gave them his blessing and would personally bless and open the chapel and said not to worry about the interior as he would get the local people to finish the chapel in traditional style.
Despite the usual delays the chapel was finished by the end of May 1979.
The official opening of the chapel was on the Foundation Day long weekend Monday June 4th that year with a crowd of 800. Archbishop Stylianos blessed the chapel and spoke of the special bond between the Greek people and the Australian forces forged on then battle fields and in the mountains of Greece and Crete during the struggle for freedom from Nazi occupation.
Later a hall was added to the chapel.
Today the hall at the chapel hosts weddings, community events and the annual Surf Art exhibition.
Prevelly Chapel photos by Mick Marlin
2026 Exterior Greek Chapel Prevelly Park. Mick Marlin pic.
2026 Interior Greek Chapel Prevelly Park. Mick Marlin pic.
2026 Artist Jacqui Brown at work during the Annual Surf Art Exhibition in the Greek Chapel Hall, Prevelly Park. Mick Marlin pic.
Thanks for sharing your local history book review Mick.
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