The Avoca and District Historical Society is dedicated to preserving, collecting and researching the history of Avoca, Victoria, and the surrounding district
Major Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor-General of the Colony of New South Wales from 1828 to 1855, undertook several journeys of exploration. His third, in 1836, took him south into what is now Victoria. On 10 July he recorded in his journal that he and his party
crossed a deep creek running westward which I named the Avoca, and we encamped on an excellent piece of land beyond it.
There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet; Oh! the last rays of feeling and life must depart, Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart.
2. Yet it was not that nature had shed o’er the scene Her purest of crystal and brightest of green; ‘Twas not her soft magic of streamlet or hill, Oh! no, — it was something more exquisite still.
3. ‘Twas that friends, the beloved of my bosom, were near, Who made every dear scene of enchantment more dear, And who felt how the best charms of nature improve, When we see them reflected from looks that we love.
4. Sweet vale of Avoca! how calm could I rest In thy bosom of shade, with the friends I love best, Where the storms that we feel in this cold world should cease, And our hearts, like thy waters, be mingled in peace.
A footnote to the poem published in 1808 states: “The Meeting of the Waters” forms a part of that beautiful scenery which lies between Rathdrum and Arklow, in the country of Wicklow, and these lines were suggested by a visit to this romantic spot, in the summer of the year 1807.
The meeting of the waters. The print shows a view of the confluence of three rivers, the “River Avonbeg”, “River Avonmore”, and “River Avoca”, in the “Vale of Avoca”, County Wicklow, Ireland. Includes four lines of verse from the poem “Avoca, the Vale The Meeting of the Waters” by Thomas Moore. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2002710554/.
The Irish town of Avoca is a small town near Arklow, in County Wicklow, situated on the River Avoca.
In Irish the town is called Abhóca; it was formerly Abhainn Mhór, meaning ‘the great river’.
The Avoca area in Ireland has been associated with copper mining and is also famous for its handweaving. The town has been used as a filming location for several films and television series. The BBC series Ballykissangel (1996-2001) was filmed there.
Sources
Mitchell, Thomas, Sir, 1792-1855 (1839-01-01). Three expeditions into the interior of Eastern Australia : with descriptions of the recently explored region of Australia Felix and of the present colony of New South Wales. T. & W. Boone volume 2 retrieved through http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00036.html
Currier & Ives, and Thomas Moore. The meeting of the waters. In the Vale of Avoca, County Wicklow Ireland. Wicklow Avoca County Ireland, 1868. [New York: Published by Currier & Ives 152 Nassau St. New York] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002710554/.
When I first began exploring our family heritage, I had little idea of how captivating—and time-consuming—this venture would become. As is often the case, the romanticized narrative of one’s family history tends to differ significantly from reality.
Initially, gathering information was a challenge; those in my lineage with active memories could only reach back a generation or two. Fortunately, through online connections, I eventually met fellow researchers Nell Rowland and Jan Andrews, who have spent over three decades delving into the Rowland family history. I have also drawn from the published works of other family members, including Neville Rowland Taylor (Via the 19th Hole) and Vincent Ernest Squires (Our Pioneering Ancestors). Much of our contemporary understanding is thanks to their dedication.
I still vividly remember visiting my grandparents, Arthur and Eva Rowland, at their residence, ‘Tranquility,’ on Dandenong Road in East Malvern. While those were joyous occasions, family tales were rarely shared. One exception was a story my grandfather Arthur told about an incident involving “Squizzy” Taylor, the notorious 1920s gangster, and a shooting at a billiard parlour above Arthur’s drapery shop in Glenhuntly. Recently, my uncle Darryl shared further insights into ‘The Professor’ (Leonard James Rowland), as passed down by Arthur. It became clear that while the exploits of our ancestors were known, they were rarely discussed in detail.
Bound for South Australia is my attempt to narrate our story using authentic records accumulated over the last 35 years. I hope that present and future generations find this account a valuable resource. In writing this, I believe I have paid a modest tribute to our pioneering forebears, William and Frances Rowland, and their enduring contributions to our nation.
— Neville Rowland
Chapter 1: Cornish Roots and Rural Life (1776–1839)
The story of the Rowland family begins in the 18th century in Cornwall. Richard Rowland was born in 1776, and on December 6, 1799, at the age of 23, he married Rebecca Launder in Antony, Cornwall. Rebecca was born in August 1776 to William Launder and Elizabeth (née [Unknown]). While Elizabeth was a local, William hailed from Botus Fleming, a village further inland along the Tamar River.
Richard and Rebecca settled in the Antony region, where they raised six children amidst the tumult of the Napoleonic Wars. By 1844, Richard’s will identified him as a “Yeoman Landholder and Farmer,” indicating he was a man of some standing who owned multiple dwellings and parcels of land.
The children of Richard and Rebecca were:
Richard (b. 1800): A garden laborer who eventually moved to Devonport.
Rebecca (1803–1803): Passed away in infancy.
Mary Ann (b. 1805): Married John White.
John (1806–1836): Died young in South Wilcove.
William Richard (b. 1807): Our direct ancestor, who married Frances Corney Budge.
Elizabeth (b. 1811): Married John Bone.
William Kelley (b. 1816): Married Ann Rebecca Hicks. In a move that was unusual for the time, Richard’s will passed the bulk of the family farm and wealth to this youngest son, rather than the eldest.
William Richard Rowland, our pioneer, grew up in Antony and trained as a butcher and a turner. On June 2, 1835, he married Frances Corney Budge at St. George’s Church in East Stonehouse. Frances came from a farming family; her father, George Budge, had also served as an innkeeper.
A cherished family heirloom from this era is a brooch originally belonging to Frances’s mother, Jane Budge. In a remarkable turn of events, the brooch was lost in an Australian farm paddock around 1900. Fifty years later, it was rediscovered by children looking for doorstop rocks; the brooch had been encased in a “fusion” of two rocks, likely caught in a plough decades earlier, preserving it in near-perfect condition.
Image in brooch of young lady is that of Jane (Haynes) Budge (1772-1818) (approx. age 17 years).
By the late 1830s, the Industrial Revolution and poor harvests had plunged rural England into a deep recession. Facing limited opportunities, William and Frances—now with three young sons: George, William Anderton, and Richmond Easto—began looking toward the new colony of South Australia. Unlike New South Wales, South Australia was advertised as a “convict-free” province, offering a fresh start for hardworking families.
Chapter 2: The Voyage of the Warrior (1839–1840)
On October 9, 1839, while living in Saltash, William applied for emigration. The family was assigned embarkation number 3871. On November 26, 1839, they boarded the SS Warrior at Plymouth.
The five-month journey was grueling. As steerage passengers, the Rowlands lived in cramped quarters with only six feet of headroom. Privacy was non-existent, and sanitation was poor; while women had access to water closets, men performed their ablutions on the upper deck. Disease was a constant threat, and the ship’s doctor relied on primitive remedies, such as belladonna for scarlet fever and rum-soaked figs for seasickness.
The Warrior arrived at Port Adelaide on April 17, 1840. The “Port” was then a mosquito-infested mangrove swamp nicknamed “Port Misery.” Passengers had to be carried to a mud-bank shore by longshoremen, only to find their belongings scattered and damaged.
A letter from fellow passenger James Sawle highlights the disillusionment many felt:
“The emigrants are the subjects of plunder… you reach the land of promise… your floor is nothing but the earth and dust… your dear children crying with hunger and cold.”
Despite the harsh welcome and the exorbitant costs of food and transport, the Rowlands persevered.
Chapter 3: Pioneering in South Australia and the Victoria Gold Rush (1840–1854)
The Rowlands initially settled in Blakiston, near Mt. Barker. By 1843, records show William was successfully farming wheat, barley, potatoes, and peas, while tending to cattle and pigs. After four years, they moved to the Sturt River settlement, where Frances gave birth to seven more children.
During their final years in South Australia, William worked as a gardener for Captain Ray Boucaut at Sarnia Cottage. Captain Boucaut was a prominent figure whose son later became the Premier of South Australia. It was during this time that William likely contracted “consumption” (tuberculosis), which would eventually lead to his death at age 47.
In 1852, the family’s trajectory changed again with the discovery of gold in Victoria. William’s eldest son, George, then 17, headed to the Avoca goldfields. His journey was not without peril; he survived an attempted robbery in his tent, though a gunshot wound left two of his fingers permanently joined.
Convinced of the opportunities in Victoria, George persuaded the rest of the family to join him. Life in the goldfields was a struggle against inflation; a bag of flour cost a staggering £18, and water was sold by the bucket. The family moved between Avoca and the Simson’s Ranges (now Maryborough), setting up camps and working the “Tucker Bank” and “Blackman’s” leads. By early 1854, the Rowland brothers had begun to see success, marking the beginning of the family’s long history in the Victorian goldfields.
Chapter 4: The Golden Years and Beyond
By mid-1854, the Rowland brothers had firmly established themselves in the Avoca region. While the work was physically grueling, the “Tucker Bank” lead proved to be a fruitful endeavor. This period was characterized by a “rush” mentality; as soon as gold was rumored to be found in a new gully, hundreds of miners would pack up their tents and move overnight.
Following their success at Avoca, the brothers turned their attention to the burgeoning settlement of Maryborough. Unlike the swampy, mosquito-ridden arrival at Port Adelaide fourteen years prior, the Victoria goldfields offered a different kind of hardship: red dust, scorching summers, and the constant threat of “bushrangers” targeting successful miners.
Life on the Diggings
The family base camp on Deep Creek (Carisbrook) became a hub of activity. While the men were at the leads, the women of the family—led by the resilient Frances—managed the domestic front. In a landscape where fresh water cost a shilling a bucket and vegetables were a luxury, maintaining a household required immense ingenuity.
The brothers utilized a “cradle” to wash the gold-bearing earth. It was a repetitive, back-breaking process:
Digging: Excavating the “pay dirt” from shafts that could be anywhere from a few feet to thirty feet deep.
Sieving: Passing the earth through a perforated metal plate to remove large rocks.
Cradling: Rocking the wooden machine while pouring water over the dirt, allowing the heavy gold particles to settle behind wooden “riffles” at the bottom.
A Growing Legacy
Despite the transient nature of mining life, the Rowlands began to integrate into the permanent fabric of the Victorian colony. The children of William and Frances, who had arrived as toddlers or were born in the mud huts of South Australia, were now coming of age.
Tragically, the family patriarch, William Richard, succumbed to consumption (tuberculosis) during this era. Having survived the 18,000-mile journey from Cornwall and the early lean years of the South Australian bush, he passed away at the age of 47. He left behind a legacy of endurance and a family that was now well-positioned to thrive in the “Lucky Country.”
As the surface gold began to thin out, the family transitioned from prospecting to more stable industries. Following the path of many Cornish mining families, some members moved toward trades—blacksmithing, carpentry, and drapery—while others returned to their ancestral roots in farming and gardening.
The story of “The Professor” (Leonard James Rowland) and the brushes with notorious figures like Squizzy Taylor in the 1920s mark the shift from the pioneering era to modern Australian history. These tales, once hushed or forgotten, serve as the final links in a chain that stretches back to a small cottage in Antony, Cornwall.
Genealogical Summary: The First Generation in Australia
Richmond Easto Rowland (1839-1892) and his wife Elizabeth Sarah Rowland née Squires (1841-1938)
As the gold rush era began to transition into a period of more permanent settlement, the Rowland family’s story moved from the transient life of the diggings to the establishment of deep roots in the Victorian soil.
Chapter 6: The Shift from Gold to Growth
By the late 1850s, the “easy gold” on the surface leads of Avoca and Maryborough had largely been exhausted. The era of the individual “puddler” and his cradle was being replaced by large-scale company mining. For the Rowland brothers, this marked a pivotal moment of choice: to follow the new rushes further inland or to settle and build a life in the burgeoning townships.
George Rowland, still bearing the physical scars of his early days on the goldfields, became a figure of some local renown. Having been one of the very first to break ground in Avoca, his knowledge of the “Tucker Bank” and “Blackman’s” leads made him an informal authority for newcomers. However, the high costs of living that had once plagued the family—where water was a shilling a bucket—slowly stabilized as bullock teams were replaced by more reliable transport and established local shops.
George Richard & Mary Ann Rowland née Smith at the wedding of their niece, Laura Beatrice Rowland; “Merrifields”, Rathscar – 6 Apr 1904.
Community and Resilience
The family’s relocation to the area near the present-day Maryborough Hospital was not just a move for mining; it was a move toward community. While the men worked the deeper shafts, the family became part of the social fabric of Carisbrook and Maryborough.
Frances Rowland, now a widow following William Richard’s passing, remained the cornerstone of the family. Her resilience, forged in the cramped steerage of the Warrior and the mud-banks of “Port Misery,” ensured that the younger children received the stability their father had worked so hard to provide. The stories passed down through the generations suggest a household of quiet discipline and deep Cornish pride.
Frances Corney Rowland née Budge (1813-1900)
Chapter 7: The Dawn of the 20th Century and ‘Tranquility’
As the 1800s drew to a close, the pioneering grit of the first generation began to manifest in the professional successes of the second and third. The family moved from the rural ruggedness of the goldfields toward the growing suburbs of Melbourne.
The Glenhuntly Connection
Arthur Leonard Rowland, the grandson of the original pioneers, established himself as a draper in Glenhuntly. It was here that the family narrative took a colourful turn into the “Roaring Twenties.” Arthur’s drapery shop, with its billiard parlour situated above, became the setting for one of the few stories he chose to share: the shooting incident involving the infamous gangster Squizzy Taylor.
While Arthur was a man of quiet respectability, the fact that his premises were even tangentially linked to the Melbourne underworld provides a stark contrast to the rural, Methodist-influenced upbringing of his Cornish ancestors. It was a sign of the times—the “New World” had become a place of bustling commerce, urban legends, and modern drama.
Arthur Leonard Rowland (1899-1986), son of George Arthur & Thurza Jane Rowland née Lacy. Arthur married Eva Milley Moscenia Paddle 24 Mar 1928 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, North Road, Gardenvale East, Victoria. Photograph shows Arthur aged 21 years. After working for Dimmey’s of Richmond a number of years, Arthur struck out and built his own business in Glenhuntly Road, Glenhuntley; aptly named ‘Rowlands Drapery’ which operated there, Balaclava and in other suburbs. The Glenhuntley shop operated for 63 years.
‘Tranquility’ and Leonard James Rowland
The residence known as ‘Tranquility’ on Dandenong Road, East Malvern, became the heart of the family in the mid-20th century. It was here that my grandparents, Arthur and Eva, hosted the joyous gatherings I remember so well.
It was also the era of Leonard James Rowland, affectionately known as ‘The Professor.’ Though his exploits were well-known among the elders, they were often discussed in hushed tones, perhaps reflecting the lingering Victorian-era sensibilities of his parents. Recently shared insights from my Uncle Darryl have helped fill these gaps, painting a picture of a man whose intellect and character left a lasting impression on all who knew him.
Leonard James Rowland (1869-1960). Known to locals as “The Professor”, during his life his occupations were that of a Farmer, teacher, musician and composer. He had a music shop in Maryborough. He is the grandfather of Bruce Rowland who wrote the music score of “The Man from Snowy River, “Phar Lap” and other films.
Conclusion: A Legacy Secured
From the estuaries of the Tamar River in Cornwall to the dusty leads of Avoca and the leafy streets of East Malvern, the Rowland family has traversed a vast distance—not just in miles, but in circumstance.
The discovery of the Jane Budge brooch in a ploughed paddock fifty years after it was lost serves as a perfect metaphor for our family history. Like that brooch, our stories were once buried, hidden by time and the silence of previous generations. By prying apart the “rocks” of forgotten records and fragmented memories, we have recovered a history that remains in remarkably good condition.
William Richard and Frances Rowland arrived in a land that offered them nothing but a mud bank and a challenge. Through their endurance, they transformed “Port Misery” into a portal of opportunity, leaving behind a nation and a family that continues to honour their name.
In March 1836 Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (1792-1855), surveyor-general of New South Wales, began an expedition, his third, to explore the Colony. He was instructed to travel to Menindee, then down the Darling to the sea, if it flowed there; or, if it flowed into the Murray to go up the Murray to the inhabited parts of the colony.
During the expedition Mitchell went up the Murray till 20 June when he reached the junction of the Loddon where the country seemed so promising that he turned south-west into what is now Victoria and was so enchanted by the area he called it Australia Felix.
Travelling chiefly west and south he reached the mouth of the Glenelg on 20 August and some days later, to their mutual surprise, he found the Henty brothers already established at Portland. He turned north-east. On 17 September, in order to speed his return, Mitchell split the party in two, taking 14 men with him and leaving the remainder with Stapylton to follow with the bullocks and drays. He reached the Murray on 17 October and on 3 November arrived back in Sydney ahead of the main party.
The rapid occupation of Australia Felix followed. Already settlers from Van Diemen’s Land [Tasmania] were crossing Bass Strait and soon others were driving their flocks south-west along the tracks which Mitchell’s heavy wagons had cut into the earth on their return to Sydney.
Major Mitchell’s Journey Through Australia Felix, 1836 from “The Old Pioneers’ Memorial History of Melbourne From the Discovery of Port Phillip to the World War”. Retrieved through Victorian Collections Mount Cole and Mount Macedon are indicated with purple arrows
Part of Hansford, H. (1928). Map showing Major Mitchell’s track through Victoria : from June 13th. to October 18th. 1836 Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2497089707 Mount Cole and Mount Macedon are indicated with purple arrows
This morning a thick fog hung over us; but having well reconnoitred the country beyond I knew that I might travel in a straight line over open ground for several miles. When the fog arose some finely wooded hills appeared on our right; but after advancing seven miles on good firm earth we again came upon very soft ground which obliged us to turn and wind and pick our way wherever the surface seemed most likely to bear us.
NATIVE FEMALES.
The fog was succeeded by a fine warm day, and as we proceeded we saw two gins and their children at work separately on a swampy meadow; and, quick as the sight of these natives is, we had travelled long within view before they observed us. They were spread over the field much in the manner in which emus and kangaroos feed on plains, and we observed them digging in the ground for roots. All carried bags and when Piper went towards them they ran with great speed across the vast open plains to the southward.
CATTLE TRACKS.
This day we perceived the fresh track of several bullocks, a very extraordinary circumstance in that situation. The beautiful yellow-wreathed acacia was not to be seen after we quitted the open country. The ground was becoming almost hopelessly soft, when we reached a small run of water from the hills and, by keeping along its bank, we had the good fortune to reach an extremity of the range where the solid granite was as welcome to our feet as a dry beach is to shipwrecked seamen.
ASCEND MOUNT COLE.
We had at length arrived under Mammala, the bluff hill which had been my landmark from the time I left Mr. Stapylton. I found this was the southern extremity of a lofty range which I lost no time in ascending after I had fixed on a spot for the camp. It consisted of huge blocks of granite,* and was crowned with such lofty timber that I could only catch occasional peeps of the surrounding country: nevertheless I obtained, by moving about among the trees with my pocket sextant, almost all the angles I wanted; and I thus connected the survey of the region I was leaving with that I was about to enter. My first view over this eastern country was extensive, and when I at length descended to a projecting rock I found the prospect extremely promising, the land being variegated with open plains and strips of forest, and studded with smooth green hills of the most beautiful forms. In the extreme distance a range much resembling that on which I stood declined at its southern extremity in the same manner as this did, and thus left me a passage precisely in the most direct line of route homewards.
(*Footnote. Consisting of pink felspar, white quartz and silvery mica.)
ENTER ON A GRANITE COUNTRY.
The carts had still however to cross the range at which we had arrived and which, as I perceived here, not only extended southward but also broke into bold ravines on the eastern side, being connected with some noble hills, or rather mountains, all grassy to their summits, thinly wooded and consisting wholly of granite. They resembled very much some hills of the lower Pyrenees in Spain, only that they were more grassy and less acclivitous, and I named this hill Mount Cole. To the southward the sea-haze dimmed the horizon: but I perceived the eastern margin of a large piece of water bearing south-south-east, and which I supposed might be Cadong. It was sheltered on the south-east by elevated ground apparently very distant, but no high range appeared between us and that inlet of the sea. On the contrary the heights extending southward from this summit, being connected with the highest and most southern hills visible from it, seemed to be the only high land or separation of the waters falling north and south. With such a country before us I bade adieu to swamps and returned well pleased to the camp, being guided to it only by the gushing torrent, for I had remained on the hill as long as daylight lasted.
MANY RIVULETS.
September 24.
The morning was rainy and our way having to be traced up the ravines and round the hills was very tortuous for the first three miles. We then reached the dividing part of the range and descended immediately after into valleys of a less intricate character. Having passed over the swampy bed of a rivulet flowing southward, and having also crossed several fine bold ridges with good streams between them, we at length encamped near a round hill which, being clear on the summit, was therefore a favourable station for the theodolite. This hill also consisted of granite and commanded an open and extensive view over the country to the eastward.
September 25.
One bold range of forest land appeared before us and after crossing it we passed over several rivulets falling northward, then over a ridge of trappean conglomerate with embedded quartz pebbles, and descended into a valley of the finest description. Grassy hills clear of timber appeared beyond a stream also flowing northward. These hills consisted of old vesicular lava. We next entered a forest of very large trees of ironbark eucalyptus, and we finally encamped in a grassy valley in the midst of this forest.
September 26.
We first crossed more hills of the trappean conglomerate on which grew ironbark eucalypti and box. The rock consisted of a base of compact felspar with embedded grains of quartz, giving to some parts the character of conglomerate, and there were also embedded crystals of common felspar. By diverging a little to the right we entered upon an open tract of the most favourable aspect, stretching away to the south-west among similar hills until they were lost in the extreme distance. The whole surface was green as an emerald and on our right for some miles ran a fine rivulet between steep grassy banks and over a bed of trap-rock.
MAMMELOID HILLS.
At length this stream was joined by two others coming through similar grassy valleys from the south; and when we approached two lofty smooth round hills, green to their summits, the united streams flowed in an open dell which our carts rolled through without meeting any impediment. I ascended the most western of these hills as it was a point which I had observed from various distant stations, and I enjoyed such a charming view eastward from the summit as can but seldom fall to the lot of the explorers of new countries. The surface presented the forms of pristine beauty clothed in the hues of spring; and the shining verdure of these smooth and symmetrical hills was relieved by the darker hues of the wood with which they were interlaced; which exhibited every variety of tint, from a dark brown in the foreground to a light blue in extreme distance.
LAVA, THE SURFACE ROCK.
The hills consisted entirely of lava and I named them from their peculiar shape the Mammeloid hills, and the station on which I stood Mount Greenock. In travelling through this Eden no road was necessary, nor any ingenuity in conducting wheel-carriages wherever we chose. The beautiful little terrestrial orchidaceous plants Caladenia dilatata and Diuris aurea were already in full bloom; and we also found on the plains this day a most curious little bush resembling a heath in foliage, but with solitary polypetalous flowers resembling those of Sollya.* When we had completed fourteen miles we encamped on the edge of an open plain and near a small rivulet, the opposite bank consisting of grassy forest land.
(*Footnote. This has been ascertained to be a new species of the genus Campylanthera of Hooker, or Pronaya of Baron Hugel, of which two species were found by the latter botanist and the late Mr. Frazer at Swan River. Campylanthera ericoides, Lindley manuscripts; erecta, fruticosa, glabra, foliis oblongo-cuneatis mucronatis margine revolutis, floribus solitariis terminalibus erectis, antheris subrotundis.)
HILLS OF LAVA, OR MAMMELOID HILLS, FROM MOUNT GREENOCK. Horizon: Mount Byng Pass. [Mount Alexander]
ABORIGINAL IMITATIONS.
September 27.
I was surprised to hear the voice of a Scotchwoman in the camp this morning. The peculiar accent and rapid utterance could not be mistaken as I thought, and I called to inquire who the stranger was, when I ascertained that it was only Tommy Came-last who was imitating a Scotch female who, as I then learnt, was at Portland Bay and had been very kind to Tommy. The imitation was ridiculously true through all the modulations of that peculiar accent although, strange to say, without the pronunciation of a single intelligible word. The talent of the aborigines for imitation seems a peculiar trait in their character. I was informed that The Widow could also amuse the men occasionally by enacting their leader, taking angles, drawing from nature, etc.
While the party went forward over the open plains with Mr. Stapylton I ascended a smooth round hill, distant about a mile to the southward of our camp, from which I could with ease continue my survey by means of hills on all sides, the highest of them being to the southward. I could trace the rivulets flowing northward into one or two principal channels, near several masses of mountain: these channels and ranges being probably connected with those crossed by us on our route from the Murray. In these bare hills and on the open grassy plains, old vesicular lava abounded; small loose elongated fragments lay on the round hills, having a red scorified appearance and being also so cellular as to be nearly as light as pumice. We this day crossed several fine running streams and forests of box and bluegum growing on ridges of trappean conglomerate. At length we entered on a very level and extensive flat, exceedingly green and resembling an English park. It was bounded on the east by a small river flowing to the north-west (probably the Loddon) and abrupt but grassy slopes arose beyond its right bank. After crossing this stream we encamped, having travelled nearly fifteen miles in one straight line bearing 60 1/2 degrees east of north. This tract was rather of a different character from that of the fine country of which we had previously seen so much, and we saw for the first time the Discaria australis, a remarkable green leafless spiny bush and resembling in a most striking manner the Colletias of Chili. Sheltered on every side by woods or higher ground, the spring seemed more advanced there than elsewhere, and our hard wrought cattle well deserved to be the first to browse on that verdant plain. The stream in its course downwards vanished amongst grassy hills to water a country apparently of the most interesting and valuable character.
September 28.
The steep banks beyond the river consisted of clay-slate having under it a conglomerate containing fragments of quartz cemented by compact haematite.
SNAKES EATEN BY THE NATIVES.
The day was hot and we killed several large snakes of the species eaten by the natives. I observed that our guides looked at the colour of the belly when in any doubt about the sort they preferred; these were white-bellied, whereas the belly of a very fierce one with a large head, of which Piper and the others seemed much afraid, was yellow. On cutting this snake open two young quails were found within: one of them not being quite dead. The country we crossed during the early part of the day was at least as fine as that we had left. We passed alternately through strips of forest and over open flats well watered, the streams flowing southward; and at nine miles we crossed a large stream also flowing in that direction: all these being evidently tributaries to that on which we had been encamped. Beyond the greater stream, where we last crossed it, the country presented more of the mountain character, but good strong grass grew among the trees, which consisted of box and lofty bluegum. After making out upwards of eleven miles, we encamped in a valley where water lodged in holes and where we found also abundance of grass. We were fast approaching those summits which had guided me in my route from Mount Cole, then more than fifty miles behind us. Like that mountain these heights also belonged to a lofty range, and like it were beside a very low part of it, through which I hoped to effect a passage. Leaving the party to encamp I proceeded forward in search of the hill I had so long seen before me, and I found that the hills immediately beyond our camp were part of the dividing range and broken into deep ravines on the eastern side. Pursuing the connection between them and the still higher summits on the north-east, I came at length upon an open valley enclosed by hills very lightly wooded. This change was evidently owing to a difference in the rock which was a fine-grained granite, whereas the hills we had recently crossed belonged chiefly to the volcanic class of rocks, with the exception of the range I had traversed that evening in my way from the camp, which consisted of ferruginous sandstone. With the change of rock a difference was also obvious in the shape of the hills, the quantity and quality of the water, and the character of the trees. The hills presented a bold sweeping outline and were no longer broken by sharp-edged strata but crowned with large round masses of rock. Running water was gushing from every hollow in much greater abundance than elsewhere; and lastly the timber, which on the other ranges consisted chiefly of ironbark and stringybark, now presented the shining bark of the bluegum or yarra and the grey hue of the box. The Anthisteria australis, a grass which seems to delight in a granitic soil, also appeared in great abundance, and we also found the aromatic tea, Tasmania aromatica, which represents in New Holland the winter’s bark of the southern extremity of South America. The leaves and bark of this tree have a hot biting cinnamon-like taste on which account it is vulgarly called the pepper-tree.
ASCEND MOUNT BYNG.
I could ride with ease to the summit of the friendly hill that I had seen from afar, and found it but thinly wooded so that I could take my angles around the horizon without difficulty. Again reminded by the similar aspect this region presented of the lower Pyrenees and the pass of Orbaicetta, I named the summit Mount Byng. [Now known as Mount Alexander]
RICH GRASS.
A country fully as promising as the fine region we had left was embraced in my view from that point. I perceived long patches of open plain interspersed with forest hills and low woody ranges, among which I could trace out a good line of route for another fifty miles homewards. The highest of the mountains lay to the south and evidently belonged to the coast range, if it might be so called; and on that side a lofty mass arose above the rest and promised a view towards the sea, that height being distant from the hill on which I stood about thirty miles. A broad chain of woody hills connected the coast range with Mount Byng, and I could trace the general course of several important streams through the country to the east of it. Northward I saw a little of the interior plains and the points where the various ranges terminated upon them. The sun was setting when I left Mount Byng but I depended on one of our natives, Tommy Came-last, who was then with me, for finding our way to the camp; and who on such occasions could trace my steps backwards with wonderful facility by day or night.
EXPEDITION PASS.
September 29.
The range before us was certainly rather formidable for the passage of carts, but home lay beyond it, while delay and famine were synonymous terms with us at that time. By following up the valley in which we had encamped I found early on this morning an easy way through which the carts might gain the lowest part of the range. Having conducted them to this point without any other inconvenience besides the overturning of one cart (from bad driving) we descended along the hollow of a ravine after making it passable by throwing some rocks into the narrow part near its head. The ravine at length opened, as I had expected, into a grassy valley with a fine rivulet flowing through it, and from this valley we debouched into the still more open granitic country at the foot of Mount Byng. The pass thus auspiciously discovered and opened, over a neck apparently the very lowest of the whole range, I named Expedition-pass, confident that such a line of communication between the southern coast and Sydney must, in the course of time, become a very considerable thoroughfare. The change of soil however introduced us to the old difficulty from which we had been happily relieved for some time, for we came once more upon rotten and boggy ground. We met with this unexpected impediment in an open-looking flat near a rivulet I was about to cross, when I found the surface so extremely soft and yielding that from the extreme resistance a bolt of the boat-carriage gave way, a circumstance which obliged us immediately to encamp although we had travelled only four miles.
EXCURSION TOWARDS PORT PHILLIP.
September 30.
Compelled thus to await the repair of the boat-carriage I determined to make an excursion to the lofty mountain mass which appeared about thirty miles to the southward, in order that I might connect my survey with Port Phillip, which I hoped to see thence. The horses were not found as soon as they were required, but when we at last got upon their backs we were therefore less disposed to spare them.
DISCOVER AND CROSS THE RIVER BARNARD.
We crossed some soft hollows during the first few miles, and then arrived on the banks of a small and deep river with reeds on its borders, and containing many broad and deep reaches. It was full and flowed, but not rapidly, towards the north-east, and it was not until we had continued along the left bank of this stream for a considerable way upwards that we found a rapid where we could cross without swimming. The left bank was of bold acclivity but grassy and clear of timber, being very level on the summit; and I found it consisted of trap-rock of the same vesicular character which I had observed in so many other parts of this southern region. Beyond the river (which I then named the Barnard) we first encountered a hilly country from which we emerged rather unexpectedly; for after crossing a small rivulet flowing in a deep and grassy dell where trap-rock again appeared, and ascending the opposite slope, we found that the summit consisted of an open level country of the finest description. It was covered with the best kind of grass and the immediate object of our ride, the mountain, was now visible beyond these rich plains. Some fine forest-hills arose in various directions to the right and left, and indeed I never saw a more pleasing or promising portion of territory. The rich open ground across which we rode was not without slight undulations; and when we had traversed about four miles of it we came quite unawares to a full and flowing stream, nearly on a level with its grassy banks; the bottom being so sound that we forded it without the least difficulty.
EMUS NUMEROUS AND TAME.
Emus were very numerous on the downs and their curiosity brought them to stare at our horses, apparently unconscious of the presence of the biped on their backs whom both birds and beasts seem instinctively to avoid. In one flock I counted twenty-nine emus, and so near did they come to us that, having no rifle with me, I was tempted to discharge even my pistol at one, although without effect. Kangaroos were equally numerous. Having proceeded three miles beyond the stream we came to another flowing to the westward between some very deep ponds, and it was probably a tributary to the first.
THE RIVER CAMPASPE.
At twenty-two miles from the camp, on descending from some finely undulating open ground, we arrived at a stream flowing westward, which I judged to be also a branch of that we had first crossed. Its bed consisted of granitic rocks and on the left bank I found trap. We had this stream afterwards in sight on our left until, at two miles further, we again crossed it and entered a wood of eucalyptus, being then only five miles distant from the mountain, and we subsequently found that this wood extended to its base.
EFFECTS OF A STORM IN THE WOODS.
The effects of some violent hurricane from the north were visible under every tree, the earth being covered with broken branches, some of which were more than a foot in diameter; the withering leaves remained upon them, and I remarked that no whole trees had been blown down, although almost all had lost their principal limbs and not a few had been reduced to bare poles. The havoc which the storm had made gave an unusual aspect to the whole of the forest land, so universally was it covered with withering branches. Whether this region is subject to frequent visitations of a like nature I could not of course then ascertain; but I perceived that many of the trees had lost some of their top limbs at a much earlier period in a similar manner. Neither had this been but a partial tempest, for to the very base of the mountain the same effects were visible. The trees on its side were of a much grander character than those in the forest, and consisted principally of black-butt and bluegum eucalypti measuring from six to eight feet in diameter. The rock was syenite, so weathered as to resemble sandstone.
ASCEND MOUNT MACEDON.
I ascended without having been obliged to alight from my horse, and I found that the summit was very spacious, being covered towards the south with tree-ferns, and the musk-plant grew in great luxuriance. I saw also many other plants found at the Illawarra, on the eastern coast of the colony of New South Wales. The summit was full of wombat holes and, unlike that side by which I had ascended, it was covered with the dead trunks of enormous trees in all stages of decay.
PORT PHILLIP DIMLY SEEN FROM IT.
I had two important objects in view in ascending this hill; one being to determine its position trigonometrically as a point likely to be seen from the country to which I was going, where it might be useful to me in fixing other points; the other being to obtain a view of Port Phillip, and thus to connect my survey with that harbour. But the tree-fern, musk-plant, brush, and lofty timber together shut us up for a long time from any prospect of the low country to the southward, and it was not until I had nearly exhausted a fine sunny afternoon in wandering round the broad summit that I could distinguish and recognise some of the hills to the westward; and when I at length obtained a glimpse of the country towards the coast the features of the earth could scarcely be distinguished from the sky or sea, although one dark point looked more like a cape than a cloud and seemed to remain steady. With my glass I perceived that water lay inside of that cape and that low plains extended northward from the water. I next discovered a hilly point outside of the cape or towards the sea; and on descending the hill to where the trees grew less thickly I obtained an uninterrupted view of the whole piece of water. As the sun went down the distant horizon became clearer towards the coast and I intersected at length the two capes; also one at the head of the bay and several detached hills. I perceived distinctly the course of the Exe and Arundell rivers and a line of mangrove trees along the low shore. In short I at length recognised Port Phillip and the intervening country around it at a distance afterwards ascertained to be upwards of fifty miles from Indented Head, which proved to be the first cape I had seen; that outside (at A) being Point Nepean on the east side of the entrance to this bay. At that vast distance I could trace no signs of life about this harbour. No stockyards, cattle, nor even smoke, although at the highest northern point of the bay I saw a mass of white objects which might have been either tents or vessels. I perceived a white speck, which I took for breakers or white sand, on the projecting point of the north-eastern shore. (B.) On that day nine years exactly I first beheld the heads of Port Jackson, a rather singular coincidence. Thus the mountain on which I stood became an important point in my survey, and I gave it the name of Mount Macedon, with reference to that of Port Phillip.* It had been long dark before I reached the base of the mountain and picked out a dry bit of turf on which to lie down for the night.
(*Footnote. Geboor is the native name of this hill, as since ascertained by my friend Captain King, and it is a much better one, having fewer letters and being aboriginal.)
PORT PHILLIP, 50 MILES DISTANT, AS SEEN THROUGH A GLASS FROM MOUNT MACEDON. Left to right: B, River, Indented Head, A, Woody Hill.
Portrait of Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell, c.1835.
In 1903 Avoca was described in the Australian handbook:
AVOCA (37° 6' S. lat., 143° 29′ E. long.), county of Gladstone, electorate of Talbot and Avoca, and police district of Maryborough, is prettily situated on the river of the same name, about 12 miles from its source, and 6 miles E. of the Pyrenees ranges, on the main roads from Castlemaine and Ballarat to the NW. parts of the colony, 794 feet above sea level. Avoca is the principal town in the Avoca shire, a municipal district of 453 square miles, containing several other goldfields and townships, having 900 dwellings, 726 rate-payers on roll, 1s. rate, and ratable property of the annual value of £24,568. The shire is locally ruled by a shire council, consisting of nine councillors, under the Local Government Act. Avoca has a police and warden's court, and post savings bank, money-order, telegraph, and sub-treasury offices. It is a railway-station on the Maryborough to Ararat line, 128 miles NW. of Melbourne, fares, 22s. 10d. and 15s. 4d. Coaches run to Percydale, St. Arnaud, Landsborough, Redbank, Lamplough, Lexton, Waubra, and Moonambel, Frenchman's and Stuart Mill. Hotels: the Avoca, Royal Oak, Victoria, Railway, Bull and Mouth, and Albion. Bank: Victoria. There are lodges of the Australian Natives, Oddfellows (M.U.), Foresters, Rechabites, a detachment of mounted rifles, one brass band, and a fire brigade. State school (No. 4), ladies' school, English, Roman Catholic Wesleyan and Presbyterian churches, and a mechanics' institute, with library of 1,600 vols. The water supply is derived from wells and the flats of the Avoca River. Both alluvial and quartz mining are carried on in the district, particularly in that portion lying at the foot of the Pyrenees ranges, which is also very well adapted for farming operations, growing wheat of unusually good quality. The Working Miners Homebush has been one of the most successful mines in the district. A mining revival is taking place in the district. An important discovery of slate in the ranges about 7 miles from the railway station was made a few years ago, but the quarries are now at a standstill. The slate found here is said to be the best of its kind yet discovered in the Australian Colonies, and the supply appears to be inexhaustible. Several vineyards are making good progress. The land under tillage on the 1st March, 1901, was 11,381 acres. The gold yield for 1900 was 1,591 ozs. Recent discoveries of alluvial gold have led to a mining revival. The formation of the district geologically is Silurian. The population of the town alone is 1,100; the number of residents in the entire shire is 4,300. Local newspapers, the Avoca Mail, Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Avoca Free Press, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Avoca High Street, 1911 Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland Retrieved from Avoca and Avoca Shire | Victorian Places
ALBION HOTEL, HIGH STREET, AVOCA. JONATHAN REED, having now completed his new and extensive Hotel, is desirous of notifying to his friends and the public that the house will be opened for business on Saturday next, the 3rd of October. This new Hotel is built of brick, and is designed so as to give the best accommodation to commercial and other travellers, and the public generally. The cellars will contain the best Wines, Spirits and Beer procurable in Victoria, and the greatest attention will be given to the comfort and convenience of guests. The proprietor has undertaken this new enterprise from the increasing prosperity of Avoca and its neighborhood in mining and other industries now attracting much attention from other parts of the Colony. Good Stabling provided, with the best of care for horses and carriages, under the charge of a competent groom.
Another very old and respected resident has just passed away in the person of Mr Jonathen Reed, a townsman of some 25 years' standing, who died at 1 o'clock a.m., on Thursday morning after a protracted period of painful illness. Mr Reed once carried on the business of a slaughterman, and as a licensed victualler kept the Albion Hotel. He was very widely known and respected, and leaves a widow and a large family. His funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon.
FATAL CAR TRIP Avoca Sportsman's Death GOFF. JONGEBLOED, a prominent Avoca sportsman, met his death in unusually sad and tragic circumstances. He accepted an invitation to go to Sydney with Messrs. H. Chapman and D. Neilson, who had business there. A crash occurred at Goulburn, resulting in Mr. Jongebloed's death. Goff was one of the best-known district sportsmen, and he was an excellent shot over the traps, winning prizes at pigeon, starling and sparrow matches. He conducted the Albion Hotel, Avoca, and was interested in another hotel at Maryborough. He was elected president of Avoca recreation ground three years ago, and was instrumental in raising £140 when a flood damaged the fence at the ground. He leaves a widow and two young children, who have the sympathy of all sportsmen and the public. Goff Jongebloed was one of the first to come forward with a substantial donation towards the Mines Bus Accident Relief Fund.
MR. GOFF. JONGEBLOED. As the result of a tragic motor car accident, the death occurred at Goulburn, on June 8, of Mr. Goff. Jongebloed, licensee of the Albion Hotel, Avoca. Going to Avoca from the Melton district, Mr. Jongebloed successfully conducted a bakery business before becoming a licensed victualler. A very popular citizen, of great personal kindness and generosity, his benefactions were many, but unostentatious. No worthy cause went without prompt assistance at his hands, and he is deeply mourned, not only by his relatives and friends, but by many whom he befriended. The deceased gentleman was a son of Mrs. Jongebloed and the late Mr. Gottfried Jongebloed, and a brother of Gerhard, Annette, Emil, Nicholas, Julius, Theckla, Marie, Augustus, and Greta Jongebloed. These received from many places messages of sympathy in their bereavement. There was a large gathering at the funeral, manifesting the esteem and regard in which Mr. Jongebloed was held. After prayers in St. Dominic's Church, Melton, the funeral proceeded to the Melton Cemetery. There were over 60 motor cars in the long cortege. The coffin-bearers were Messrs. Gerhard, Emil, Nicholas, Julius, and Augustus Jongebloed (brothers), and the pall-bearers were Messrs. N. Jongebloed, J. Jongebloed, L. Steinfort, W. Ngip, B. Haynes, and A. Groman. Rev. W. Rovira and Rev. M. Galvin officiated at the graveside. R.I.P.
Hotel Closings. Having surrendered their licences or been deprived of them by the Licensing Court the following hotels ceased trading at 6 p.m. yesterday;— Albion Hotel, Avoca; ... Compensation for the owners and occupiers has already been fixed by the Court.
Old Albion Hotel, High St. Avoca Photographed in the 1960s by John T. Collins, 1907-2001 State Library of Victoria Accession No : H90.100/516
This year marks the 150th anniverary of the opening of the Maryborough and Avoca Railway.
OPENING OF THE MARYBOROUGH AND AVOCA RAILWAY. [picture] Reception of the Governor, and Chinese procession — Township of Avoca – the Pyrenees in the distance — Stampede of the Chinamen under a shower — Railway station — The old Avoca diggings — Departure of the first goods train. Publisher Melbourne : Ebenezer and David Syme Date November 29, 1876. Description print : wood engraving. State Library of Victoria Accession No : IAN29/11/76/184
The ceremony of opening the railway from Maryborough to Avoca afforded an opportunity to many of visiting the prettily situated little goldfields township that takes its name from the ‘ sweet vale’ that has been immortalised by Moore. True there is here no ”meeting of the waters,” and a powerful imagination alone could realise the “soft magic of streamlet,” and the ”purest of crystal and brightest of green,” but nevertheless it claims to have beauties of its own, and is not altogether undeserving of a title that awakens recollections of one of the most charming and picturesque spots in the world. The township was laid out in 1854, and is situated in the centre of a fine agricultural tract of country, which at one time was found, in parts, to be auriferous. The streets are wide and intersect each, other at right angles, the principal thoroughfare being ornamented by a neatly fenced enclosure, running the full extent of the town, planted with a variety of indigenous and deciduous trees, which have a very pleasant and refreshing effect. The smooth sloping shoulders of the Pyrenean ranges form a bold and magnificent back ground, the middle distance being diversified by bits of striking scenery an artist might revel in contemplating. Like all small country towns it seems to a resident of the metropolis a sleepy hollow. Under normal conditions its population would appear duly a few hundred, the greater proportion being children. It contains several excellent hotels, and well-built shops and private residences, and boasts an assembly hall, devoted to literary and musical entertainments, political and religious demonstrations, balls, public dinners and similar junketings. It has its local press, and is no doubt proud of the same, but it must for ever remain a mystery how two journals can exist in so small a place, even though they did it after the Eatonswill fashion. The Avoca diggings may be said to be a thing of the past. The town now mainly depends upon agricultural population in the surrounding districts for any commercial vitality it may possess. The district is at present essentially agricultural, and was therefore entitled to consideration at the hands of the Government when planning an extension of our railway system. The distance between Maryborough and Avoca is only fifteen miles, through country slightly undulating, and presenting few engineering difficulties for railway purposes. The expense of construction was only about £2500 a mile, so that the limit of £5750 per mile for rolling stock, station and fencing allowed by Parliament is not likely to be exceeded. There are about thirty cuttings between Maryborough and Avoca, the deepest being only seven feet, and only one bridge has been required— that crossing the creek known as the Bet Bet. The day upon which the opening ceremony occurred (Friday, the 27th of October) will no doubt long be remembered in the locality. The little township was moved to its very centre, the excitement extending over a radius of at least ten miles. From every house there floated banners, and across the principal street was stretched a line with varied colored bunting attached; while the Commercial Hotel, the principal place of rest and refreshment in the township was decorated in a style that made the Chinese inhabitants stare in wonder. An allegorical painting on canvas, surmounted by the word “Welcome,” in large characters, occupied a conspicuous position in front of the balcony, on which a large number of persons assembled to do honor to the guests from Melbourne, who arrived by special train about two o’clock. The station is situated about half-a-mile from and overlooking the town. Here thousands of people were assembled, all attired in their best. The Chinese, of whom a considerable number reside in the district, mustered in great force, and joined in the procession of the inhabitants to and from the station. Many of them were arrayed in their native costume, which it is needless to say was of the fearful and wonderful character, and quite sufficient to make the juvenile population look on in awe. The sketches given by our artist convey an accurate idea of the little town nestling beneath the mountain range to the rear, no less than of the more striking scenes in connection with the opening ceremony. A platform was erected at some short distance from the station, and to this his Excellency the Governor and the members of the Government attending were conducted. Some thousands of persons were assembled, having arrived shortly before in procession, in which the Chinese inhabitants and the children attending the schools in the district formed a considerable part, Mr. Moate, the President of the Shire Council, presented an address of welcome, to which his Excellency replied at some length. In the course of his remarks he referred to the gradual extension of our railway system, “If,” he said, “the large sums spent in the early days of the goldfields on the roads to Ballarat and Sandhurst had been spent on cheap railways, our internal communication would have advanced far more rapidly. But a quarter of a century ago the art of constructing cheap railways was still unknown here and elsewhere. Labor was also exceptionally dear in Victoria, and some portions of the first lines of this colony cost the now almost incredible sum of £47,000 per mile. The official statistics show that our new railways cost (including the rolling stock) only about £6000 per mile. If the early cost had been anything like as low as it is now, the profit of our railways as a whole would already cover all working expenses, and more than the interest of the money borrowed for their construction, and would thus not only have practically extinguished the public debt, but contribute a considerable balance to the public revenue. As it is, the returns from the department show that at the end of 1877, within fifteen months from the present, we shall have 927 miles open, uniting the capital with every centre of population in the whole colony. Indeed, it appears there will be no town or village with about 2000 inhabitants which will not be in direct communication with Melbourne. Already the North eastern line to the Murray at Wodonga pays all expenses and interest, and gives a net yearly profit of over £24,000. The steady increase of the railway revenue is very satisfactory. In the past year, 1875-76, it was larger than in any previous year, being £75,000 in excess of the preceding year, 1874-75, while the working expenses fell at the same time from 52⅓ to 50¼ per cent of the gross profits.” The Chinese subsequently presented a loyal address, to which his Excellency replied in suitable terms. A banquet was given in the afternoon in the spacious hall attached to the Commercial Hotel, at which about 300 attended. His Excellency the Governor made a very felicitous speech, which was well received. In the evening a ball was given in the Assembly Hall, and a picnic to Amphitheatre, about ten miles distant, on the 28th October, wound up the vice-regal visit to the locality.
In 1901 at Federation the Postmaster-General’s Department (PMG), a department of the Australian government, was established. Its responsibilities included the provision of postal and telegraphic services throughout Australia.
On 1 January 1901 all postal and telegraphy services in Australia were taken over from the states and administered on a national basis.
The National Archives of Australia has photographs of post offices from that time including several of Avoca.
Avoca post office 1901 National Archives of Australia NAA: B5919, 72 Part of the Master set of post office photographs, alphabetical series
Avoca post office 1901 National Archives of Australia NAA: B5919, 15/1 Part of the Master set of post office photographs, alphabetical series
Avoca Post Office State Library of Victoria Series Post offices in Victoria, 1917-1930 (one of 283 photographs in the series) Accession No : H89.105/9
The photograph of the Avoca post office is one of 283 photographs in the series Post Offices in Victoria 1917-1930 in the collection of the State Libary of Victoria. It would seem this is another copy of the photo in the collection of the National Archives which has been dated to 1901.
Under the windows of the post office there are two children walking along.
On 19 January 1900 the Avoca Mail reported “Mr Dotter entered upon his duties as post and telegraph muster, and Receiver and Paymaster at the Avoca post office, yesterday.”
On 27 July 1900 the Avoca Mail reported “Mr E C Dotter, the local postmaster and Receiver and Paymaster, is now on his annual three weeks leave, and his place is being taken by Mr Mountjoy of the Relieving Staff.”
In 1902 Mr Dotter was in court concerning the issuing of Miners’ Rights at Avoca:
The charge brought by W. H. Morish against Thos. lmpey, jun., the successful candidate at the last mining board elec tion, of having given valuable consideration —to wit, miners’ rights— to induce electors to vote, was heard today before Mr. W. Leader, P.M. Mr. H. S. Barrett prosecuted, and Mr. E. S. Herring defended. Nearly twenty witnesses were examined, several of whom said they had requested Mr. Impey and other friends to obtain rights for them, but had personally paid for the rights. No evidence was submitted for the defence. Mr. Herring considering it un necessary, and the P.M. held that there was no evidence to warrant him committing defendant for trial. He said he would dismiss the case and would send the papers to the Attorney-General, so that the Crown could proceed if it thought fit. During the proceedings Mr. J. Thomas, assistant to the receiver and paymaster at Avoca, Mr. Dotter, was one of the witnesses, and could not produce the blocks of miners’ rights issued, as his superior officer would not allow them to go out of his control, he being alone responsible. A sub poena was then issued for the receiver and paymaster, who is also postmaster, but he refused to take notice of it, saying he could not leave the post office. Sir. Barrett then applied for a warrant to compel the attendance of Mr. Dotter, who was escorted to the court by the police. Mr. Dotter pointed out to the bench that he had been compelled to close the post office, thus inconveniencing the public by stopping the despatch of telegrams and delaying the making up of the mails. He added that he should have been summoned in time, and not in the middle of the case, so that he might have advised the department and had a relieving officer sent up. He would report to the department the indignity which had been placed upon him, and the prosecution would hear more about it.
Edward Charles Dotter (1861-1940) had been born in Benalla. In 1896 he was married at Avoca to Miss Edna Sweet, fifth daughter of Mr F. Sweet, of Avoca. They had three children, two of whom were born at Avoca.
The Victorian Government Gazette of February 23, 1900 announced
THE Lieutenant-Governor in Council has, by Órders made on the 8th day of February, 1900, been pleased to make the undermentioned appointments, viz. :- DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURER. Receivers of Revenue and Paymasters, The persons named hereunder to be Receivers of Revenue and Paymasters at the places respectively specified, viz.:-
Avoca EDWARD C. DOTTER (Postmaster), vice E. B. Goode transferred.
In the Victorian Government Gazette of 16 February 1900 EDWARD CHARLES DOTTER (Postmaster), of Avoca, was appointed the Electoral Registrar for the Avoca Division of the Nelson Province, and for the Avoca and Homebush Divisions respectively of the Electoral District of Talbot and Avoca, vice Edmund B. Goode resigned.
AVOCA RIVER, BELOW THE TOWNSHIP. Contributor Cooke, A. C. (Albert Charles), 1836-1902, artist. Publisher Melbourne : Ebenezer and David Syme Date Oct. 10, 1870. Description print : wood engraving.
One of a number of pictures in reports of floods across Victoria in September 1870.
Once more Victoria has been visited by very severe floods, and every part of the country has suffered more or less. In fact, since 1859, there has been no such destructive flood in the country districts as that which occurred on the 9th September. Almost the whole distance from Sandhurst to Echuca, about sixty miles, was laid under water, and of course a great deal of damage was done to property. In the Ballarat and Geelong districts there was also great loss. We present a series of illustrations, of which the first two are sketches taken at the Murray, where the extensive plains on either side of the river were suddenly converted into a vast lake. Another view represents the bridge near Rochester on the Echuca railway. Traffic on this line was arrested for a day or two, and it was feared at the time of the flood that a much longer stoppage would be necessitated. Embankments and culverts went before the torrent, and in one place the rails were left, with their sleepers, suspended high in mid air for a considerable distance, the earth work from beneath them having been washed clean away. Then follows a view taken at Sandhurst from the top of Bridge-street, overlooking the Pall Mall and Camp Reserve. Both these places, it will be observed, are under water; and an idea of the unpleasant depth to which everything was submerged is afforded by the horse and cart which appear splashing through the waters in the fore-ground. A portion of the town was transferred for the nonce into an antipodean Venice, and boats might have plied along the main street. Our artist, who was despatched to Echuca on the day of the flood, for the purpose of sketching some of the scenes of devastation, thus vividly records his impressions during the journey:—”I left Melbourne with the River Yarra at flood height, and though subsiding, Flinders-street was submerged at the end of William-street. I expected, therefore, to see something of the traces of the fearful storm which had devastated the country, and I did indeed; for hardly had I been seated in the train than the whole area between Spencer-street and the Saltwater River spread out before me as one vast sea, and as we neared Footscray no traces of the river could be seen but half buried houses, black chimneys rising isolated out of the water, and the bridge with hardly the shape of the arch visible. Further on to the right the bridge at the racecourse had floated away, and was leaning half over against some cottages, of which the roofs only could be seen. The line as we went on had evidently been repaired, and workmen were engaged in gangs still busily occupied. One of the superintendents of these gangs came into the carriage, and described the scene on the preceding day most graphically. On the Keilor Plains, he said, the rain came down in a positive sheet of water, unlike anything he ever saw before, and as the wind was blowing hard as well it was impossible to face it. In a few minutes the line was covered to the depth of 34 feet, caused entirely by the downpour. So terrible and overpowering was the effect that the workmen stood awe struck. One of his men, a Scotchman, he accosted with, “Well, Sandy, what do you think of this?” ”Eh, man,” he exclaimed, “surely the end o’ the world has come at last.” The rain disappeared nearly as fast as it came, but left the embankments in a great many places a complete wreck. The ballast had been torn from under the sleepers for twenty or thirty yards at very short distances, and these spaces had been expeditiously filled up with extra sleepers. As we sped along, I marked with some interest the various water channels showing evident signs of being overcharged; large masses of the banks had fallen, trees lying with their roots in the air, fences twisted in all directions, with huge gaps here and there, with the posts and rails scattered far and wide; houses on the banks with doors and windows torn out, or the entire end gone; gardens covered with sludge, and hardly a human being to be seen except at the stations. Hearing so much of the dangerous state of the Malmsbury reservoir, I was anxious to see for myself, but was agreeably surprised to find it, though full up to the brim, to all appearance as sound and firm as could be wished. Nothing but a strong stream careering through the by-wash could be noticed from the train as we approached Castlemaine, and during the few minutes we remained there I could see that a vast mass of water had been playing havoc along the Barker’s and Campbell’s Creeks, but little could be seen from the railway. As we came nearer Sandhurst the evils showed themselves more clearly; at Kangaroo-flat, and over the whole ground between that and the town, ruin seemed prevalent everywhere. Nearly every hut near the course of the creek seemed deserted and ruinous. What a nearer inspection would tell I do not know; but the glance we had as we sped past was significant enough. Sandhurst appeared to have had the main brunt of the evil to bear, for the torrent, treating the various bridges and culverts as so many play-things, either leaped over them or carried them clean away. The Mall was soon flooded, and the reserve one complete lake, caring nothing for the feeble efforts of the mayor and all his assistants. The rush of water tore down the wooden structure at Bridge-street, cut away the banks on either side, and made sport of the various little bridges, garden fences, and cottages on its road to Huntly, where mischief enough was carried out, as the various descriptions in the papers can well testify. On inquiry at the stationmaster, I found that it was impossible to get to Echuca that night, as the railway had suffered so much from the flood that no train could go; but workmen were busy putting the line in order, and next morning at eleven o’clock I was enabled to proceed. It was perfectly evident that some considerable damage had been done on the line, by the anxiety shown by the various officers who were present on the platform, and by the appearance of Mr. Green, the engineer, who accompanied us; and we had not gone far before we saw the occasion for this anxiety. Beyond Sandhurst the country stretches out into extensive plains, through, which the Campaspe winds till it empties itself into the Murray, about half a mile below Echuca. It receives the drainage of all the high lands north of Mount Macedon, and being filled to overflowing, spread over the flat country, through which we were now passing, tearing up and destroying everything in its passage. Some short distance beyond Runnymede the first and most expressive sign of its power presented itself in the shape of a culvert over the course of a small stream. (The waters had filled the slight hollow with a raging torrent, tore away the banks on each side, leaving the rails suspended in the air with the sleepers hanging to the bolts, for the space of about twenty yards on each side. The train stopped here and could go no further. The passengers alighted and had to step from sleeper to sleeper with a chasm of some ten feet deep below. On the other side several trollies were waiting, on which the luggage,mails, &c., were placed, and we were requested to mount also. These trollies are platforms of wood, placed on four wheels, from each of which a bolt projects. Four men are stationed on the top, armed with a long pole, having a hole at one end. This hole fits into the bolt in the wheel, and with an up and down motion, like the action of a piston, we drove along for three or four miles. The action of the flood had been so violent here that the ballast on which the sleepers rested, had in many places been completely washed from the embankment outside of the fence, so that our motion was somewhat similar to that of a vessel at sea— now on the top of a wave and now in the hollow. At Rochester-bridge we again got the train, the embankments beyond having been repaired, although damaged also similarly. Here, the evidence of a terrible flood was very apparent. The water had swept completely over the bridge, which stood firm, but fences and trees bore traces of its power, and the grass was flattened down as if some heavy roller had passed over it. Beyond this the flood itself made its appearance, for the country as far as the eye could reach was little else than one entire sea. Occasionally several cows appeared half buried in water. At a cottage a goat was seen leaning against the door, immersed to the knees. But the saddest scene of all was that of several hundred sheep lying about in all directions on Captain Anderson’s farm, drowned, flocks of crows hovering over, or rising with an angry caw from the bodies, disturbed by the passing tram. We reached Echuca a little after three o’clock —considerably after the usual time, of course. I had the good fortune to fall in with a friendly reporter of the local paper, who escorted, me through the town, and showed me the points of importance. I saw the Murray for the first time, the most important river in Australia; but its appearance was not that of a river, but a vast inland lake, overflowing its banks in all directions, carrying death and destruction wherever it stretched. The houses on the New South Wales bank were buried to the eaves. The palings surrounding the gardens were just perceptible. The steamers, the tops of whose funnels hardly reached half-way to the level of the wharf, now had their decks flush with it. The river Campaspe, which makes a bend close to the town ere it enters the river lower down, has a bridge thrown across; this bridge, although generally some thirty feet above the level of the stream, now had some two feet over its roadway. Everywhere around cottages and gardens could be seen half buried; and the town hall itself, which was believed to be built on high ground, was quite surrounded; it is at the extreme end of High-street from the wharf. I saw some carts passing along the street here up to the axle in water. Most of the houses in this vicinity are half buried, and since I left I have heard that the river has risen still higher, and risen higher in the houses. By the politeness of Captain Pearce, of the Jane Eliza, steamer, I had the opportunity of going up the Murray to Balma, some thirty miles by water, though only in a straight line some fourteen miles from Echuca. Of course it was quite impossible to appreciate the scenery on the banks, for with the exception of trees and water little could be seen: it was certainly the most depressing trip I ever took. Some short distance above Echuca we came upon the border town of New South Wales, Moama—a poor place at all times, but much worse under existing circumstances, with many of the houses half buried; the custom house itself, a store-looking edifice of corrugated iron, just above the level of the water. The course of the stream could only be found by the space between the trees, and, occasionally a house or two, cottages, I should say, half buried. A place of more importance soon appeared in the shape of Shakell’s tannery, half buried of course, skins hanging about in all directions upon the fences, but not a human being visible. Some miles further on we came upon M’Intosh’s saw mills, a large and important place, piles of cut and uncut timber about, but machinery, boilers, workshops, all under water, miserable to look at. Next we saw in the same condition the buildings of the Echuca Meat Preserving Company—a large and important establishment, evidently carrying on an extensive business. I was told that this place was insured in a Marine Insurance Company against flood, and for the first time it has really suffered from one. Here we saw a tolerably-sized steamer inside the trees on the bank, alongside the building: a large barge also was close in, showing the depth of water on the bank. Beyond this as far as we went, very little could be seen; except a stray cottage here and there along the bank, the roofs only to be seen, enclosures of unfortunate free selectors with trees felled, and ground evidently in course of preparation, outhouses being built, but all completely flooded, most discouraging to parties concerned. We got at last to Balma, which was just above water. It is merely a saw-mill, with workmen’s cottages around; one foot more of water would have covered the entire ground, and I have heard since that this foot, and more, actually did rise, and the people had to be taken to Echuca, where, indeed, all the people on the banks found refuge. Our return was effected much sooner than our passage up, coming down with the stream, and though the trip was interesting to a certain extent, it created a most wretched feeling to look in every direction and see nothing but trees growing as it were out of water. Returning by the rail I could see that most energetic measures had been taken to put the railway in proper condition again, and every possible attention was shown by the officers and attendants for the convenience and safety of the passengers.”
The next view selected by our artist is near the township of Avoca. The flood here was the highest ever known to have occurred in the locality. The river ran two feet over the Avoca bridge, doing great damage, and sweeping the road away into large holes. The Bung-bong bridge was carried away, causing a stoppage of the mails coming from Castlemaine. The bridge between Lexton and Avoca was covered with water, and a large portion of the road so thoroughly damaged as to prevent the arrival of the mails from Ballarat. All the fencing round the public gardens was carried away, and most of the farmers have lost both their crops and fencing. It is estimated that many thousands of pounds will be required to repair the damage done in this quarter by the floods.
Turning now in another direction we have represented High-street, in the township of Seymour, from a photograph by Rummel and Moss. This locality is particularly exposed to the ravages of floods. Three years ago the whole flat on which the township is situated was one sheet of water, there being not one square inch of dry land to be found, except round two public houses. The extent of the flood this winter may be judged when it is stated that in houses dry and habitable on the former occasion, the water was over the knees in all the rooms. The main road was under water to a depth varying from 4 ft. to 7 ft. The inhabitants had to leave their homes, and seek safety at Mr. Maxfield’s mill, and Messrs. Guild and Parson’s hotel. Throughout the whole district known as the valley of the Goulburn the flood was uncmnraonly severe, and attended with loss of life. A correspondent, writing from Alexandra on the 13th, says:—”Sept. 9th will be a day never to be forgotten on the Goulburn as the date of one of the most disastrous floods ever known in the colony. For several days before the river had been rising steadily, and it was surmised that the great heat which had been a week previous followed by heavy rain, would have the effect of melting the snow which had accumulated on Wood’s Point, and so cause a heavy flood. On Thursday night conjectures were changed into realities, for the flood did come with a vengeance. Dashing irresistibly onwards, like some huge monster suddenly let loose upon the earth, sweeping away everything before it,—houses, fences, trees and logs for a distance of two miles broad, and leaving nothing behind but a track of ruin and devastation. Viewed from the top of a hill, the scene was one of awful grandeur; as far as the eye could reach, for miles’ around, was one vast sheet of water; while the roaring of the river mingled with the bellowing of cattle and the more plaintive bleating of the unfortunate sheep hemmed in by the flood, made up a scene, impossible to describe. Messrs. Thompson, Johnson and M’Faddin, farmers, who lived on Stone’s Flat, about five miles from Alexandra, had to escape with their families to the house of Mr. E. Gaile, which was situated on a hill, nearly a mile away, having to wade knee-deep the whole distance, and not being able to save anything except what they wore at the time. Mrs. Hamilton, a widow woman, who lived some distance farther on, succeeded in getting to the hill with an old man in her employ, where they had to pass the night in mia-mia. But by far the greatest loser of any, is Mr. James Hamilton, of Wauregarwan, for in addition to a large quantity of fencing, two bullock drays and a large iron boiler have been swept away by the current, together with about 200 sheep, and nearly forty cattle are still missing. Mr. Hamilton and his family and servants, (thirteen in all) were obliged to quit the house and take refuge in the loft of the barn, where they continued for over twelve hours, until released by Mr. Wade, a squatter, and two men, who had come to their assistance in a boat. A farmer named Jordan, with his family (seven), were exposed to most imminent peril, having had to camp out all night on a small bank, completely surrounded by water. They too were rescued by Mr. Wade, who deserves great credit for the gallant manner in which he risked his own life several times to save those of his fellow-creatures. With the assistance of that gentleman several other families were got safely to the station, where kind hands and warm hearts made them as comfortable as circumstances would permit. Five horses belonging to a waggoner named Gray, were drowned near Yea, while crossing a small creek. The unfortunate man estimates his loss at £150. News from Thornton yesterday states that the wife and child of Mr. G. Christie had been drowned while attempting to leave the house in the flood. From Tallarook it is reported that a woman and child were washed off the top of their hut and drowned, and that the body of a man had been discovered in the flood the other side of Yea.” At Melbourne the flood did not prove so extensive as was at first apprehended. For a time there was reason to fear that the overflow of the Yarra would be equal to that in 1863, with all the consequent loss and ruin to the homesteads along its banks. As usual on an occasion of this kind, the central parts of the city were speedily deluged, and the torrents which swept down Elizabeth and Swanston streets stretched across the roadway, and reached the door steps on both sides of the street. The St. Kilda and Sandridge roads were both submerged several feet in places, and all approaches to Emerald hill for a time disappeared. From the railway to the Immigrant’s Home in the one direction, and from the Botanical Gardens to beyond Emerald-hill in the other, all the flats were covered with a sheet of water. Ferry boats were in requisition, and without the aid of these all pedestrian communication across Prince’s-bridge was entirely cut off. The whole of the low-lying land between the river and Clarendon-street, Emerald-hill, was entirely covered. The factories on the flats all suffered severely, while many of the small manufacturers have sustained losses which, in some cases, may cripple them in their operations. At the wharfs the water never at any time endangered the goods, and consequently all apprehension was soon quieted. Our view, taken from the Immigration barracks, represents the state of affairs at Prince’s-bridge.
It is a cardboard album with 44 leaves bound together with string, front cover separated from whole, embossed design in front cover upper left. Most images are identified in ink on album page beneath image in ink. They include scenes from country towns and Melbourne.
Towns photographed include Avoca, Amphitheatre, and Red Bank.
Albert Arnell [Arnall] was born in September 1902, formerly of Whitehorse Road (near Rooks Road), Mitcham, he took photographs in the middle to late 1920s. Arnall married in 1929 and went to live in Queensland, not returning to Victoria.
The album was donated to the State Library in 2012.
Avoca bridge 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/9
Avoca Railway Station 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/10
Avoca State School 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/11
Avoca Soldiers Memorial 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/102
Avoca 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/114
Premises of F. M. Matheson, blacksmith, Avoca 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/5
Amphitheatre Hotel 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/13
Amphitheatre 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/14
Redbank 1920s Albert Arnall State Library of Victoria Accession No : H2013.48/4
