HOMEBUSH – Originally known as Four Mile Flat. Homebush lead was discovered here in September 1853. Renewed activity in the area in the early 1860s prompted by the discovery of gold in gullies such as Frenchman’s, Chancery and Frying Pan The township of Homebush was surveyed in 1861-1862.
Homebush was a gold mining town 10 kilometres (6 mi) from Avoca in central Victoria, Australia. It is located within the Pyrenees Shire. The towns of Homebush and Homebush Lower, also known as Lower Homebush, were founded on gold mining in the 1860s and in the 1880s were at their peak. Homebush Lower was four miles north-east of Avoca; today only the school building remains at Lower Homebush but it was still a small town during World War I.
History
About 1860 a township reserve of a mile square enclosed the settlement of Homebush.
lithographed at the Office of Lands and Survey, Melbourne, January 20 1863.
In the collection of the State Library of Victoria
1876 when the Maryborough to Avoca railway line opened a new settlement opened up in the vicinity of the Homebush railway station, a mile south from the original site.
1885 Homebush Lower was surveyed and proclaimed as Lower Homebush.
1907 a new settlement of Homebush was proclaimed. The original settlement was included within the reserve as a northern extension.
Geography and Location
Including Lower Homebush 37� 2’ Sth. Lat. 143� 29’ E. Long.
Homebush was a postal and Road Board town in the Parish of Homebush and the County of Gladstone and the electoral district of Avoca. The township of Avoca is 4 miles to the south-west. It is situated 4 miles north-east of the Avoca River, and 2 miles south-west of the Bet Bet Creek. It is 805 feet above sea level.
Railway and Transport
Homebush had a railway station and was linked with the Maryborough and Avoca line, 124 miles n.w. Melbourne. The line opened in 1876. In 1888 fares were 20s pd and 13s pd.
Community and Services (Hotels, Shops, Schools)
Hotels:
- Homebush
- Working Miners
- and 2 others
Flour Mill:
Joyce’s [6 miles north of the township]
Schools:
- Lower Homebush # 2258
- Upper Homebush #1579 [incorporated # 336] with residence
The old school is all that remains of a once flourishing mining community in the heart of Victoria’s gold mining area known as the the Golden Triangle.
built in 1887 closed in 1967
Reopened as the Lower Homebush Campus in 1996 for Mount Waverley Secondary College. Until 2011 it served as a school camp for Mount Waverley Secondary College.
Police Station
Public Hall:
Churches:
The Methodist Church / Wesleyan Chapel was built in 1872. As the town declined, in 1928 the church was dismantled and moved 6 km to Rathscar West.
- Wesleyan Chapel
- Union Church
Boarding House:
Miss Bligh’s
Shops:
Homebush Post Office opened on 1 October 1863 (closing in 1944).
- Squires Store includes Post Office and Savings Bank
- Bradley’s Store
- Miss Welch’s Drapery Store
- Bostok’s Butchery
- Harris’s Store
- Wilkinson’s Store
Dress making was a very popular occupation carried out by some people who resided in the stores. Mrs C. E. Smith nee Squires (1884-1981) was a very well known and much loved dress maker in the village for many years.
Population:
- 1859 to 1865 – gold rush years estimated at 20,000 including Chinese, Cornish and other nationalities.
- 1861 census 211 dwellings, 411 males, 156 females, 567 people
- 1871 census 45 dwellings, 103 males, 75 females, 178 people
- 1881 census 120 dwellings, 271 males, 186 females, 457 people
- 1888 – 450
- 1891 census 159 dwellings, 266 males, 228 females, 494 people
- 1899 – 170
- 1901 census 53 dwellings, 120 males, 117 females, 237 people
- 1982 – 35
- 1999 – 0
- 2000 – first new house in 100 years [2 persons to reside when completed]
Mines:
Alluvial and deep lead: the gold was coarse and bright in colour. The Working Miners # 1 was the richest with 7, 000 ounces per week being extracted for some time. The largest nuggets found were 103 and 73 ounces respectively. The Working Miner’s # 1 drove 700 feet underground to strike payable gold. Unfortunately, a burst of sand and water took place, which terminated the career of one of the best mines in Victoria.
Homebush is on the right of the plan
In the collection of the State Library of Victoria
Mining Companies:
- Working Miners # 1 estab. 1875 Mr. James Pearce Mgr.
- Golden Lake Co. estab. 1876
- Working Miners # 1 restab. 1877/78 Mr. T Walters Mgr.
- Working Miners # 2 estab. 1879
- Amalgamated Working Miners # 1 & 2 estab. 1880
- Son’s of Freedom Co. estab. 1872 [very small]
- Try Again Co. etab. 1873 [very small]
Other mines in the area:
- Excelsior
- Wilson & Shiell’s ,
- Iron Bark Gully
- North Homebush
- Phoenix
Housing:
- calico tent
- log and slab huts with bark roofs
- tin huts with bark roofs
- milled timber buildings with bark roofs
- milled timber buildings with tin roofs
Recreational Activities:
The people of Homebush were very industrious and musical by nature and it was recognised as a happy locality. The township had a brass band, a Homebush Field Artillery [re-enactments only],a Mounted Rifle team and Children’s Pony Club. Many concerts were held to raise money for school and church activities.
Sporting Organizations:
- Cricket– 3 teams
- Football- 3 teams
- Fishing Clubs for angling and cray fishing
- Hunt Club- with beagle hounds
- Cycling Groups
- Tennis Clubs
Military Service
A memorial to men from Homebush who served in World War 1 stands in the school grounds. The original Honor Roll is in the Avoca RSL Hall.
Acknowledgements
Some of the the items displayed in this website are from the estate of the late Tom Templeton, a life long resident of Lower Homebush, and ex pupil of the school. Tom’s family donated this material in his memory. Sylvie Greenwood‘s family have in turn made her collection of Homebush memorabilia available for use. Sylvie was responsible for saving the old Lower Homebush school for posterity. Sylvie and her husband Bill were also life long residents of the village. Many of these items are kept in the Old Avoca Court House by the Avoca and District Historical Society Inc.
These webpages have been converted from a self-contained CD produced originally by Douglas Wegener.
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homebush,_Victoria
© Douglas Wegener and the Avoca and District Historical Society Inc