LOUIS MICHELwhofoundthefirst gold in Victoria

at Warrandyte.

4.

The

-v

“1

WARRANDYTE:

STORY

18~-19~5

Cqtnpiled by

• LOUIS CRAN~IELD...

\Vritten and Illusticited by

HARRY HUDSON5.

~2O7~j

JACK McAULEY• PresidentW~rrandyteCricket Club 19~5~.

Mr. McAuley has playedfor andsupportedthe C’ub sincehis boyhood.

The

WARRANDYTE

STORY

is publishedby

WARRANDYTE

CRICKET

CLUB

on theoccasiOn

•of its

CENTENARY

• • 1955~

I?.

CENTENARY

PUBLICATION COMMITTEE

Councillor W. Betton

J. IvicAuley

Harry Hudson

Stan Craker

Louis Cranfield

t.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We gratefully record our thanks to the folLowing whose

generoussupport made this publication possible—

WARRANDYTE ASSOCIATED TRADERS

W. R. and P. J. COLLINS— Warrandyte Bakery.

A. 0. DOVE— Ex-Bakery.M. 0. and L. H. BENNETT

— Milk Bar.G. M. and A. ROBERTSON

— Ex-Warrandyte BridgeCafe.

H. W. and E. G.COLTMAN— WarrandyteBridge Cafe.

MISS M. E. WARD — Es-tate Agent.

RIVERVIEW CAFE.MISS D. HAWKES — Selby

Store.W. and R. NORMAN—

LavenderPark Cafe.J. and W. HARDHAM—

Five Ways Store.REG. PRESTON— Pottery.MR. and Mrs. W. H. and

PETER COLTMAN — Ex-Maple Oak Dairy.

P. andJ. MOORE— Warran.dyte Taxi Service.

PRIVATE DONORS

E. V. Jones,“Lyndon Park”B. McintyreW. V. MandersJ. MullinsH. MitchellProf. W. A. OsborneC. OsborneC. M. ParsonsR. R. PennefatherFred ShultC. StringerC. ScottE. StephensenV. ThomasB, TreziseL TillR. Walker

W. MORRISON— GoldenGateCafe.

G. McKAY — Rivergien.J. MOSS— Riverview Motors.H. FITCH — Postmaster.J. J. MOORE AND SONS—

General Store.BOB NEWMAN — Grand

Hotel.BOB SERGEANT— Hard-

ware andPlumbing Service.SLADE’S CAFE.A. and I. WILLIAMS —

General Store.FRANK SLOAN — Butcher.F. NANKIVELL — Warran-

dyte Garage (GeneralMotors Dealer).

MISS A. C. MOORE— Cen-tral Tea Rooms.

K. GEDGE Chemist.A. L. and D. G.SIMONS —

General Drapers andMen’sWear.

C. AdairH. G. AdamsB. AndrewsB. B. BettonD. BlackieJ. BuckworthCharlesRoachPty. Ltd.P. CookeA. H. DayL. M. DaviesB. DickasonA. DonaldA. Edwards(Junior)S. A. EdwardsR. L. GedgeJ. HodgsonR. Layers

9.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD -

Chapter

1. GOLD - -

2. BEGINNINGS

3. DEVELOPMENT -

4. CONSOLIDATION -

5. GROWING UP - -

6. BUSH LEGENDS -

7. ABORIGINALS - -

8. CRICKET - -. -

9. CLOSE OF AN ERA

CHRONOLOGY -

SCHOOLTEACHERS

CRICKET RECORDS

10.

FOREWORD

~Warrandyte’s historyhas been contemplatedby manywriters at varioustimes, hut for one reasonor anotherhasremainedsuspendedin contemplation.

For the pastthreeyears, however,Louis Cranfieldhasdug, delvedand immersedhimself in massesof old papers,files, and recordsconnectedwith Warrandyteand sur-roundingdistricts. His object hasbeen afull-length bookon Victoria’s first goldfield.

Obviously, in this short volume, it was necessarythatmuch of his materialshouldbe condensed.Consequently,without detractingIn any way from our story, somematerial has been omitted toallow for the highlights. TheChronologymakesup for, andfills in, thegaps.

It is with pride, therefore, that we take advantage ofthe Warrandyte Cricket Club Centenary—oneof theoldest clubs in the State—to paytribute to our pioneersand tell somethingof Warrandyte’spast. At the sametime, we feel we aremaking a contribution towards therecorded history, of Victoria. Up to now Australianshavenot been notedfor their historic-mindedness,but itmust be admitted that one cannot ntake history andrecord it at thesame time. With over 150 years behindus, we are rapidlybecoming interestedin our past,withits cause and effect, Thus, we begin to achieve thematurityneededfor nationhood.

And it is fitting that cricket should form part of thethemeof this book, for it hasplayed itspartin developingthe democraticsocial life of this district.

The committee have been greatlyheartenedat thesupport given it by so manymembersof our community,and trust this little book may give some quiet enjoymentfor manyyearsto come. In publishingit, we areconsciousof the fact that we are againcontributing to history,without the gold which beganit all, over 100 years ago.

HARRY B. HUDSON.

11.

TRANS-AUSTRALIA AIRLiNES

in its lOth year

congratulates

WARRANDYTE

on its 100 years of progress

~ TAA

12,

CHAPTER ONE

GOLD

The WarrandyteStory begins on May 26, 1851, withan almost obscure paragraphin the Melbourne DailyNews.

Gold had beendiscovered at Bathurst, New SouthWales.

Within a week, Melbourne’swhole futurewas threat-enedas people left their jobs and deserted thecity in amass. ,The gold rush wason. Edward Hargreaves,laterrecognisedas the first discovererof gold in Australia, haduneartheda few specksat Bathurst on February 12 ofthat year.

With Melbournealmostparalysedby themassdesertionto New South Wales, the Mayor, Aid.William Nichol-son,acted fast. He formed a GoldDiscovery Committeeof leading citizens, offering £200 reward for gold dis-coveredwithin 100 miles of the capital.

Almost immediately after the Committee’s announce-ment, two parties set out to searchthe areaaround theUpperYarra and PlentyRanges.

One party, led byHenry Frencham,a reporter fromthe MelbourneTimes, causedexcitement when theArgus,on June 13, 1851, with moreenthusiasmthan fact, an-nounced gold in the PlentyRanges. Unfortunately, theassayswere negative. In fairnessto Frencham,however,the well-known historian, IsaacSelby, in his “PioneersMemorial History of Melbourne”, makesthe point thathis “find” was made on theexact spot later occupiedbythe Caledonian Mine atWarrandyte. -

The secondparty, led by Louis Michel, propnetorofthe Rainbow Hotel, Swanston Street, Melbourne, wasmore fortunate. With a companion,William Habber-lin, Michel madecamp at a spot where themain roadnow crossesAnderson’sCreek, on June 29, 1851.

Next morning, working their way a short distance-upcreek, they saw rock formation with a vein of quartzrunning through it. In great excitemetit they begandigging and soon bottomed. Scraping earth into a. dish

13.

they pannedoff — one can imagine with what franticcare—and revealedspecksof gold. The first gold dis-coveredin Victoria!

How he “struck it rich”, is besttold in Louis Michel’sown words:

“In companywith.Mr. Habberlin, I left my hotel about4 a.m., in order to elude any prospectors who hadinclina-tion to follow. We made direct to the Ranges bywayof Barkers Road (nowWhitehorseRoad or MaroondahHighway). After trying the creeksand gullies for severaldays,our stock of supplieswasrunning low. Therebeingno chanceof replenishingthem, wewere forced to faceabout for town. Not knowing exactly our position, wedetermined tofollow somecreek down to the Yarra,andindoing so, a particularbend,undera steepbank,led me tothink that the creek hadnot always run on its presentcourse. If gold were to befound it seemeda likely place.Taking a spade and pick, Icrossedthe creek into thebend. Habberlin,in the meantime, lit a fire, and slungthe billy. I proceededto remove thesurfacefor aboutfour feet square,having gotinto the secondspit. I calledto Habberlin to bring the dish and gavehim strict instruc-tions to wash theearthcarefully awayuntil the last fewgrains were left in thedish.

“Do you seeanything,Bill?” saidI.After once or twicesaying No’, he suddenlyexclaimed,

-~‘Your Worship, here’s the dickety!’

Eagerly examining the residuewe found it containedten small grains of gold.”

Michel reported to the GoldDiscovery Committee onJuly 16, who had threechemistsmake separatetests.Eachtestified to its beinggold. Two~dayslaterMichel adver-tised in the “Argus” and the “Herald” for a personinterestedin exploiting the newly foundgoldfield.

On August 6, a Wednesday,Midiel and the Coin-missioner of Crown Lands, M. A. ~enwick, with 40ptospectors,~et off for Anderson’sCreek. Although the~ole dug b’~Michel was full of water, all were satisfiedby tests that the areawasauriferous. So the creekwasdammed and within the first three hours, despitein-

14.

sufficientequipment, morethan 40 piecesof gold—someaslarge aspeas—werefound.

By Friday morethan 150 miners were at work, overan area of3 miles from JumpingCreek to Harris Gully,with Michel campeda short distancedown-creekfrom thepresentMemorial Cairn. The State’s first goldfield wascalled “Victoria”, after the newly-named colony, whichbecamean autonomous Stateon July 1, 1851.

A “black-beardedandbewhiskereddemon”by the nameof Mr. GingerbecameVictoria’s first goldfield storekeeperthat day. This woodcutterwhoseappearancebelied hisname,wasapparentlya most enterprisingindividual. Heopened a store,servedhot andcold joints with home-madebread at an open-air cafe and erectedcommodioushutsfor horses. A much surerway of acquiringgold thandigging for it. Ginger had alreadymet Michel’s partya monthearlier. Mistaking them for run-awaysailors,hehad advised them to make for Brighton where a certainmarket-gardenerwould give them employment.

At a meeting that night, it was agreedto allot 10yards ofcreekto eachman as his claim, sothat all shouldhave an equal chance ofsuccess. Australia’s first Miners’Rights were thus establishedat Anderson’sCreek.

When Commissioner Fenwickreturnedto the field onAugust 14, licenceswere issued at 30/- each. AlthoughMichel, after consultationwith the diggerssuggested10/-,Fenwick wasadamantin his demandfor 30/-. Therewasnothing else for it but to pay up or get out—anotuncommonprocedureby governmentoflicials in thosedays.

Rain interferedwith work on the field during thisperiod, causingtheprospectorsto loseheart. The,weatherpicturehasnot changedmuch, as we who live here know.So it wasnot surprisingthat the flooded goldfield shouldbe all but abandoned before the endof the year. Eventhe enterprisingMr. Gingercleared off to Mount Alexande~.However, two men and threegold Commissionersstayed on,. which was fair proof that someonehad faithin the field. In all, 386 miners visitedthe field betweenAugustand December.

The spiritualsidewasnot forgotten during thescramblefor gold. The Rev. J. H. Gregory and Rev. Cheyncheld

15.

divine servicesin thetentsof Michel and Habberlin, Soin somewaysWarrandytegot off to a good.start.

AlthoughMichel receivedthe rewardof £200 and later,in 1854, £1,000from the Legislative Council, hegleanedvery little on the actualgoldfield, and had histent andbelongingsdestroyedby fire.

Louis J. Michel, the father of Warrandyte,was ofFrenchdescent,his ancestorshaving migrated to Surrey,England,some time prior to the French Revolution. In1839,in companywith his uncle, he landedin Melbourneat the age of14 years,wherehe began lifein the Colonyas an assistantto a Collins Streetgrocer. He must havelived ratherfrugally andsavedhismoney, for, on October21,’ 1844, he married aMiss Alicia Ball in old St. James’Cathedral, and shortlyafterwardsbecameproprietoroftheRainbowHotel, Swanston Street. Laterhe took overthe Ship Inn, Williamstown—one of Victoria’s earliesthotels. Retiring from the hotel businessin 1881, hebecameRatesCollector for MelbourneCity Council. To-wards the end of thecentury Michel was a wealthyproperty owner in and around Melbourne—a “solidcitizen”. He lost heavily in the LandBoom during theeighties,but managedto live fairly comfortably atLygonStreet, Canton, until his deathon September 21,1904.So passedLouis Michel, the founder of Victoria’sfirstgoldfield at Anderson’s Creek— later to be known asWarrandyte.

On November 9, 1935, a commemorativeCairn wasunveiled by the late W. Everard, M.L.A., bearing thewords, “Gold found here,January,1851,by Louis MichelandParty.. Rewardedby Governmentasdiscovererof thefirst goldfield in Victoria.”

CHAPTER TWO

BEGINNINGS

Warraridyte,only 18 road miles from Melbourne—or112 milesby the twisting,convolutionsof theYarra River—has retained the charm and old world qualitieswhichhave madeit one of thecity’s nearerbeautyspots. In thehurly-burly of modern life it is still the retreatof artists,writers, craftsmen andcraftswornen who need quiet tothink and work.

Like most mining towns there was roystening jollityduring its boom days. Then came the slump,causinga settling into “sleepyhollow”. Now it has entered thenew eraof closersettlement.City workershave made theirhomes here, gradually creating aWarrandyteof perman-ence, a community with a sense of civic pride—eventhoughthey are modernbush-dwellers.

Except for stories and legends in abundance,almostnothing remains of the olddays. Fire, flood and thehand of man have destroyed oldbuildings and all thingshistorical. Thewater-wheelshavegone. Now the woodenbridge, which has spanned theYarra on its high trestlelegs for 80 years, has been replacedby a modern concretestructure. All thisis regretted bysome,but in the schemeof things it is inevitable if Warrandyteis to survive.

The bush-cladcliffs borderingthe Yarra, thewoodedhills, the distantmountainvistas and the massedwattle-blossomin spring—thesecannotchange.

It was back inFebruary,1836, that the first explorationparty, led by J. T. Gellibrand, came to the area nowknown as Warrandyte. Among the party was RichardBuckley—”the wild white man”—who hadlived for yearswith the blacks around Port Phillip Bay. Having relearned his native tongue,he wasinvaluableas interpreterand “go-between” on Gellibrand’s goodwill tour amongthe aboriginal tribes at Geelong andBallarine Peninsula.

Returningto the west ofPort Phillip, along the banksof the Salt Water River through Ballan to SugarloafMountain, the party cameupon afast-flowing stream10miles to the southeast, which they namedPlei~tyRiver.

17.

Continuing in an easterlydirectionacrossthePlenty theyhopedto find the upperreachesof the Yarra YarraRiver.After following a high ridge—more than likely what isnow the ResearchRoad from Eltham to Warrandyte—they crossedwhat must now be Stony Creek, althoughit waspretty boggy just then, to make campon the hillsnow known as Huntingford’s Hill. The party then re-turnedto Batman’sSettlementat Port Phillip, a distance,of about 17 miles.

When JamesAnderson,in 1839, took up a selection tothe east of the Yarra Yarra, on the banksof the creekwhich has since borne his name, it seemsfairly certaintherewere nootherwhite settlersin the area. His nearestneighbourwas John Bell, dairying at Research about6miles distant.

Anderson, who sprang froma’ well-known Tasmanianfamily—his father was one of theoriginal free settlersatNorfolk Islanduntil it wasrequisitionedas a penalsettle- -

ment in 1809—-—cameto Melbourne in 1838. For a timehe worked as messengerat the Bank of A~stralasiauntilhe decided to spend £10 on a squatting licence, andunwittingly became the founder of Warrandyte. Awidower without family, Anderson wasone of the fewPort Phillip settlersto drove stock overland from Sydney.Hs station homestead,surroundedby gum trees andwattles,consistedof slab huts with earthenfloors, in oneof which he slept. He always took mealswith his hiredmen, however.

Of more thanpassinginterestto Australiansis the factthat AndersonengagedSamuelFurphy and his wife ontheir arrival from Scotland, March31, 1841.Mrs. Furphy,only 21 years of age, was thefirst white womanto liveand work among ticket-of-leavemen, in a locality aroundtheupperYarra, whereuncivilisedblacks were numerous..

Warrandytecan takesome small credit from the fact.that the Furphyswere theparentsof JosephFurphy—thecelebrated“Tom Collins” who wrote “Such is Life”.Although Josephwas not born until 1843 at Yering, welike to think of the courageousScotswoman atAnderson’sCreek going about hertaskswith the smellof wood-smoke’andwattle in hernostrils, and theblue sky casting purple

iS:

shadowsalong the creek. A courageousand worthymother for a greatAustralian writer.

In 1843, Andersonmoved to a largeholding atWerri-bee,,after a survey of theAnderson’s Creek area hadreduced his holdingthereto only 390 acres. In 1855,Andersonwas convicted and sentencedto 8 years’ im-prisonment for cattle-stealing.During this period, in1857, hewasoneof 15 convictschargedwith themurderof one JohnPrice at Williamstown Hulks. He was theonly one acquitted,after a trial lasting three weeks.Nothing more is known of JamesAnderson,but Ander-son s Creek—nowWarrandyte—standsas amemorial toa man who apparently had more than his share ofmisfortune.

In 1845, the AndersonCreekrun was takenover byMajor Charles Newman,formerly an officer in the ¶1stNative Bengal Infantry. His property extended fromAnderson’sCreek to Finn’s Hotel, Templestowe.Resign-ing his commissionin the East India Serviceon September1st, 1834, Newman cameto Tasmaniain order to obtaina Governmentland grant. GovernorGipps refused hisapplications10 1837 and 1839 on the groundsthat he hadfailed to lodge his applicationwithin the specified time.Major Newman then took outa squattinglicenceand laterbuilt his famous homestead,“Pontville”, at Templestowe.The houseremainedintact until about1950, andwas oneof the last of many built in the1840’s with 14 inch walls,for protection against convicts and ahoriginals. MajorNewman wasonceforced to fordthe Yarrawith a bush-rangerpointing a gun at hishead.

About a mileto the east of Anderson’sCreekwas thepropertyof James Dawson,who with G. W. Selby andaMr. Mitchell as partners,openedthe VlarrandyteStationin 1843 at the foot of what is now known as PigtailHill. It would appearthat the surroundinghills wereknown as the WarrandyteRanges,prior to the foundingof WarrandyteStation. In 1856, this propertybecameknownas “Thomps~i’sPre-emptive Right”,andstill later,Elliot Freehold. G~W. Selbywasthe fatherof ArternusSelby, a well known figure in early MelbourneBanking.James Dawsonwas born at Bonnington,nearLinlithgow,

19.

Scotland,andcameto Melbournein May, 1840. In 1844,he purchaseda 30,000 acre property on the banks oftheMoyne River, Port Fairy. Losing this propertyundertheDuffy LandAct of 1862, he retired tolive at Camper.down. His book, “Australian Aboriginals”, publishedbyGeorgeRobertsonin 1881, isstill regardedas one of theforemostauthoritativeworks on the subject.

Under the original survey of 1841, 1,103 acres werereservedat the Pound Bend for aboriginals, who wereplaced under the care of the Presbyterian Church,and397 acres for a township. No houses then existed onthesite,but therewere a number of wattlebark-strippersv;orking in adjoiningareas.

Warrandytewas at least on the Survey Map prior toLouis Michel’s gold-seekingexpedition in i8~i.

20.

CHAPTER THREE

DEVELOPMENT

The secondhalf of 1851 brought to light gold-bearingareas one afteranother.throughoutVictoria.

ANDERSON’S CREEK, on June30, won the prizeby a narrow margin; but therewas CLUNES on July 1;BUNINYONG, August 8; BALLARAT, August 25;ALEXANDER, September1; and BENDIGO, December

8. In fact, between 1851 and 1880, one-third of theworld’s gold production was found in Victoria.

When bad weather disheartened theprospectors atAnderson’sCreek, leaving it desertedtowardsthe endof1851, and the enormous depositsof immenselypayablegold were found atBallarat, it was not surprising thatLieut, Governor La Trobe, writing to the SecretaryofState for Colonies, on November 15, should state, that:

“Counterattractions of otherfields and thefloodedstate of theYarra havecauseda complete,but probablyonly temporary, abandonment ofAnderson’s Creekgoldfield.”As was mentionedearlier, three Gold Commissioners

stayed‘on at Anderson’sCreek—sosomeonehad faith inthe ‘field, - This, allied to the publishing, in 1854, of theLegislativeCouncil’s decision in favour of Louis Michel’sclaim andpaymentto him of £1,000; set the final sealonVictoria’s first goldileld. Due to the publicity accordedthe Committee’sdecision, miners were induced to returnto Anderson’sCreek towards the end of 1854.

At the beginningof 1855,Warrandytereally gotgoing.Two stores had beenestablished,and true to goldfleldtradition, the commercial flags of Mr. Trice and Mr.Theis were flying gaily over their tents. Theis storegoing by the high-soundingnameof DiamondAccommo-dation Store.

O~February24, Jthn PascoeFawknerand thePremier,Mr. J. O’Shannassy,toured thefield, to investigateminersgrievances following the nation-shaking.incidents of

21.

EurekaStockadeat Ballarat The population of Ander-son’sCreekat this time wasestimatedat between700 and800. ‘

William Westgarth, who accompanied these twogentlemenon their tour, haswritten a most enlighteningandenliveniflg account of thenew settlement.

Westgarthrecordsthat the road out from Melbournewas cut at thesideswith an occasionalslight attemptatlevelling. He describedTemplestoweas a village contain-ing a hotel, ablacksmith, a few houseswith gardens,indulging in theratherunfarmlikepracticeof treesgrow-ing in the midst of the ploughedfields. Three or fourmiles from Templestowe theycameupon a wellturned-upvalley which had been quite recently deserted.Followingthe descent of thevalley, which had been badlydisfiguredby bushfire, theycameupon the digging population, whowere scattered over about a mileof the river’s length.The searchfor gold was on a different plan. from anythingMr. Westgarthhad previously seen. Trials in treatingauriferousmaterialsfrom the valleyabove had not beencompletedowing to lack of water—this was probablyAnderson’sCreek,which had dried upowing to the longdry summer. The minershadmoveddirectly into the bedof the Yarra,and were obtaininggold by spanning theriver with coffer dams. That is, by driving piles closetogetherso as to form a square inthe river, and thenbailing out the water, in order to puddle themud andscrapethe rock formation onthe bottom. The holdingswere most precarious,as a rise of one footin the Yarrawould probably wash them all away. Everyone‘seemedvery quiet andthere wereseveral Storesquitewell stocked.However, rewards appeared poor, oneparty spoke of 20ozs.of gold a week amongfour of them,-but as therewasno Commissioneron the field they had no -licence fees topay. . •-

Wewould like to thinkthat Mr Thei~made~ gotderiturnover withhis Diamond AccommodationStoresbtf~rehe sold out to B. W. Cameronat the end of”18~~.Caftieron‘pr&~dto- b~a. ~üticuia~rly pub pirit~psr~s&~. ‘POlftics~cricket andt±adè.a1lb~ihis ~nark. As ai:~c~bcrof StateParliament, representingEvelyn for 30

22.

years,he provedas greata humanitarianas pioneer-trader.Thereare manyWarrandytonianswhoseforbears were

at Anderson’sCreekin 1855. Lack of spacepreventsusmentioningall of them, but they arenot forgotten.Whatthey did for the district—even if only inhelping createlegends—livescii.

As early as October, 1856, the first coach servicefromMelbournebeganoperations. It was agreatday, worthyof celebration, when a large crowd gathered atCameron’sStore towelcomethefirst Ford & Co. Coach.Although thecoach, which became bogged at Deep Creek,” neverarrived, thecelebrationswent on—disappointment actingas an extra spur to the gaiety. Severalweekslater theservice—which started from the corner ofBourke andStephen Streets (now Exhibition Street) commencedregular operations, which continued thriceweekly eachway throughoutthe Summer. The journeytook thebestpart of a day. This,apartfrom gold, was probably themain singlefactor which contributedtowards the rapidgrowthof the district.

It was not all work during that first year. Cricketwas,apparently,the main social relaxation, for theClub cameinto existence before New Year’s Eve. Thus, 1856“bowled in” with greatexpectations.

The first election campaignat Anderson’sCreek, June,1856, was contestedby Captain W. A. C. Anderson,Commissionerof Public Works, and William Pender, ofSt. Kilda. The shadowof EurekaStockadewas cast overthe election when fervent appeals fromall over the Statewere madefor electorsto vote againstCaptain Anderson,who wasdescribedas a civil servantand a EurekaStock-ader. It wasallegedthat he dealtharshlywith employeesin the Public Works Department,besideswhich, he hadserved with the Military at Eureka Stockade. AlthoughAnderson’sCreekwas regardedas a key centrebecauseof the number of Minerswith voting rights, CaptainAndersonwaselectedwith an overwhelmingmajority.

Gold wasstill the main industryat Anderson’sCreek,the GoldCircular stating a rush was in full swing and upto 100 ozs.to theton being obtained. Onereliablesourcequoted a Scotas earning more than £400 by breaking

- 28.

quartzwith a sledgehammer. But JamesSloancausedthebiggest stir in Melbournewhen he got 12 oze. from asinglebucket of quartz.

Within a monthDransfieldDowlings Companyerectedthe first quartz-crusheron the field. Importing a20 h.p.crusher—thefirst of its kind in the Colony,and whichwas also equipped for flour-milling—the Companyex-ploited thegoldfield outrageously,by chargingthe unheardof rateof £5 per ton forcrushing. The dearestrate inVictoria, at that time, was Castlemaine at ~iper ton.This monopolisticexploitationnot only put the Companyout of businesswithin two years,but causeda develop-mental setbackin the area, from which it took years torecover.

Those were the days of“get-rich-qufck-Johnny.let~development-go-hang. But, therewas always cricket.

24.~

CHAPTER FOUR

CONSOLIDATION

After the first “rush” and frantic scramble for gold,came the lull of settling-in,and 1856 to 1870 was a quietperiod of consolidation. It was obvious that the locality,so closeto Melbourne,neededdevelopmentof a permanentnature. Thesettlementhadattractedmanyfamilies whichneededmore than the bareessentials.

Communications,that bugbear ofall pioneeringven-tures, came first. Portion of the road was metalled,overcomingthe bogging-downafter rain, and apunt wasestablishedacrossthe Yarra in 1856, behind the site ofthe presentPostOffice. It is amusingto note that humanbeings wereclassedsomewherebetweencattleand pigs--the toll rate being 9d. each forbullocks and horses,6d.each for cattle andid. each for sheepor pigs. Humansgot a dayreturn for 3d. perperson.

Thismoveby the Governmentprovidedcommunicationsto the north of the river and played an important partin openingup the areaaroundthe Upper Yarra. Withinfive years,Lilydale, Healesville,St. Andrew’s and Elthamwerewithin reach,by road, of Anderson’sCreek.

Warrandyte’s first death occurred during October,1856. Three-year-old PatrickHalfpennywasdrownedina water hole, and although Dr. Short—therewas a doctorin residencevery early in the piece,on MelbourneHill—tried artificial respiration for over an hour,young Patrick’failed to respond. The first tragedy,but not thelast.

During the samemonth Walter Charles Brackenburytransferredfrom Creswickas first Magistrateand Gold-field Wardenat Anderson’sCreek. His salarywas £75’Oa year. Two yearspreviously he had beensuspendedoncharges brought againsthim by David Armstrong,, aPolice Inspector atBendigo. Brackenbury, in an actionfor slander’against the policeman, was awarded£300damagesby a SupremeCourtJury. He wasreinstatedinthe Public Service with £170 compensation for loss ofwages. Towards the middle of the year1858, P. C.Armstrong,of the Treasury,wrote to the Chief Secretary

25,

complainingthat Brackenbury’sreturnsfor Gold Licenceswerenotonly late and incomplete, butshoweda deficiencyof £29. Brackenbury wasdismissedon June9th, presum-ably without a hearing.

Brackenbury,who wasvery popular with the minersand a keencricketer, was active in helping form theCricket Club at Anderson’s Creek. As a prominentmember of the MelbourneCricket Club he travelledregularly to Heidelberg each Saturdayto play with theYarra Yarra Club. His enthusiasmfor cricket in thesurroundingdistricts of Queenstown,Yarra Glen, andSt. Andrew’s helpedestablish the sport on a firm basis,both competitively and socially. His journeyings in thecauseof cricket must have entailedmuch hard riding overrough bushtracks, particularly when it is realised thatmost of the districts werealmostunheardof in Melbourne.

Brackenbury’sdismissal from the Public Service didnotseem to harm him socially, for he was selected by -

Melbourne to play for the “Gentlemen.of Victoria”against “Gentlemen of New South Wales” in 1859.Brackenbury Street inWarrandyté perpetuates hismemory.

CharlesWarhurton Carr succeededBrackenhuryuntil1863. After that time theWarrandyteCourtwas presidedoverby HonoraryJustices.

Early in 1857 Warrandyteshowed signs of growingup. The first land saleswereheld in January,when 25blocks went at prices ranging from £5 to £8 each, andduring February,storekeeperCameronwas appointedfirstPostmaster at£20 a year, when a twice weeklymailservice with Melbournewas inaugurated.

Quartz-mining gave way to alluvial-mining throughlack of crushing machinery.Thus, when J. Murphy, thenew Mining Surveyor, arrived in 1859, he foundaband-oned reefs and tons ofuntreatedquartzeverywhere,’andfew minerson thefield.

An Irishman, namedPatrick Geraghty,who peggedaclaim measuring600 yardsby 200 yards on Fourth Hillin June,1859, made thefirst attemptat organised miningin the district. In an endeavourto find the main lode, hedrove a tunnel from theeastern side. In eight months

26.

the tunnellinghad advanced to a distance of400 feet, andwas equippedwith a light tramway. There is no recordof Geraghty ever getting any return from his expensiveenterprise. It is known, however,that Chatty and Smithworked it with some successlater.

Geraghty, with five Warrandyte miners, prospectedsuccessfullyin the”Dandenongswhere the EmeraldNichol-son andBritannia Goldfields wereestablished.The partywasrewardedby the Governmentto the extentof £500.Geraghtyowned themost lucrative goldmine of all inlater years,as proprietorof RowenaHotel, Richmond.

Many attemptswere made to uncover thegold-bearinglode, but all seemed doomedto failure during the “lullyears”.

Messrs.Clark andBrown made thecutting at Thomp-son’s Bend—now knownas The Island—in an endeavourto uncover about aquarter mile of river bed. £7,000was expendedon the project, whichemployed 56 men,but the result was only anexpensiveisland which isstillarguedover.

Dr. Owen, Bendigo’s first Member of Parliament,formed theYarra YarraSteamPuddling Co.,with a plantcapableof pumping 7,700gallonsof river water an hour,to treat gold-bearingsoil in Whipstick Gully. Bad drain-age causedthis project tofail.

JohnCapper opened a crusheron Sloan’s Hill, treatingquartzat £1 a ton. Inefficient machinerycausedtoo muchwastage,so another project broke down’~un~ilGrants’Battery, workedby water power, wasconstructedin 1868.

There does not appearto have been much interest inanything other than mining aroundWarrandyte,althoughthe rest of thedistrict found farming, and later, fruit-growing profitable.

Despite the inactivity,therewas a community sociallife born of pioneering. Someonehad a French-hornwhich competedwith the bell-birds and magpies as itechoedthroughoutthe bush-cladhills. Cricket continuedas relaxation, between themen of tl~edistrict. Picnicsmade thegamea happyfamily affairwhile thekookaburras“laughedto seesuch fun”.

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Apparently the Punt had outworn its usefulnessby1860. In October of that year, William Elliot, of EastMelbourne,contractedto build a bridge over theYarraon the samecrossing usedby the Punt. Within a year itwascompletedat a cost of £880 againstthe contractpriceof £1,200.

Warrandyte’scommunicatiOnswere improving, as thebalanceof the contract price was spent inmaking a metalroadbetweenWarrandyteand Deep Creek, a distance of3~miles.

The new bridge served the district well until aphenomenalflood in December,1863, swept it away. It~‘as never rebuilt onthat site.

28.

CHAPTER HVE

GROWING UP

During the early years, the settlement atAnderson’sCreekwas very much a “canvastown”, similar in appear-ance toall gold-rush towns. Tentswerepitched where-ever claims werepegged,while largertentsactedas stores.The desire totearwealth from the quartzdid not allowfor the finer things oflife. Theonly semblanceto perman-ent dwellings was on Major Newman’sproperty, origin-ally the slab hutsof JamesAnderson.

Often during’ those early, years the settlement waswashed out when the river rose, flooding Anderson’sCreek. One can imagine the sceneas the miners rowedboats over the diggings, fetching up with someone’stentacrossthe prow amidst boisterouslaughter, andpossiblymuch horseplayas they probed the mud fortheir lostrum. , -

The good humour of ourpioneer’ familiesin the faceof themost appalling conditions iswell known. Withouttheir humorous outlook, the pioneers,to whom we paytribute, could not have survived.Throughout Australia,the spirit of the early settlers wasnothing short ofmiraculousas they wrestledwith the problemsof tamingthis new land,so verydifferent fromovercrowdedBritain.The summerheat blazing from the incredibly blue skyturned the settlement ofcanvasinto a veritable oven, sothat the river was a havenof refreshmentafter work.No doubt the rum bottle, on a string, laycooling in theriver’s depths,much as fishermenof today cool a bottle ofale. , , -

Gradually,however, during the. “settlingin’.’ year,tentsgave way to huts of wattle and daub, thenhouseswithshingleroofs andlaterstill theubiquitouscorrugated iron.

It was during the sixties that Warrandytehad avisitfrom ith only recordedbushranger. Some yearsearlierMajOr Newman’had’ been forcdto cross the river by ab’ushrangerholding a pistol at his head; but thereis noi~ecordof the reasOnfor this strangeexercise.

20.

The bushranger to whom we refer, however, waSRobert Bourke, a young Irishman of19 years. His short-lived adventurebegan boastfully atScoresby,nearDande-nong, and ended atHurstbridge,whence he had goneviaWarrandyte. Apparentlyhe had done a bit ofhighway-man stuff in New South Wales,accordingto his ownboasting.

Onebleak and wet October night in1866Mrs. Russell,in answerto a knock,openedherdoor to the well-spokenyoungbraggartwho was wearing a poncho orriding cloak.The Russellhomewas atThompson’sGully, Warrandyte.Realising he was wearyand hungry, Mrs. Russell gavethe young visitorfood and a bed in ahutbelongingto herhusband’spartner. Before daybreaknext morningBourkewas on his way to Hurstbridge after getting HarryHoughtonto row him acrossthe river.

At Hurstbridgesomehours later, he was eatingbreak-fast given him by Miss Ellen Hurst, whose suspicionswere arousedwhen she noticed a pistol in his pocket.Hastily she informed her brother, whopicked up a shotgun andwent to talk with Bourke. He asked theusualcasualquestions,“Where have youcome from? Whereare you going?” Bourke replied that he wastravellingfrom Cape Shank to Kilmore. “Then you are’ a longway off your course,”said Hurst. Bourke jumpedto hisfeet shouting, “Do you doubt my word! You insult me;don’t you know I’m a bushranger?” at thesame timedrawing his pistol. Hurst fired his shotgun, but missed.

He then jumped the bushranger.During the ensuingstruggle, Hurst was shot in thechest. Bourke wasover-powered bysome stationhands andplaced underarrest.Hurst, unfortunately,died later thatday.

Pooryoung boastful Bourke.He was found guilty ofmurder and hanged, despite a strongrecommendationfor mercy and alarge petition signed by Melbournecitizens. Apart from this incident in the district, thereislittle on record of reallawlessness.

The earlypromiseof prosperityinWarrandytefloweredduring the I870’s. Shopswereestablithed. Four hotels,“The Warrandyte”, “Anderson’s Creek”, “BellC~’-’~’-1-c,rs” and“The Union”, were cndeavourinq to cope

‘30,

with the flow of business. A branch of theCommercialBank wasopened,therewas aPolice Station,Courthouseand aSchool. During this period a new bridge wasalsobuilt, which had taken10 years of continuous agitationand petitioning the government, before the combinedefforts of representativesfrom Doncaster and ElthamShires succeeded. Sincethe flood had sweptaway thefirst bridge in 1863, much inconveniencehad beencausedby the return to primitive meansof crossing the river.

On October 7, 1875, the bridge was completed at acost of £1,419, paid for by the Shiresof Doncaster andElthamwith a governmentgrantof £700. It wasdesignedandbuilt by C. S. Wingrove, Shire Clerk, Engineer andSurveyor to the Bitham Council. The bridge is amagnificentmonument to theengineeringskill and work-manship of ourpioneers.

Eighty years have pas’.sed since our bridge, which isregardedwith greataffectionby all residents ofWarran-dyte, was constructed ofyellow box timber from theforestsaroundStony Creek.

With an overall length of311 feet and awidth of11 feet, it rests on 47 piles of 14 in. diameter. It haswithstood flood and fire all these years; including aterrific battering in 1934, when it was completely sub-merged, the flood waters on that occasion rising morethan four feetover the decking. Therehave been otheroccasionswhen it has been covered, but never socom-pletely as in 1934. Now, in the last months of1955,the old bridge is aboutto be—wehope—decentlyinterredand the newmodern structure,higher and much wider,which has taken 3 years to build, will cope with theever-increasingtraffic through the district.

The old bridgehas been the settingfor all New YearEve celebrations for many years, when the singing of“Auld Lang Syne” and the exploding of firecrackers,accompanniedby the skirl of bagpipes,hasusheredin thetenderhours ofeachyear.

Although Warrandyte’s first school opened towardsthe end of1856, with ThomasDownward as headmaster,it wasnot until 1864 that it was made aNationalSchoolwith Mrs. Rosa Mary Pretty in charge. The original

‘31.

Picnic Cricket Matcharoundthe 1870’s.

building was a small shingle-roof building at the cornerof Forbes and Yarra Streets. When the State Schoolsystemwas introducedin 1873, WarrandyteSchoolwaslisted number12, giving rise to the erroneous ideathatit was thetwelfth school in the State. It was thesystem,however,to numberschools in alphabeticalorder, so thatAnderson’s, Creekcame near the top of the list. Itretained its numberwhen, in 1908, it was alteredofficiallyto Warrandyte. In 1877 the school was shifted to itspresentsite. Warrandyteowesa debt ofgratitudeto itsschool teacherswho haveguided the learningof so manyof its young citizens. At the end of the Chronology wehave added alist of head teacherswhom we honour.

It is known that Henry Kingsley, authorof “GeoffreyHamlyn”, endeavoured to make his fortune on thediggings. Hecampedon a site adjoining theWarrandyteCemetery. The Rev. J. Campbell, a school chum ofKingsley, in 1931, at the age of94 years, told how onarriving at Melbournein 1857 he went to see his friend,Dr. Irving, a Universityprofessor. It wason Dr. Irving’sadvice that he left for the CaledonianGoldfields to joinKingsley, where he toiled andmailed and helpedwiththe roughcooking. The result of their digging was verydisappointing but Kingsley was working on his ,book,“Geoffrey Hamlyn”, throughoutthat period. Rev. Camp-bell finished his account of the periodwith Kingsley byremarking, “I believe thereis a town there now calledWarrandyte, where Melbourne trippers go for theirpicnics”.

The religious life of Warrandyte,as stated earlier,began in1851 when Rev.J. H. Gregory andRev. Cheyneheld servicesin the tentsof Louis Michel andHabberlin.Fromtheserough beginningssprangour presentchurches.

The first Anglican Churchwas erected in1870,’ onland grantedby the Crown at the present site of St.Stephen. It was only asmall room which was replacedby a larger church inDecember, 1906. The presentchurch of St.Stephenwas built after the destructivebushfire of 1939 through the energeticefforts of parishioners.

The first Roman Catholic Priestto visit Warrandytewas Rev. FatherWilliam Finn, of Heidelberg. In 1865’

he held massandbaptizedthreechildren. From thenon aPriest visited the settlement, usually from Heidelberg,every six months. It was 1907 before the first CatholicChurchwasbuilt.

Gold mining beganto boomin Warrandytefrom 1870,after GrantsWaterBatterywas installed in 1868. Thiswas thefirst big lift given to quartzmining in the districtsince crushing andcarting prices werereduced. By theend of 1870, from the crushing of38 tons of quartz, ayield of 153 fine ounces of gold wasshown.

The YarraTunnelTribute Co., working aclaim underthe river 50 yardsupstream fromThe Island, washighlysuccessfulfrom 1870 to 1874 whenthe reef petered. Tenyears later it wasrediscovered.

The old Pigtail Co. produced1,500 ouncesof gold intwo yearsbetween1874 and 1876. It was discoveredbyH. ‘Stiggins.

Therewerenumerous Chinese inWarrandytein thossdays, from whichderivesthe name PigtailHill.

Diorite Dykes also proved successfularound 1878, onthe old Thompson Estate.So, what beganwith LouisMichel at one end ofWarrandyte,showedprofits at theotherend. The Dykeswerea massof smallquartzleadersrunning in decomposedrock. This proved easycrushingfor the new Elliott Freehold Co., whichemployed30 menon a stamp-crusher.Of 22,114 tons of material treatedfrom theDykes, 1,726ounces of gold was yielded.

A venture, unique in the history of gold mining inVictoria, was carriedout by David Mitchell, fatherof theworld-renownedsinger,DameNellie Melba. He formedthe Evelyn Tunnel Gold Mining Company,for the pur-.pose of constructing adam acrossthe bed of the RiverYarra, to divert the flow througha tunnel constructedatPoundBend. It washopedto puddlethebedof the Yarrafor more than three miles. A large party of miningfinanciersandothergentlemenassembledat the mouth ofthetunnel on July3, 1890, to watchthe Yarratakeon itsnewcourse.

Originally estimatedto cost £10,000 and twelve monthsto complete,the work was carriedout in threeand ahalf,

months at acost of £2,100 by the application of a newAmericanmethodof construction. -

The tunnel, which was634 feet long, 18 feetwide and14 feet deep, proved quite asuccessafter several falsestarts. Despitethe overburdenof mud, which had to bescrapedto a depth of50 feetwithout suitable machinery,£8,000worth of gold wasrecoveredin twelve months.

With successessuch as these,the prosperityof War’randyte seemedassuredfor years to come, but after theturn of the centurytherewas agradualfalling off in goldproduction. Then came new gleams, including the dis-covery of the CaledonianMine in 1904, but the halcyondays ofWarrandyteweredwindling.

The booming days towards the end of lastcentury,made it imperativethat faster communicationsshould heinstalled. So in 1900 the first telephone was installed atWarrandyteHotel, and connectedwith KangarooGroundExchange. This, togetherwith the faster mailservices -

from Heidelberg and Ringwood by‘coach; brought thetown within “cooee” of Melbourne. Warrandytewasnolonger a settlementlost in the bush,but a Town withrepresentationon the Council atDoncaster.

36.

CHAPTER SIX

BUSH LEGENDS

In the life of any community work must give way toplay, and insmall settlementsentertainmentis home-spun.Folk songs and folklore spring from such beginnings,although inAustraliawedo not admit such things.None-thelessthereis awealthof material which,beginning as apieceof boisterousfun, is embroideredin the tellinguntilfact and fiction merge and alegend is born. Therearemanystoriesin Warrandyte,garnishedandspicedwith thewit of retelling. Someday they will becollected,as theyshould be, for posterity,but spacepermits us only a fewappetisers.

What becameknown as “The Chatty Incident,” andcauseda sensationin the Englishpressunder the heading

.~. “Ghouls at Warrandyte”,was one ofthose high-spiritedlarks indulged in after a sessionwith the grog, whenegos

c are shifted and inhibitions discarded. The lads were~ utterly consumedwith uproariousfun—but the authorities~ “were not amused”.

John Chatty, a respected Chinesecitizen, early miner-< and inveterategambler lived in a three-roomedcottage

near Forbes and Yarra Streets, In 1893 he fell ill— some said it was consumption— and could not leave

~ his bed. Although he consistently refused to have a~ doctor, various good friends attendedhim and watched

over his welfare for threemonths. As he approachedhisend, he insistedon the presence of thelocal policeman,in order to help him preparehis last will and testament.Constable Wade called at Chatty’s house on Saturdayevening,only to find the Chinaman dead.The policemanarranged, at11 p.m., for Joe Shortlandto takechargeofthecorpseuntil burial could bearrangedon Monday. Thismeant Shortland wouldstay at the Chatty house. Allwent well until Shortlandawokeon Mondaymorning tofind the door off its hingesand the corpsemissing. Aftera mighty hullabaloo,the body wasfound undera culvertcloseto the river. From then on thingsnot only got con-fused, but decidedlycomplicated.

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It appearsthat Shortlanci had two visitors on Sundaynight—John Mullens ‘and Bill Atkins—.-with whom heshareda half-gallonof beer, somebottled ale andwhisky.Towardsmidnight, a miner named Blair, heard Mullenschuckling and suggestingit would be a lark to “pinch”the corpse. It was later suggestedthat Blair had madethe proposition himself. In the meantimeShortlandhadapparently “taken the knock”, after so muchgrog.

Therewas greatexcitementwhen Mullens and Atkinswere arrestedfor offensivebehaviour,and Eltham police,aided by a plainclothesconstablefrom Brighton, arrivedat Warrandyteto investigatean allegedattempt to “spiritaway” a witness. In due course Mullens and Atkinsappearedat WarrandyteCourt House,but the HonoraryJusticesandpolice werereluctantto open thedoors to thenoisy crowd outside. In a fatuousendeavourto make ashow, the police hastily arrestedMullens’s threebrothers,Joe, PatandSylvester,alongwith -JoeBernstein andJohnSloan for riotousbehaviour. -

Mullens andAtkins were commited for, trial at Mel-bourne where,instead of standing chargedwith body.’snatching, theaccusedwere triedfor “indecentbehaviourtowardsa corpse”—amost unusualchargesincetheywereoriginally accusedof offensive behaviour. It is said theCourt was convulsed,when onewitness told of a youngman, at the houseduring the night of the incident, whoseatedhimself besidethebody of the Chinan’ian andsym-pathisedwith his soul. There seemsto have beenmuchcoming and going of visitors to the Chatty houseduringthatparticularnight. The accusedwerefound not guilty.

The riotous behaviour charge didnot stand against theothers, and they weredischargedalso. By this time every-one was thoroughlyconfusedby the storiesof the police,thehotel-keeperand themen charged.

The police had obviously panicked about the wholeaffair, drawing inferencesof secretmeetings, connectedwith “spiriting away of witnesses”, simplybecausepeoplewereseenentering andleaving the hotel. It isnot neces-sary toenlightenanyoneasto the reasonswhypeoplecomeandgo at anyhotel. The whole affair wasnothingbut aheavy-handedjoke at a timewhen people workedhard,

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playedhardand lived hardin a hardnew land, and JohnMullens waswell-known for his attemptsat “livening-up”the old town. Hewould often ride throughthe town inthe middle of the night cracking his whip and shouting,for no otherreasonthan “to wake theplace up”.

While on thesubjectof corpses,thereis the story of theconscientious grave-diggerand the sympatheticmourners.It has always been contendedthat the lost reefs passedthrough the Warrandyte Cemetery, consequentlytherewas never a dearth of grave-diggers. Graves weredugslowly andwith greatcarein an endeavour to “unload thelode”. It is said the grave-digger and his mates alsowashed theearth takenfrom gravesbeforeall burials. Sofar no “gleam” has glimmered,but for years therewasalways hope—evenin death. On oneoccasiona reef ofrock, believedto contain gold, is said to have been leftundisturbedacrossan open graveso that the coffin had tobe lowered by an endwise manoeuvreunder the barrier.Many a bereavedfamily has wondered at the crowdsofmale mourners whofollowed their loved ones for the lasttime. Arrived at the grave, thesegentlemen,dressedinSundaybest, andwith their most lugubriousfaces,wouldscanthe walls of the gravewith practisedeyefor the lostlode, taking no further part in the funeralproceedingsOnewonderswhat desecrationmay have taken‘place hadgold been located in ourCemetery!

A cricket story that lives on, concerns“Diver” Logan.The scenewas thecricket ground nearAnderson’sCreekwith Warrandytein the field. The sun shone and allwas green andlush. The Yarra had recently flooded thesurroundingcountry but was now abating. AndersonsCreeknearby wasstill fairly full, butthe cricket pitch wasunaffected. Players werespreadaround, although theout’field was a bit heavy. Excitement was intense., Therewas a hush asLogan, smartly attired in white togs,hovered in the vicinity of the boundary. This wasthe decisive Over! Down went the ball! Crack, fairin the middle of the bat, and theball took wing, soar-ing towards thesky—an easy catch for the dependableLogan who, measuringit with his eye, trotted,then racedto intercept its fall just inside the boundary. A last

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magnificent leap and the inningswould he over. Witheveryoneon tiptoe, thebatsmenranwith backwardglancehoping for a sixer. Suddenlytherewas agasp as Loganmade his dive—an easy catch surely—and disappearedheadfirst with a mighty splash. Anderson’sCreek,decep-tive and soggy hadswallowed the immaculatecricketer.There was a longdrawn-outsigh of relaxedtension, thenlaughtermost uproariousechoedthrough the hills. Birdsrose querulously into the protective air as Logan re-appeared,soakedand muddy, holdingthe ball high. Noone rememberswhether hewas creditedwith the catch,but the gamebroke up in agreatburst of hilarity. Some-one shouted,“Diver Logan, Hoorah!” and thenamestuck.

Around Warrandyteare many disused mine shafts,a number of which have recently beenfilled in, but mostare overgrownand a permanentsOurceof danger. Infacttherehas been more than onetragedy through childrenfalling into them during play, and’old peopletreadingin -

the wrong places. -

Thestory of JoeBlow (that is not his realname),whileconcerned with mineshafts, did not end in tragedy,although it has been said that humour is tragedy at adistance. Joe had spent a very “heavy”Saturdayat the“local”, w,here he consumedmore than his quota ofcheapwine. At the end of the day he lurched towards theroad, pointed in theright direction andzig-zagged forhome. His progressdown themain streetwasreminiscentof a shipavoiding submarinesin wartime. As he left thepub, armedwith severalbottles ofcheapmuscat,someonetold him, in jest, to steerclear of mineshafts. As fiestaggeredon his way he keptmutteringover and over,“Minesharfs—mus’ngo nearminesharfs. Mus’ go straightbed—goodthing. No minesharfsthere”. It grew darkand Joe sank downwearily to sleep it off, his bottlesOfmuscatcradled in hisarms.

Towardsmorning heawoke, mussy-headed,without aclue as to where hewas. He looked around. It wasdark. very dark, andsmelled dank—anywaythat is whathe thought. Then in a nightmare panic, mineshaftspoppedinto his mind and helooked up. High abovewasa small squareof light—the night sky. That did it! He

40.

had fallen down a mineshaftwithout a doubt,despitea!!the warnings. Joe felthimself all over. No bonesbroken,noblood, even his bottlesintact. Hecould notunderstandit so he shouted,but only a hollow echo came back.Frightened andconvincedhe would never be found, thepoor fellow took a good swig from one of themuscatbottles anddecidedto climb out—a toughproposition,butone thatan old sailor couldmanage. Bracing his backonone side and kneeson the other,Joe beganto work hisway, like acrab, upthe straightsides. It was aslow andthirsty business,but he madeprogress. After a long timehe reached the top where hegrasped the edge andheavedhimself into the blessednight air.

All Joe knew after that, was being picked up inday-light, his arm broken and histhirst terrific. The raucouslaughterbewilderedhim, for these wereneighbours,andhe was outsidehis own home. He beganmutteringaboutmineshaftsand tried to tell the story of his epic climb,only to sendhis friendsinto further peelsof laughter. Itwas a long time before he understoodwhatreally occurred.

Joe had arrivedhome, fallen down in front of his coldfireplace and gone tosleep with his headin the ashes.When he awokehe could seethe sky. Assuming he wasin a mineshaft he beganto climb—his own chimney!Thelast heave senthim toppling headfirstto the groundout-side,breakinghis arm. Thenoblivion claimedhim.

Stories such as these aboundin Australia wherever“twoor threeare gatheredtogether”. May they continuetobrighten ourlives. Anyhowthey may concernus next.”

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CHAPTER SEVEN.

ABORIGINALS AND PIONEER WOMEN.

As the town ofWarrandytegrew—at one timetherewas apopulationof somethousands—theaboriginaltribesmoved away, died out or finished in governmentreserva-tions. This is part of the tragedyof Progressreferredtoby the lateVeryRev. JohnFlynn, of Flying Doctorfame.His observation was made of the tribes inCentral andNorthernAustralia, but it appliesequally to Warrandyteanddistrict. The verynameWarrandyteis aboriginalinorigin, although there is some doubt as to its precisemeaning. C. H.Nutt, who first surveyedthe parish in1841, took the existing name ofWarrandyteRanges andwrote it into his map.

An aboriginal reserve of1,103 acreswas establishedatPound Bend in 1841 for membersof the Yarra Yarratribe; Chief at that time being Billbolary’ who reliablyassistedthe Governmentin forming a Native Constabu-lary. Appointed Chief on February 17th, 1842,he diedon August 10th,’ 1846 and was succeededby YarramYarram. The last Chief oftheYarra Yarratribe, Barak,died at Cooranderk AboriginalMission at Healesville in1903. TheYarra Yarratribe was,on the whole,of peace-ful dispositioncausingless trouble than othertribes,-andco-operating intelligentlyin the recording ofanthropo-logical mattersrelatingto them. , ‘

In the year1852, thereoccurreda violentoutbreakonthe ‘PoundBend ReservewheresomeWesternportnativesreturning from walkabout to Gippsland,. brought tenWarragul natives with them. The Protector of Abo-riginals, W. Thomas, tried to remove them,but thesemasters ofprocrastination,stayedon. In the meantime,thewordwaspassedto othermembersof the Yarra Yarraand Westernporttribes, and within a few days, threeencampments had beenestablishedin the locality. Theybeggedto beallowedto remain—vowing theywould leavein threeweek’s time and wouldnot go near the town—asthey wantedto stay and havecorroboreetogether. Fin-ally Thomassucceededin gettingthem all on tothe Pound

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Bend Reserve,where for a fortnight relationshipsweregenerally harmonious. It was too muchfor one man,however, and the nativesbeganto infiltrate the whitesettlement. Scenesof degradationfollowed, with drunk-ennessdayafter day,until finally threeof the natives werefound dead and two otherswere known to have beenmurdered. Eventuallywith police aid Thomas sorted outthe Yarra Yarra, Goulburn, Warragul and Gippslandtribes, and packedthe visitors off. The operation hadtakenalmostsix monthsto carryout.

There were a few outrages by aborigines againstsettlersin the Yarra Valley, one of which took place nearWarrandyte. The first teacherat the KangarooGroundsSchoolin 1856, followed somedraytracksthroughdenselytimbered country behind Anderson’s Creek, where hecame upon aburnt homestead. Returning to the Creek,he learnedthat the homestead hadbelonged to an oldfriend of his, named Robinson, thefirst Chief Protectorof Aborigines in Victoria, who had beenmurderedbyaboriginesseveralyearsbefore.

The remnantsof the Yarra Yarratribe, final victims ofthe Tragedy of Progress,were transferred first to theCooranderkMission Station at Healesvillein ‘1860, andfinally in 1934 to the LakeCountry,East Gippsland.

So anothercompletelywhite settlementwas addedtothe British Crown.

The women of Warrandytehaveplayed amagnificentpart over the years.A naturalcorollary to the aboriginalstory, is the bravery, courage and endurance of ourpioneer-women. Therecould bergthingmorefrighteningfor awoman wIthchiidren—.-orwithout, for that matter—than to be alonein the bush,with the knowledgethathostileeyesmay be spying on her,No one could besureof the “blacks” at that time, least& all thewomen. Asthey cameto know them,it was different,but therewasthe bushitself—alwaysfrighteningandhostile—astrange,new 1a.t~d. Snakes,lizards and wild dogswere alwayslurking nearby, while thefirst mad ‘laughter of kooka-burrashad its devastatingeffect. Thestrangenightsounds,

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in particular, the opossums~eerie chuckle, alarmedthechildren, and those bravewomen must not show theirfear. This, probably, was the greatest hardship ofall,hiding fear, and alwayspretendingto be gay and strongfor thechildrens’peaceof mind. They bore their childrenin primitive conditions and stood behindtheir men—thevery foundation of our communityas we know it today.Such was the part our pioneerwomen played, and we

- pay specialtribute to them. Hatsoff to the ladies!’’

--; ~

44.

CHAPTER EIGHT

CRICKET

Australia can look back on morethan ISO years ofcricket, the first match being attributed to the officersof H.M.S. “Calcutta,” which visited Sydney inDecember,1803. The first completescore sheet knownto exist isdatedOctober 17, 1830,of a gameplayed on thepresentsite of Hyde Park, Sydney,Ibetween an Australian teamand Iviarylebone Club, for ‘a ‘wager of £50. Victoria’sfirst cricket match was playedbetween “Military” and“Civilians” of the settlementof Port Phillip, November22, 1838, on the slope of Batman Hill, close to whereSpencerStreet Stationnow stands. The scoresare notknown, hut it is known that the “Civilians” won by afairly wide margin. Melbourne Cricket Clubwas formeda few days later.

WarrandyteCricket Club shares thehonour,with a fewselect Clubs in Victoria, of having been in continuousexistencefor one hundredyears, since it was establishedin 1855. The presentsite of the RecreationGround isshownon Hcxlkinson’s WarrandyteSurvey Map of 1856,as a ground used for crick~. In 1865 the site wasgranted in perpetuity to Warrandyte.by GovernmentLands Department,as a Recreation Ground. Withoutthis grantof land our CricketClub would have been ingreat difficulties owing to the promiscuouspegging ofmining claims.

It is well-known that claims may be peggedanywhere—and have been so pegged—but whenattempts weremadein 1864 to obtain mining leaseson the unofficialsports ground atAnderson’sCreek, residents wererousedto fury. Insteadof resorting to violence, as sooftenhappenedon the diggings throughout Australia, thesewise people petitioned theGovernmentfor a landgrant—in effect asking to makeofficial what had beenfor nearlyten years anunofficial Cricket Ground. This long viewhas given Warrandyte its presentRecreation Ground,on which the Cricket Club’s Centenary Celebrationstook place.

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JAMES SPEERS, one of theearlypresidents.

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The petition, drawn up by T. I’Orteous andW. Pretty,bore 58 signatures and was presentedto the MiningWarden, C. Warburton Carr, in his capacityas Com-missionerfor Crown Lands. The petition, with its signa-tures, is of such historic value that we print it in itsentirety.

Anderson’s Creek,

15th June,1864.Sir,

We, the under-signedinhabitantsof Anderson’sCreek,being desirousof obtaining a portion of land to be setaside for public amusements,etc., beg you respectfullyas a Commissionerof Lands andWorks, to have a cer-tain portion of Crown Land setapart for Cricket andRecreationpurposes,and we further beg to statethat asuitablesite which would be requisite is situated on theWestside of Anderson’sCreek . . . (Note: Thepetitionis hereundecipherable.)

Signed:William Hastings,William Self, NormanEly,John Story, George Perry, RichardWortefs, ThomasFalconer, George Furmiston,William Locke, WilliamLogans, John Chatty, Benjamin Logan, J. B. Courtland,David Porteus, John Masterton, E. D.Frencham,HenrySquires, Henry Frencham, William Frencham, OwenMcAuley, William Cargill, William Tunn, WilliamMasterton, Simon Ross, Thomas Leper,William Leper,G. R. Meremen, GeorgeLaurie, Alfred Bayley, JohnRaft, Robert Watson, Henry Hunter, H. Reynolds, J.Anderson, Ewan Cameron, Charles Newman,T. Por-teous,GeorgeSquires,Arthur Liddlelow, JohnElm, JanetRaft, Daniel Doyle, ThomasColman, James Sloan,Alex.McDonald, JamesMcArthur, J. Lewis Self, JamesHar-nott, David Cargill,Henry Stiggents,JamesRussell

On the 29th August, the Board of Land Works ap-proved the petition;but laterWilliam Watkins,M.L.A.,wrote to the Boardseekingmore definite tenancy. Thiswas accompaniedby anotherpetition. This final petitionhad thedesired effect and thegrant of land for recrea-tional purposes wasfinally gazettedby the Governmentin 1865.

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With the arrival of theGovernmentGazette, thegoodnews spreadrapidly throughoutthe settlement. Apublicmeeting wascalled at which the newswas announcedofficially, to the accompaniment,no doubt, of muchback-slapping, cheering and calls for making a night of it.One can imagine this victory of sport overcommercialinterestsmaking the Settlement ringwith song, inspiredby theusual libations. Congratulationscontinuedfar intothe night, and provedas good an excuse as any forcelebrations.

In those earlydays, manners,dressand customswerevery different to our presentmode of living. Thewhite garments whichwe now associatewith cricket,were unknown,being then individual andvaried. Flow-ing beards, ofcourse,were the order ofthe day. Travel,by horseback, buggy or coach, was as rough as thecricket pitches andfields on which thegamewas played,and cricketers invariablybelongedto theuppercrust,witha certain degree of leisure in which to takepart ingentlemanly sports. In short, cricket was no game forthe working man—a conditionwhich, to some extent,still prevails‘today. Under these conditions, it is ofsingular importance to our storythat cricket was ademocraticsocial game at Warrandytefrom the begin-ning. There were almost no matches between differentClubs,except on specialoccasions.Teams weremadeuplocally—“niarried” versus “single”; “whiskers” versus“clean-shaven”, and soon. In this way, anyone whowished to play cricket wasincluded:in a team at sometime. There were no class barriers, therefore, when-Warrandyte’sClub was formed. -

Bearing all this in mind, it speaks volumes for thecharacterof Walter Brackenbury— Gentleman,SeniorPublic Servant,Magistrateand Member of MelbourneCricket Club—that he should stepoutsidehis class andjoin the rough, gruff and tough mininglads in the gameof cricket at Warrandyte. He took a leading part inthe formation of theClub, and it is not surprising thathe should have beenpopular and well-liked by all in theSuch men were all too rare in the early days of Aus-tralia; when class and privilege were all-important.

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Another stalwart of the Club from its beginning wasstorekeeper (later Postmaster and Member ofParlia-ment) Cameron. For fifteen yearshe waskeenly interestedin the Club as player and executive. In later years hedonatedthe‘trophy which~formed thebasisof the CameronTrophy Association,and,was keenly contestedthrough-out the district for many years.

It is to be regrettedthat many of the records of theWarrandyteCricket Club were destroyed in thedisas-trous bush fire of 1939. We have tried, with whatlittle is available, to give some sort of picture of theClub throughoutits first one hundredyears.

A Mr. Henderson isbelieved to have brought thefirst cricket team toWarrandytefrom the “Age” office,Melbourne, in the 1860’s, and the first match at War-randyte,of which scoresare in existence, took place atthe RecreationGroundon New Year’s Day, 1864, whenAnderson’s Creek played Caledonia and wonby aninnings and 52 runs. William Collins captained forAnderson’s Creek, with E. I-I. Cameron captain ofCaledonia.

The ground must have beenpretty soggy, for only afortnight prior to this match theYarra Valley sufferedthe worst floods on record, at which time theAnder-son’s Road bridge wasdestroyed.

ANDERSON’S CREEKFIRST INNINGS

Porteous, b. Cameron 4Collins, b. Cameron .. 9Johnson, b.Purcell ..

Masterton, b.Baker. -, . . 3Collins, b. Hopkinson 10Stiggarts, b. Hopkinson 10Porteous,hit wicketSquires, b. Purcell IEly,~b. Hopkinson 13Squires, not out 9Ross,b. Hopkinson oByes 10, Leg Byes 2, Wides 3 .. ‘

TOTAL 114

Bowling: Cameron, 2 wickets; Purcell, 2; Baker, 1; Hopkin.:son, 4.

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CALEDONIA-‘ FIRST INNINGS

R. Smith, b. Masterton 9Baker, b. Porteous IThomas,b. Masterton 2Bunker, run out 1Purcell, b. Masterton 0Hopkinson, b. Johnson 2J. Smith, b. Masterton 4Band, b. Masterton oCameron, run out oYoung, b. Johnson 2Gowman, not out .. 0Byes 4, Leg Byes 1 S

TOTAL 26

Bowling: Masterton, S wickets; Porteous, 1; Johnson,2.

SECOND INNINGS

R. Smith, c. Johnson’ ‘ 3Baker, b. Masterton 2Thomas, b. Johnson ,., ..

Bunker, b. Johnson 3Purcell,i~Iopkinson,not out 14J. Smith, b. Masterton 3Band, c. Masterton 3Cameron, c. Masterton ‘ 1Young, b. Masterton 2Gowman, l.b.w., b Johnson 0Byes S

TOTAL 36

Bowling; Masterton, S wickets; Porteous,0; Johnson,3.

Once the RecreationGround was officially recognisedin 1864, the first Trusteeswere appointed—Dr. JohnElms, Walter Pretty, Arthur Liddlelow, Thomas Por-teous andWilliam Collins. Much energeticwork wasput into improvementsover the next 10 years, andin1874 the Trusteespresented anambitious proposalto theLands Departmentin the hopethat a really fine recrea-tional ground would be constructed.Unfortunately theirfine hopes were never realised owing to lack of funds.Then, as now, the Governmenthad no money for de’

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velopmental work, and we can only assumethat thelocal community wasnot wealthy enough to carry outthe schemeenvisaged.

The plan, which is in the possessionof the LandsDepartment,showsa layout incorporatingoval, bowling-green, andcroquet court. At a spot where thepresentkiosk stands, a greenkeeper’s houseis shown, adjoiningwhich is a decorativefish pond. Willows were to sup-plant scrub and a rustic bridge was to have spannedAnderson’s Creek. A fine dream! But although theTrusteesstated in their requestfor £150 grantthat over£100 had been spent on the groundduring ten’ years,nothingeventuated.Thatbeautifulplan found a niche ina pigeon-holein Melbourne, gatheringdust alongsidesomany others neatly tiedwith red tape.

In February,1883,P. G. H. Leslie, the famousSurrey(England) opening batsman, who wastouring Australiawith a team from Marylebone CricketClub, paid a sur-prise visit to Warrandyte,in the company ofJ. Hare,P.M. MagistrateHare combined businesswith pleasureby presiding over thelocal Court, and imposing finesof 10/- each on several of the locals for cutting woodon Crown Land. After this impressive chore, he tookthe Englishcricketeron a “comprehensive”tour of thevillage. There is no record of anycricket that’ day.but one can be surethe Cricket Club entertainedtheeminent visitor in a manner worthy of his positionin the cricketing world.

Teams from Ringwood, Lilydale, Eltham, KangarooGrounds, Panton Hills, Christmas Hills, Croydon andothers in the surroundingdistrict, all visited Warrandytebetweenl880and 1900,althoughtherewasnoorganisedinter-club cricket. Of course, Warrandyte’sClub jour-neyed to these districts for return matches, spreadingthe sociallife of cricketover a widearea.

St. Patrick’s Day, 1887, must have been one of gayexhüberancein the town,when40 employeesfrom WestEnd Breweryvisited Wa.rrandyte. A cricket matchar-rangedwith a team of 15 from the Brtwery, attractedalmost the entire local population ‘to the RecreationGround. It is fairly certain a grand picnic was the

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result, for the score board gotout of hand and showsthe home eleven as winning 67 to 60, whereasa latercheck gives the gameto the Brewery,54 to 53.

Scoring arithmetic at the end of the day must havebeensomewhatcasual—nodoubtthe Brewery visitors hadinducedall and sundryto sampletheir waresthroughoutthe day, to thedetrimentof scoring records. Who cares,anyway!—it must have beengood fun, and thehomageto St. Patrick rollicking.

One match, which hada happy ending, was playedbetween the Councillors of Bulleen and NunawadingShiresin 1888. Warrandyte’srepresentativeswere: Coun-cillors Andrews, Stiggants and Hutchinson. A ‘certainamount of ill-feeling which existed between the twoShires meltedin the friendly atmosphereof the game.Once again;the social advantages ofcricket becameevident and a moreharmonious’ relationshipgrew ~p -

between theShires.

A most unforgivable incident tookplace during 1892—--at least, the Croydon cricketcrsthought so. Riding into

t~townwith gay abandon, the Croydonlads dismountedat the Recreation Ground, tofind themselvesin splendidisolation. Seekingout the Secretary of thehome team,they learned to their dismay that that embarrassedgentlemanhad forgottento inform Club membersof theday’s arrangements. In an effortto placate the dis-gruntled visitors, Warrandyte’s Secretary endeavouredto. fix -a, match for the following week, but the Croy-donians’ would have none ofit. Nor would they ‘washthe dust from’out of their throats with a friendly, glass.In a greathuff, and hugginginsult to their bosom, theymountedtheir poniesandgallopedoff in a cloud of dust.It ‘was twenty years before a Croydon‘team returned:-

In 1905, Warrandyte‘entered the CameronTrophyAssociationand playedregular Club cricket ‘from thenon’, An exceptionallyfine team took thefield during 1907,for at the end of theseasonthey not only carriedoff thetrophy unbeaten,,but had on only oneoccasion—YarraGlen—failed to win every matchby an innings. A re-markableachievement,and most gratifying to the town

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where the donor of the trophy had begunhis businessand public life.

It was in 1906, after a matchagainstCantonCricketClub at the local ground on A.N.A. Day that a ladies’team took the field for the first time, to heat Carltonladies, 29 to 19.

Around 1908 the Cameron Trophy Association gaveway to the ReporterAssociation, sponsoredby the BoxHill Reporternewspaper. Warrandyte’snomination wasrefused becauseof transport difficulties, which seemstohave beencommonamongClubs in theAssociation.When,in 1909, Warrandyte did enter the competition, therewas so much discontentamong other Clubs overtrans-port problems, that it withdrew after a few games. Allthese difficulties were overcome during the next fewyears, and Warrandytegradually improved its positionuntil 1915, when World War I put a stop to com-petitive sport.

Between thewars, Warrandyte’scricket “form” wasconsistently good—good enough, in fact, to graduatefrom the ReporterAssociationto RingwoodAssociation,in which competition the Club won the ChandlerMem-orial Shield three times in succession, 1944 to 1947.This wasthe first time any Club hadperformed the “hattrick” since the Shield was first put up for competitionin 1927.

At the end of thebook is a list of Club records,com-piled as near as can he ascertained fromexisting data,memoriesand scrapsfrom newspapers.

In 1930, with the help of voluntary labour, threeacres of land were cleared, graded andpreparedforcricket at SouthWarrandyte.Two V%Tarrandyte CricketClub playing members,Tom Woolley and JohnCoirnan,were instrumental in forming the newClub, which wonthe “C” Grade Premiership of Ringwood District inits first year.

The interest in cricket is now assured and will, itis hoped, continuewith renewedvigour into succeedinggenerations.

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TRUSTEES OF WARRANDYTE RECREATION GROUND

CRICKET CLUB RECORDS

Dr. John Elms 1866 —

William Collins 1866 1892WalterPretty 1866 1892William Liddlelow 1866 —

Thomas Porteus 1866 1873Alex McDonald 1873 1876ThomasColman 1873 1880William Hastings 1876 1892HenryStiggarts 1880 1890JamesWalker 1880 1890W.Hutchinson 1880 1890HenrySquires 1890 1921C. Blair 1890 1938John Sloan 1890 1921 -

JohnMullens 1892 1914M. Keen 1914 1937J.J.Moore 1921 1949John Coleman 1921 —

HarryHaughton 1921 1929GeorgeHoughton 1929 1937FrederickTopping 1929 1934C. R. Hemsworth 1934 1949J. Walsh 193’7 1949W.D.Moore 1938 1947J.T.Jones 1937 1941William Betton 1941 1944J. B. Hutchjnson 1941 19~0-

W.Norman 1947 19~0

W. McCulloch* 1947

H. A. Bates* 19~0 —

J. Pike* t9~0 —

W, Campbell~Rush* 19~0 —_

J. Emery* 19W —

H. Andrews* 19W —

L.F~Adams* 19W —

* PresentTrustees

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CHAPTERNINE

‘CLOSE OF AN ERA

Warrandyte never really recovered its prosperity aftercollapse of the workings at Elliott Freehold on PigtailHill in 1881. Most miners in the town werethrown outof employmentand, as the Companywas unableto re-coup its losses,drifted away. All this coincidedwith theLand Boom, which can only be paralleledwith the de’pnessionyears of the 1930’s, but even that is a fadingbitter memory which meansnothing to the peopleof thelast decade.

The power and glamour of gold has over-shadowedall else in Warrandyte,but while conceding that goldhelped start our town, it has never been soimportantas many would have us believe. Of those who pioneeredthe more solid industries, such as fruit-growing, pig-farming, sheep and cattle, little is recorded. The un-spectacularside of Warrandyte’seconomicswas “born toblush unseen”.

Although an item such as tobacco never made anygre4t contribution to the district’s economy, it is worthnoting that the first tobacco grown in Victoria camefrom the property of Mrs. Ellis on Kangaroo GroundRoad. This worthy womanalso produced thefirst tonof honey everexportedfrom Victoria. Small items, nodoubt, but ones which helped form asolid core behindthe gold glamour, and help dispel the pessimistic anddisparagingcriticism of the value of the local soil. Inparts the soil is unarable—hutonly in parts.

At Kangaroo Ground the Stephenson’s raised sheepand produced thefirst wine in the vicinity of Melbourne.It was from these vineyards that wine was supplied toGovernment House for many years, until the blight fromwhich they never recovered,attacked thevines. The

sameblight ruined vineyards atLilydale.Vegetablesin quantity have been grownin the dis-

trict, and at Pound Bend there is a market-garden ofquite largeacreage. Stony Creekis anotherarable areawhere there is a herb farm. The cultivation of flowers

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has been, and still is, a favourite pastime— in someinstancesquite profitable. Theseare but a few instancesof the real work of ourpioneers,’and should never beforgotten.

The impressionso far given, isthat Warrandyte,be-cause of gold, was huddledaround Anderson’sCreekorscatteredfor a few miles along the river. At first thatwas the picture which presented itself,but after 1900when the “drifters” had drifted, the solid settlersestab-lished themselvesover a wide area, carving afuture outof the bush, far from theriver and the originalgoldileld.

A note of interest should be added hereregardingthehangover from gold and miner’s rights. All propertytransferscarry a clausestating that the land purchasedbecomesthe propertyof the purchaserto only 50 feetbelow the surface. This could well be reviewedby theLands Department and expunged from the Act.

With the erection of a Mechanics Institute — nowknown as The Hall — Warrandyte’s social life gained anew focus. Dances,concerts, public meetings and latera cinema drew the inhabitantstogetherregularly. Clubsand associations were formed with a view to establishingcultural as well as sporting interests,most of which havebeenshort-lived,but the intentionhas always been there.

The introduction of motor buses between Melbourneand Warrandyte, put “paid” to horse-drawncoachesand encouraged a new generation to seek work in andaround the City. Many of us look’ back with nostalgiaon those friendly family motor buses. Our’daily jour-neyings were watched overby those drivers, with thesameconcernas a fowl with chicks. Althoughhe would,never start until everyone wasaboard, we were neverlate on the job. Considerable latitude was given to late-comers, and it was always with regret and a certainamount of disquiet, that the driver startedwithout anymember of thebus-family. One example,among many,was the occasionon which the bus stopped outside thehome of a “regular”, on the way to Templestowe. Motherwas waiting at the gate; thehouseabout 100 yardsfrom

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the road. “Rosy’s a bit late this morning”,said Mum.“She’s just getting a bite of breakfast. Don’t mindwaiting, do you?” “She’s right. How’re the applescom-ing along?” said the driver, “It’s a good year fo~toma-toes.” The conversationdrifted on for more than fiveminutes before Rosy burst fromthe house at a gallop.In one handswung a small suitcase,in the othera lastpiece of toast. “Well, s’long, see you tomorrow,”calledthe driver starting his motor. Mother strolled to thegate, watching the bus and itsfamily round the bend.Some say, “those were the days”— perhaps they were;perhapsit is but the memory of youth, but the Tragedyof Progresshas made the busservice impersonal—aslaveto rush andbustleand increasingpopulation en route-It isall soinevitable!

Warrandytehas played itspart in two World Wars,its young men and women sacrificing their lives andbodiesin the causeof freedom. They are not forgotten.A fine memorial opposite the Bridge, erected in localstone, stands as apermanent reminder of their loyalachievements. A branch of the R.S.S.L.has now grownout of serviceto theCountry thatbore them.

Floods and fires have sweptthroughthe district manytimes during the past, but nothing has surpassedBlackFriday — January 13, 1939. Starting to the north andfanned by a searingnorth wind, the fire consumedallbefore it. Leaping theriver in a mighty blast, it racedup thehills beyond BrackenburyStreet—theinhabitantspowerlesstO stop it. At MelbourneHill an attemptwasmade to turn the fire, but to nO avail. The Township,completely cut off when all telephonecomniunicationfailed~was left to its fate. EvenRingwoodwas ignorantof the tragic dramabeing enactedonly seven milesaway,until a courierarrived with the news. Melbournerallieda large force of volunteer fire..flghters— at one stagetherewere 600 men oti the job—~ who, after a hard’fightbrought the fire-under control, but not,beforemore -thanI 60.~dwellings and shops’-and both‘churches hadbee~idestro~edand many.‘fathilies~l~fthbmeless. Tents,”blati-‘kete clothing arid :foocl wei~e~distributed‘by -Red’Crossworkers. Donations- of money for rehabilitation,’ sub-

57.

scribed by sympathetic peopleeverywhere, helped thegrateful victims. But the scar- on our peoples’ soulsbit deep and remained.Out of this disasterarose thesplendid VolunteerFire Servicenow in existence.

Cricket remained the first social sport in the districtfor many years, and was the beginning of Clublife.In 1906, a Football Club was formedand a branch ofthe MasonicLodge. There was also a Public Library.The latter haveboth goneout of existencelong since.

A Mothers’ Club and branch of theCountryWomen’sAssociation,Baby Health Centreand Pre-schoolcontinueto play their part and a Tennis Club helps spreadinterestin community life.

The cultural life of Warrandytehas nevercompletelypenetratedthe community, despitethe presence,as’ resi-dents, of many artists, writers, sculptors, potters andmusicians. Perhaps, tosome extent,this hasbeen duetoa slight aloofnesson the part of the artists. No ArtSociety has ever got on asolid footing, although manyexhibitions of Art have beenheld in the district. Per-haps the proximity to theCity hasdivertedlocal interest.Whatever the reason, it is hoped that thesethings willall eventuatein the fullnessof time. Amateurtheatricalsmay comeinto existencesoon. Thereis a nucleusin theCountry Womens’ Association, which has stimulatedinterest by winning the Dramatic Contestof Victoria’sC.W.A.

In very recent times, Warrandytehas gained its owntroop of Boy Scouts, thanks to the energetic endeavoursof CommissionerKen Gedge, whocame to the town in1952. This is the first troop of Boy Scoutsever formedin the district and is goinggreat guns, and its examplehas inspired Doncasterto fdrmation of a troop.

Among the most important bodies formed in Warerandyteis the Progress Association,which keeps awaryeye on all improvements throughout the- district. Itsrecord of achievementis first class, ranging as it doesfrom beautificationto improvedsewage. A major ambi-tion is a,really fine Swimming Pool, with car park andother amenities. A National Park on Fourth’ Hill, nearthefire-watcher’stower, isalsoplanned. ‘

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Politically, Warrandyte is not backward either, forthereare branches ofAustralian Labour Party andLiberalParty carrying out their tasks.

Looking at Warrandyte from Melbourne Hill is aninspiring sight and the Town’s growth isobvious. Adrive throughthedistrict is full of surprises. Homes aregrowing out of the bushas fast as human endeavour willallow. This is the new era upon which we are entering,and most of our new pioneers—forthey are pioneers—are creating and building theirhomes with their ownhands, skilfully andwith imagination. It promises wellfor the future, as this story stops at the end of ourfirstone hundred years. We cannot, therefore, write TheEnd. Indeed, itis only the beginning.

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CHRONOLOG?

1836 J. I. Gellibrand and party explores Plenty;~DistricttoStony Creek. ; -

1839 James Anderson takes up land on site now known asAndersonCreek.

1840 SamuelFurphy employedby Anderson.1841 G. H. Nutt makesfirst survey of WarrandyteParish.1843 James Anderson sells out to Major Charles Newman.

James Daw~on,in association with G. W. Selby andMitchel, open Warrandyte Station. “Pigtail Hill.’

1851 June 30—Louis Michel discoversfirst gold in Victoria atAnderson’sCreek.

Aug. 6—N. A. Fenwick, Corn. of Crown Lands; Micheland prospectors arrive at AndersonCreek.

Aug. 8—First goldfleld store opened. Meetingby minersestablishesfirst Miners Rightsin Australia.

Sept. 1—Licences issued. Officially proclaimed FirstGoldfleld in Victoria.

1852 February—Corroboreeby Aboriginals of the YarraYarraand Warragul Tribes at Pound Bend AboriginalRe-serve.

1853 November—Louis Micheland William Habberlin testifybeforegold discoverycommittee.

1854 April—’Michel and Habbelinreceive£1,000 GovernmentGold Discovery Award. Return of ProspectorstoAnderson’sCreek.

1855 January—Twostoresestablished.February—Visit by Gold Complaints Commission.November—W.C. Brackenbury,first Gold Wardenand

Magistrate. Cricket Clubformed.1856 June—Herald announcesphenomenalfinds of gold at

Anderson’sCreek.June—First election campaign, Capt. W. A. D. Ander-

son electedto StateParliament.October—DransfueldDowling & Co. established first

steamcrushingbatteryon field.November—PuntinstalledacrossYarra. -

December—Anderson’sCreek school opened.1857 January—First landsale.1858 June—CharlesWarburtonCarrsucceedsW. Brackenbury

as Magistrate.1859 Commencementof Fourth Hill Tunnel.1860 January—River Yarradivertedthroughcutting at Thomp-

son’s Bend for puddlingoperationsby Messrs. Clarkeand Browne.

January—Dr. Oraminstals pump to treat gold bearingearth, in WhipstickGully.

February—FourthHill Tunnel completed.1861 February—Anderson’sRoad Bridge over Yarra (rear of

presentPost Office) completed,

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18,67~ December—Disastrousfloods. Anderson’s Road Bridgedestroyed. G. W’. Smith makes unsuccessfulclaim forreward for the first discovery of gold at Anderson’sCreek. Charles Warburton Carr transferred. Courtof Petty Sessionsclosed.

1864 January—First cricket match played on RecreationGround.

March-—National school opet-ied under Mrs. Rosa MaryPretty.

August—Warrandytereceives land grant for RecreationGround.

1866 October—Warras-idyteRecreation GroundGazetted.WarrandyteCemetery Gazetted.

1868 Grants crushing battery operated by water from YarraerectedbehindpresentPostOffice.

1865 October—a. H. Cameron leadsdeputation to Ministerfor Justice for re-opening Anderson’sCreek Court ofPetty Sessions. Request granted.

1869 November—Site for St. Stephen’s Church of EnglandGazetted.

1870 July—David Mitchell diverts River Yarra by means of- Tunnel at PoundBend.

1871 State School site Gazetted.1813 December—Warrandyteresidents call meeting to protest

againstdelayin erecting newbridge.1814 November—Proposals for improvement to Recreation

Ground. Legislative Council directs Eltham to buildnew bridge over Yarra within 12 months. Maximumsubsidysetat £500.

1875 October—New Warrandytebridge on present site com-pleted,

1877 July—PresentState School opened.Lewis Grant v. Pigtail Mining Lease dispute, taken to

the SupremeCourt for Miners.1878 Discoveryof Diorite Dykes. Elliott FreeholdCo. formed.

Warrandyte Cricket Club joins forces with Ringwoodand other district clubs to send a representativeteamto play the Melbourne Cricket Club on the M.C.G.

1881 July—Diorite Dykes collapse.1881 December—Cricket match between Anderson’s Creek

and Ringwood.1883 March—Elliott Freehold property purchased by Capt.- - Selby.

March—South Warrandyte Cricket Club beaten by- - Mooroolbark.1884 February—Telegraph Office established at Kangaroo

Grounds,1885 Cricket matchagainstLilydale.

-1887 ‘February—WestEnd Brewery fifteen playsat Anderson’sCreek.

1888 Yarra Tunnel Mining Co. receives £500 GovernmentGrant.

Capt. Selby introducestrout fish into Yarra River.

61.

1890 Royal Mail Line Coaches to Heidelberg started by Mr.William Lewis.

1892 Grand Hotel (then known as the Anderson s Creek)opened.

1893 TohnChatty incident.1895 Efforts to place W.C.C. on a more substantial footing.1896 Phenomenalreturnsby Victory Mine.1900 First telephone installed at Warrandyte Hotel,connected

with Kangaroo GroundExchange.1904 August—CaledonianMine discovered.1905 Warrandyte CricketClub affiliates with Cameron Asso-

ciation.1906 WarrandyteFootball Club formed.

WarrandyteMasonicLodge.Mine Managers’Associationformed.St. Stephen’sChurchof Englanderected.

1907 Catholic Church erected.1908 State School officially changed from Anderson’s Creek

to Warrandyte.1909 WarrandyteCricket Club joins Box Hill ReporterAsso-

ciation.1910 Recreation Ground Pavilion built with iron, salvaged

from the SouthCaledoniaMine. Governmentsubsidyof £20 granted for purpose. Concrete wicket laid.

1911 Pioneer motor coaches make first trip to Warrandyte.1919 Bitumenlaid on WarrandyteMain Street.1920 Death of Mr. JohnBevanThomas,aged95.1921 March—WarrandyteC.C. B grade premiersin Box Hill

ReporterDistrict Cricket Association.192S May—WarrandyteHotel destroyedby fire.

October—Pioneer Coaches establish regular bus servicebetweenMelbourne andWarrandyte.

Frederick Jopping celebratedhis 50th year of cricket—a Victorian record..

1926 March—WarrandyteCricket Club defeatedby 12 runsin a thrilling semi-final match with Box Hill A.N.A. atCanterbury.

J. J. Moore broke both Association records with 9wickets for 46 runs.

1928 Water-Wheel and Batterytransferred to Queenstown.1931 December—W. Harding makes 1S9 not out. Record

scorefor WarrandyteCricket Club.1933 WarrandyteCricket Club secondeleven premiersfor the

first time in Ringwood AssociationD Grade.1934 December—Disastrousfloods; Worst on record, rising to

four feetover bridge decking.1935 Electricity installed at Warrandyte. Gold Memorial

unveiled.1937 Warrandyte Cricket Club B Grade premiers Ringwood

District CricketAssociation.1939 Januar”—Townshipalmost wiped out by devastatingbush

lire. Two lives lost, 163 homesand 2 churchesde-stroyedin less thanone hour.

62.

1940 March—Double premiership by W.C.C. 1st and 2nd’sit-i B and D Grade.

1941 Church of England and Catholic Churches re-built.1946 WarrandyteCricket Club B Grade premiers.1951 Floods again rise to decking of old woodenbridge.1952 October—Concretepoured for pillars of new bridge.1955 October—Newconcretebridgecompleted.

November—Demolitionof old woodenbridge commenced.December—Centenaryof Warrandyte and CricketClub.

HEADMASTERS OF WARRANDYTE SCHOOL.

Mr. Thomas Mr. Webster 19084909Downward 1856-1864 Mr. T. S. Book 1909-1920

Mrs. Rosa Mary Mr. F. Quick 1921-1923Pretty 1864-1866 Mr. H. P. Paul 1924-1927

Mr. Walter Pretty 1866-1868 Mr. Hartup 1927-1929Mr. ThomasTutton 1868-1872 Mr. Roy Mitchell 19294936Mr. Hurley 18724873 Mr. M. lsaacs 1937-1940Mr. JamesEccieston Mr. Thomas 1940-1941

Walker 1873-1882 Mr. P. Fraher 1941-1945Mr. Simondson 1882-1890 Mr.McCord 19454950Mr. George Quick 1890-1908 Mr. B. R. McClean 1951-———

PREMIERSHIPS1906-01—CameronTrophy, Association. This seasonthe team

was undefeatedin Open Competition.1920-21—Box Hill Reporter,District Cricket Association. “B”

Grade.1936-37—RingwoodDistrict Cricket Association. “B” Grade.1939-40—Ringwood District Cricket Association. “B” Grade.1946~47—RingwoodDistrict Cricket Association. “B” Grade.Warrandytescored 300 runs or more on the following occasions:1912 At Wonga Parkon March 1st, 5 wickets for 369 runs,

declared.1927 At DoncasterHeights on April 2nd, 329 runs.1931 At Box Hill on December 19th,8 wickets for 303 runs,

declared.WarrandyteSecondEleven won Premiershipson the followingoccasions:1933-34 Ringwood District Association.l939~40 Ringwood District Association.In addition, South Warrandyte, which was formed by War-randyteplayers,won Premiershipsin Ringwood District Associa-tion, 1931-32, 1940-41,1947-48 seasons.

FIRST LIFE MEMBERJOHN JAMES MOORE, associatedwith the Cricket Club

for more than 35 years,was made a Life Member in 1929 forhis outstanding ability as player and supporterof local cricket.A fast bowler, he topped the Club averagefor tO seasons,aridholds several Reporter Association records. Members of theCentenaryCommittee offer their congratulations andthanks toJack as the Club’s first Life Member.

63.

Year

190 5-061906-071912-131913-141914-151919-201920-211921-221922-231923-241924-251925-261926.271927-2819 28-291929-3019~O-311931-32

J. TillJ. TillP. PrendagastG. HoughtonG. HoughtonJ. SchubertW. ColemanJ. SchubertJ. ColemanL. McCullochJ. Schubert -

L. McCullochJ. J. Moore

- J. SchubertJ. 3. MooreL. J. TillJ. I. MooreL. J. Till

43 491 11.417 149 8.721 181 8.644 355 8.647 406 8.657 375 6.560 461 7.646 261 5.428 239 8.444 344 7.864 594 9.331 361 11.624 168 ‘7.021 225 10.835 243 7.045 — —

- 5/

OUTSTANDING BATSMEN, WITH SCORES AND - - ,

AVERAGES. . - -

Year Name Innings Runs Average

1905-06 J. Till1906-07 J. Till1910-11 G. Speers1911-12 G. Speers -

1912-13 A. Binnie1913-14 3. Coleman1919-20 L. Till 8 189 35.01920-21 L. McCulloch .. .. 14 254 21.21921-22 J. Coleman 16 383 33.21922-23 J. Coleman 12 463 57.91923-24 W. Coleman — — —

1924-25 J. Schubert 9 214 30.51925-26 3. Till 14 356 25.41926-27 J. Schubert ~— 683 37.91927-28 J. Schubert 17 362 21.31928-29 J. Schubert 9 .— —

1929-30 3. Schubert 8 — —

1930-31 R. Mitchell — — —

1931-32 W. Harding 12 346 34.6

BOWLERS. -

Name Innings Runs Average

64.