Township History

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High Street - click to enlarge

In Aug. 1862 the Commissioner for Crown Lands wrote to George Russell asking him to recommend a manager for the Farmer's Common. George Peel was offered the resulting job. In 1868. the Shire of Bannockburn charged ten shillings per year for each horse grazed on the common and five shillings per year for each bullock or cow.

List of Owners of Blocks of land in Inverleigh. 1855.

The names mentioned below appear on a map of Parish of Carrah, County of Grant 1855, and are probably a record of the first release of land in the district.

Land Holders in Inverleigh -1875 and onwards.

Taken from the Carrah Parish Map -Township of Inverleigh -1875.

The first people to occupy Murgheboluc would undoubtably be the Yuille brothers in 1836. George Russell mentions an attack by aboriginals on the Yuille's station in June 1837. The ruins of the old Yuille house :an still be seen on the banks of BIuce's Creek, on Murgheboluc Flat. TwQ well known vinEyards were established here during the 185O's.They were; The Amiets' Hermitage Vineyard, and the Ritchies' Camer~n's Hill Vineyard.

Frederick Amiet 1852

Abraham and Rose Amiet had a vineyard at Neuchatel. Switzerland, during the 1820's. They had four children, Frederick, Francis, Louis, and Suzette. Depression affected most of Europe, and in particular, the wine industry. Frederick and Francis borrowed 200 Pounds from the estate (valued at 12,000 Pounds) and came to Australia, in 1848. Francis went to Batesford and later to Gippsland. while Frederick managed a vineyard at Pollocks ford, before buying the Hermitage. He grew vines, fruit and vegetables. His wine won prizes at the Melbourne Show, while his fruit and vegetables sold well on the Ballarat Gold fields.

He married Rose Pelet, who also came from Neuchatel. Her Mother was lady-in-waiting to Govenor La Trobe's wife. Frederick died, aged about 36, as a result of an accident. His horses bolted down a steep hill at Symthsdale when he was taking a load of fruit and vegetables to Ballarat. He refused, to have the leg amputated and died of gangrene a short time later. The vineyard was carried on by his son Will until it was ordered to be destroyed by the Department of Agriculture in 1878. The industry was destroyed by the dread Phylloxera Vastatrix (an insect pest living in the roots of the vines.) No-one was allowed to replant for 15 years, and by that time other crops were found to be more profitable.

Geelong Advertiser 9-10-1871 reports:-

"The people of Murgheboluc, not to be behind hand, went in for a little land selection excitement on Tuesday morning when their reserve was thrown open for a general scramble. It is not a very large reserve, but there were nearly 200. applicants for it. When day broke it was discovered that many of them had been shepherding the much coverted soil all night. It had been agreed that, at 9 a.m. a signal gun should be fired, and anxiously did they wait for the report. Bang it went at the appointed time, and then what a sight, men, women and children could be seen crossing and recrossing each other, rushing from one corner to another, just as though they were indulging in an exciting game of rounders. The firing of the gun was a good idea, but it will still be very difficult to decide which was the first to peg out, as at some corners of the choicest portions of the reserve, the pegs were as thick as mushrooms."

Mr. J. McCallum, in 1952, wrote in his Memories of the McCallum Family, 'The first bridge was built near the Weather-board house, and later collapsed under a loaded dray. It was rebuilt at its present site near the ford. No trace of this early bridge has been found, but it may well have existed. It is thought that a very early bridge may have existed directly below Lawson's inn, above the ford. Could this have been the bridge that collapsed under the loaded dray? An island has built up in the river at this point, it may well have begun by piling mud against the remains of the old bridge.

First Bridge on the Present Site

In January 1853 tenders were called for the construction of a timber bridge over the River Leigh at Lawson's. The Victorian Government Gazette records that, "On 27th February 1855, the acceptance of Edward Waring's contract for 2,050 Pounds to build a timber bridge over the River Leigh"

click to enlarge

Toll Bridges

Shire of Bannockburn - From the time of the first meeting of the Bannockburn Road Board on 31-1-1862 the up keep of roads and bridges in the area was financed by six toll bridges. These paid handsomely during the Gold Rush, and were situated at:- Fyansford, Inverleigh Native Creek, Carrah, Batesford, Clyde, and Baker's Bridge. They returned an average of 1,000 Pounds per annum to the Road Board. Inverleigh's bridge ceased to be a toll on 7-9-1868. The last of the Shire's toll gates was abolished in 1877 when the Government began to pay Municipal Endowment. The toll gates and houses were sold at a Shire sale on 8-1-1878.

Bell's Bridge 1866

The first bridge was opened to the public on 26-9-1866. The second was opened in 1912 and the fact was recorded by the Rev. A.R. Campbell in The Geelong Advertiser of the day. He stated that it was a gala day and a picnic was held at the spot, Winchelsea and Bannockburn councils attending in force with their friends. The ceremony of declaring the bridge open was performed by Miss Margaret Fletcher; (a daughter of Mr. William Fletcher, at that time in possession of Barwonleigh Estate).

click here to enlarge

The railway bridge was built in 1912, in preparation for the opening of the Geelong-Maroona Line in 1913.

Federation Bridge 2001

Federation Bridge which spans the Leigh River was constructed as part of the centenary of federation celebrations of Australia.

Construction began in February 2000 but the official opening was delayed until November 2001.

Organized by the Inverleigh Progress Association, the bridge cost $28,000 and was funded by a Federation Community Program grant.

Pictures of the bridge can be viewed at the Federation Bridge page.

Large floods on Record in the Leigh River.

Large Floods on Record in the Barwon River

Where both rivers have broken their banks at the same time. major flooding has occurred in the township. Mr. J. McCallum, in his Memories of the McCallum Family, states that, "1852 saw one of the highest floods in the town. Mr. Dow (manager of the Weatherboard) and one of his daughters drowned while trying to escape to higher ground from the flooded house." 1909 found John McCallum. his expectant wife, six children, his Mother and a maid trapped in the ceiling. During this time Mrs McCallum went into labour. Mr. John Srnyth brought a horse and buggy to the flooded house and brought Mrs McCallum out by walking along a post and rail fence leading the horse on the upstream side of the fence so that it 19S2- Army Duck Evacuates Miss Fau1kner From Her Home -Lawson's Hotel. was not swept away when it had to swim. \ Mrs McCallum was safely delivered of a son (Alan) in Mr Smyth's house (which stood on Mr Ian Lister's property). After that he built a house on higher ground and the old home. was demolished. In the same year (1909) Mrs Hair, (Mrs Kelly's personal maid) was drowned while attempting to cross the Barwon River at the ford near the mill in a buggy. She was going to meet the overseer Herbert Austin on the passenger train at Bannockburn.

Rainfall

The heaviest fall recorded 1n a 24 hour period at Barwonleigh, was 340 points on 16th Feb. 1928.

The following list of First Constables has been obtained from Police headquarters in Melbourne. Only those who have made arrests have been recorded and it is possible that one or two others have been stationed here without record.

When Constable McKenzie was killed, a public subscription was raised. A house was bought from J. Ryan, moved into the town. (from near Dawbers) and fitted out for his widow and family. Mr. Ian Smyth now owns it.

Senior Constable Harold Crowe was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 1977 for his unblemished police record and his outstanding voluntary work with senior citizens, youth and sporting clubs in the district.

The cemetery was laid out in 1844, but there are several unmarked graves in the district. These people must have been buried before 1844. One lies close by the railway line not far from the cemetery, another is actually cut in half by the fence, two are buried on Barwonleigh by the river, and two rest in Charles Fuller's paddock (now owned by Mr. C. Morgan.) The earliest headstone still in existence belongs to Patrick Monahan 1851. The cemetery records were destroyed in a house fire in 1930: The following list contains the names on early headstones to be found in the cemetery. It is by no means complete and the graves of many people known to rest there are no longer visible, however the tragic effects of typhoid fever, diphtheria, and other dread diseases are heartbreakingly obvious amongst the pioneer families.

It appears that Cobb & Co coaches ran from Geelong to the Western District via Inverleigh. When they began, or for " how long they ran is not known. Cobb & Co. brought mail to Inverleigh three times a week until the Ballarat railway line opened; after that it was brought from Bannockburn by mail contractor. Mr. Crabbe was the first contractor followed by Mr. Phillips and finally Mr. G. Splatt. When the Maroona line opened in 1913 the mail arrived daily. In 1865 the Victorian Gazetteer reported that the best way of getting to Geelong or Melbourne was by the -Belfast (Port Fairy) coach to Geelong and rail to Melbourne. In 1880 Albert Creade began a direct passenger service to Geelong in a one horse open wagonette. Mr. John Berridge also had a wagonette. The trip to Geelong took several hours. About , the turn of the century, Mr. C. Bridson and Mr. R. Allen began running a pair of horses and a covered wagon. This made the trip somewhat faster. The railways put them out of business when the Maroona Line opened in 1913.

Inverleigh Railway Station - click to enlarge

Mr. C.W. Hudson, 1938 had been running a passenger service from Darlington to Geelong but it did not suit residents of Inverleigh as it did not leave Geelong until 6 p.m. Mr. H.J. Allen applied in 1938 for a licence to run a 12 seater bus (value 700 Pounds) for the carriage of adults, school children and parcels.

Mr. E.D. Field also applied as he ran a service in conjunction with his store and Post Office.

From the RAILWAY Geelong Advertiser (8-8-1913):-

"On and after Friday August 8th two trains, a passenger and a goods will run between Maroona and Geelong and return."