July 2004 - Chewton.net

EARLY POSTAL SERVICES
The following description of a very early post office is
courtesy of an Australia Post publication “History of
Postal Services in Victoria” dated 1984.
“A Post Office Hole
The Shire of Goulburn 1836
Major Mitchell and other explorers left letters and
messages for others following in their tracks by cutting a
cross in the ground where their tent had stood and by
digging a hole at the centre of the cross large enough to
bury letters.Many letters were posted in this on the banks
of the Goulburn River at Crossing Place (Seymour).”
Before separation from NSW and the gold rush in mid -
1851, the following post offices had been established in
our general region, usually in conjunction with another
business such as a store, hotel or maybe near a Squatter’s
Run.
Kilmore 1/ 7/1843
Mt Macedon (Carlsruhe?) 16/ 8 1843
Seymour 1/ 7/1844
Ballan 1/ 9/1844
Mt Alexander (Porcupine Inn)* 1/ 7/1848
Burnbank (Lexton area) 1/ 7/1848
Serpentine Creek 1/ 7/1848
Campaspie (Bertrams Inn)# 1/ 1/1849
Gisborne (Bush Inn) 22/ 3 1850
Kinlockewe (Wallan area ) 1/11/1850
Bulla Bulla 1/ 3/1851
In the first months of the new Colony of Victoria at least
another 2 offices must have been planned to open because
in September 1851 tenders were advertised in the
Government Gazette for the conveyance of mails as
follows, commencing 1/1/1852:
* From and to Kyneton (new) and Swan Hill by way of
Mt Alexander and Serpentine Creek once or twice a week;
* From and to Mt Alexander and Carisbrook (new) on
horseback once a week.
No doubt the opening of the Forest Creek goldfields later
in September and through October/November caused
some changes because in December Mr. Evans was
postmaster of an office on a hill which became known as
Post Office Hill. This may have been official (?). What
happened next is not known for certain. It appears that
Mr Evans either was moved or resigned because soon
Mr Howard, the Argus correspondent, who spoke at, and
reported on, The Monster Meeting of 15 December 1851,
took on the additional role of operating a private postal
service linked into the official service at Kyneton.
Early in 1852 the Government Authorities decided to move
the main official activities to the junction of the Forest and
Barker Creeks at what is now known as Camp Reserve
and the Goldsmith Crescent area. A new Official Post
Office was opened where today the table tennis sheds
are situated at the southern end of Camp Reserve, just
west of Barkers Creek. Mr. Francis Fryer was appointed
Postmaster on 1 April, 1852 on a salary of 250 pounds
p.a. (he was no relation to Squatter Fryer of Fryerstown.).
Although the new office was in Castlemaine it continued
with the name Forest Creek and used a Forest Creek date
stamp. The Postal Authorities did not change the name
and date stamp to Castlemaine until 1 January, 1854
The first Postmaster, Mr Evans was still about because
he applied to the Chief Secretary for re-appointment as
postmaster about the second week of April 1852 but of
course, by then the position had been filled. For the next
five and half years there was no official service at the
east or northern ends of Forest Creek. To receive mail
people had to make their way into Commissioner’s Camp.
For outgoing mail there were probably many private
arrangements.
The second era of postal services in Forest Creek/Chewton
commenced in October 1857 and will be covered shortly .
The ruins of the Porcupine Inn were demolished in the
1960’s when the railway overpass at North Harcourt was
erected. # Original spelling of Campaspe.
Albar.
TOWN HALL EXHIBITION ROSTER
SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS (& most Public Holidays) 1pm to 4pm
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS WEEKDAYS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
JULY
Saturday 3 Robyn
Sunday 4 Frank
Saturday 10 Audrey & Keith
Sunday 11 Elaine & Thomas
Saturday 17 Jack
Sunday 18 Marion
Saturday 24 Frank
Sunday 25 Joyce
Saturday 31 Allan
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FOR PEOPLE & PLACES EXHIBITION
We need friendly people with an understanding
of Chewton’s history, who are prepared to give 3
hours one Saturday or Sunday each month.
Please ring Alan Dry 54723385 or Elaine Appleton
54722498 if you would like to help.
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