July 2004 - Chewton.net

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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 WANTED AND NEEDED: VOLUNTEERS 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. THE CHEWTON CHAT ALWAYS NEEDS.... Stories, Photos, Ideas, Advertisements, Cartoons, Letters, Suggestions, Reports, Reviews, Verse, Ideas. How much better would it be with your input?
GOLD This photograph by Antoine Fauchery titled Forest Creek Mine was taken in1858. In those times Forest Creek flowed through where the pine plantation is today. It was re-aligned after a huge flood came down the creek following a great thunder storm that dropped 8 inches of rain in an hour (according to reports of the time) on Mt Alexander. The wall of water flooded into the Francis Ormond Mine (that was to the rear of where the Ampol garage is today) killing William Wadley Dennis and Ambrose O’Connor. They were working on New Years Day 1889. The sum of 1,400 pounds was raised by public appeal to buy large powerful pumps so the men’s bodies could be recovered. It was five months before the bodies were recovered and taken to the Red Hill Hotel cellars while the funerals were arranged. The creek was straightened and is now to the rear of the pine plantation. This area is really worth a look as great sand stone retaining walls were built to keep the creek on course, designed by Chewton Council engineer Mr. Jas. Sparks. The retaining walls run from Mount Street to North Street. The early photo shows trestle bridges and rail lines for the small trucks that carried the wash dirt from around this open mine. In the distance are the Chewton Ranges, and also shown are the Welsh Chapel and the Mt. Alexander Hotel before it lost its top storey in a fire. The other picture is the exact spot today, in front of the pine plantation looking east toward the Chewton Ranges. Glenn Braybrook. DANCING... ... IN THE RED HILL ASSEMBLY HALL IN THE 40’S AND 50’S Chewton’s Assembly Hall was very popular but the floor had a few waves in it. These came about when two of the local men thought the floor could do with a light wash. To get a little water they turned on the fire hose. The hoses hadn’t been turned on in years and decided they didn’t want to turn off. The floor was flooded by the time they eventually got the hoses turned off, and the floor took weeks to dry out. The boards swelled as a result, and the surface remained wavy afterwards. The dances and balls were always well supported, with euchre (a card game) in the Town Hall and supper in the Rechabite Hall (now Ranters). People at the dance would walk down when their number was called to say their sitting was ready. A couple of us young ones would always be out the back where the copper and the carbide tank were housed, carbide being used for the hall’s lighting. We were having a puff when Mr. Bill Snell, the coffee maker, got word the ladies were almost ready for the coffee. In those days the coffee was made in a copper. Half milk if it was available, and half water; with the coffee grounds wrapped in a cotton bag to be added at the right time. This night poor old Bill went fishing for the bag only to extract a rat! Panic! “What will I do?” asked Bill. “It’s too late Bill. Let it go!” Which is what Bill did because there was no option. Not a word was said about it, but after the suppers were all over two of the town’s leading ladies came out to congratulate Bill on his excellent coffee! It just goes to show you will drink anything in the bush. DD. RED HILL ASSEMBLY HALL MAS Planning Unit has forwarded notification and plans submitted to all adjacent neighbours of the historic icon. Plans can be viewed at the MAS Planning Unit, Halford Street, Castlemaine. CHEWTON CHEWTON PET PET FOOD FOOD 77 77 Pyrenees Pyrenees Highway Highway Chewton Chewton Phone/fax Phone/fax 5472 5472 4983 4983 Open Open Tuesday Tuesday to to Friday Friday 8.30 8.30 - - 5.30 5.30 5.30 pm pm and and Saturday Saturday 8 8 8 - - 12.30 12.30 pm pm Wide Wide Wide selection selection selection of of fresh fresh fresh pet pet pet meats, meats, Variety Variety Variety of of of dried dried dried foods foods foods and and and smoked smoked smoked goodies. goodies. goodies. Thinking of advertising in the Chewton Chat? Only $5 a month ($60 a year) for bus. card size Ads. help keep the Chat going! Call 5472 2892. It is advertising and the donation tins that fund the Chewton Chat and ensure its continuation.
Page 1 and 2: CHEWTON CHAT (a newsletter publishe
Page 3 and 4: CHEWTON’S PUBLIC FORUM More than
Page 5 and 6: CHEWTON HISTORIC POST OFFICE - "THE
Page 7 and 8: SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL PARK Thank goo
Page 9 and 10: YOUR Invitation TO BE PART OF CHEWT
Page 11 and 12: MEMORIES IN BLACK AND WHITE Who can
Page 13 and 14: LETTER TO THE EDITOR 1 It was my pl
Page 15: 150 YEARS AGO "List of Qualified Me
Page 19 and 20: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

July 2004 - Chewton.net

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