Locations
lost in time ...
Maskell's Farm
Fyansford
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Located on the river flats east of Moorabool River
(between the river and Hyland Street)
INFORMATION WANTED...
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Who lived there? The Maskell family
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What sort of farm was it? Dairy
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What happened to it? Sold to cement works
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Can you tell us anything about it?
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Do you know of any other photos of the farm?
From a C. D. Pratt 'Airspy' image
From a C.D. Pratt 'Airspy' image
From an Evert van Dreven image
From a C. D. Pratt 'Airspy' image
Detail from selected early photographs...
Overlay of Pratt photograph onto Google map
Estimate as to current location of the now lost-to-time property
Location of Maskell's farm
Luke never quite made it...
My question is, "Who was Luke?"
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He may well have been a chippy at the cementies...
But, why him?
Why was he chosen to have a street named after him?
Surely, there must be someone. Someone who ...
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who knew him,
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who knew what he did,
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who knew why he was selected to have his own street name...
I feel a degree of sadness to think (for whatever reason)
he has been denied his moment in the sun...
Luke
Can you help?
For more info - See Luke Street...
Can anyone add to this collection of clues?
Rail line
from Batesford quarry to Fyansford cement works
Maps of rail line connecting
Batesford limestone quarries to Fyansford cement works
Source: Rail Geelong
The Fyansford cement rail line was the focus of recent a message to Fyansford.com. In his message ‘David’ posed a range of questions re the narrow gauge rail line that ran to/from the limestone quarry...
Initially locomotives shunted wagons filled with limestone to a crusher on the quarry floor and then across country to the cement works.
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In the late 1920s, when work commenced on a new quarry, the tunnel down into the quarry was constructed; one which branched off the main line near the Moorabool River trestle bridge.
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To cope with smoke-accumulation problems in the tunnel four ventilation shafts were installed.
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The line ceased operation in April 1966; replaced by a crushing plant on the quarry floor and an aerial beltway connecting the quarry with the Fyansford cement works until its closure in 2001.
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Reading the sources below makes fascinating reading, but what remains to be seen today?
In my younger days, I would not have hesitated to revisit these sites.
Now I have to rely on others.
I'd love to hear from anyone with recent experience of visiting the former rail line, trestle bridge, ventilation shafts or tunnel entry / exit.
Better still, does anyone have any contemporary photographs of these sites?
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Fyansford Cement Works Railway Recalled in photographs by Richard Horne
Source: The Fyansford Cement Line by John McNeill
Thanks ozbob for posting these great images which I’d not seen before. Slides - “photographed by grandfather P G Dow"
Remains of pylons which supported the cement rail bridge over the Moorabool River. Source: Barwon Blog by Jo Mitchell
Source: The Fyansford Cement Line by John McNeill
Where exactly...
was the old trestle bridge and the tunnel entry?
"I looked. But, I couldn't find a trace of either…"
So, Steve asked me where they were...
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For me, in the old days, it was simple ~ head to the top of Church street (which in winter was pretty bare apart from some isolated houses and muddy roads), go over the crest and head downhill in a NNW direction and there they were.
But, with the Geelong ring-road and a multitude of changes…
I checked my library of photos but nothing remotely recent. Perhaps, Google Earth or some the old maps might help.
Well, this is what I think. (Co-ordinates 38°07'07.7"S 144°18'49.7"E)
I was recently asked about the new Hamilton Hwy. roundabout
and whether Atkins St will feed into it (by an editor for WAZE).
Enquiries to Gen Fyansford resulted in an email
from Michael (assistant project manager) who confirmed that,
“Atkins St. has been discontinued and the ‘stub’ of the roundabout will connect with the future stage 2A adjacent to stage 2”
This lead me to thinking:
1. Where will the new road be (considering that it connects the ‘stub’ with a road leading from a future Gen Fyansford release (stage 2A)
2. What would this new road be called?
Atkins Street!
Hmm!
What Atkins Street?
An examination of Gen Fyansford documents
strongly hints at the new-road layout.
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Detail from Gen Fyansford Master Plan
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Well, we now know
So, what will this new road be called?
Back in 1931 it was Fyans Street
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Then it became Atkins Street
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So, what's next?
Though un-named on this Gen Fyansford document, it would be logical that the new street would be called Monier Way...
Position of new road leading from Hamilton Hwy roundabout to new Gen Fyansford release Stage 2a
View from the roundabout of the current Atkins Street
View from the roundabout of the property immediately to the left of the new road
Position of new road leading from Hamilton Hwy roundabout to new Gen Fyansford release Stage 2a
As viewed from the roundabout...
So, what do we know?
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Atkins Street will disappear with the property being absorbed
into the future Gen Fyansford stage 2A (adjacent to stage 2).
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A new road will connect to the stub at the new Hamilton highway roundabout
and lead through to the present Monier Way.
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This new road will run parallel to the present Atkins Street on the length of property currently on the Fyansford side of the present Atkins Street.
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It is logical that this new road would be called Monier Way.
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Thus, Monier Way will form a connection between the Hamilton Highway
and Church Street in Herne Hill running through Gen Fyansford
and The Heights
Why might parishoners of St Luke's church be so surprised? Hmmm!
Of course,
all this is just a personal opinion.
Pure speculation...
Now, of course, it's not speculation..
It's fact!
Viccars' Store!
Gugger's Store!
The old post office!
I just love comments generated by old photos.
More interesting (at times) than what I get from TROVE. And, much more likely
to distract me from what it is I'm currently working on...
I have
for quite a while
been investigating this store. See: My Post Office Conundrum
Every now and then a little bit more information re the photo comes to light.
On 1st August, 2019, I was excited to read Stephen Carroll's suggestion that it was ..."... Fyansford General Store which was right next door to the cement Works and also run by my late Aunty betty Viccars for some years."
I responded, "Thanks for your input. Could you confirm the address of your aunt’s general store? Cheers!"
Stephen replied, "I do believe with certainty (no actual proof) that it was just alongside the Cement Works. The Cement Works had it knocked down. As a teenager growing up in Bannockburn, we would sometimes ride our pushbikes in Geelong and call in and see Aunty Betty. Her Husband Norman Viccars also worked at the Cement Works. My Father can confirm it also. If Max Taylor or any of the other older members are on this site, than they should also be able to confirm the address of this shop".
This was followed by a suggestion from Dianne Higgins, "The shop address was Cnr Aitkins St & Hyland St., Fyansford. This was the Post Office and had a phone box out the front. The Guggers General Store was at 60 Hyland St."
Thus, I can now confirm:
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Viccars' Store was located on the N-corner of Atkins and Hyland Streets
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Gugger's General Store was located at 60 Hyland Street
The maps below should I think help clarify the situation:
Gugger's General Store
Viccars' Store
Contemporary photo of Gugger's Store
Courtesy: Glenn McLean
Fyansford 1932.
A.J (Alf) Gugger’s Garage (next to the grocer’s)
Built by Bill McEwen
Closed in 1945 – House is still there.
Photo posted by Evert van Dreven on
Geelong In Historical Pictures (30 July, 2019)
A Fyansford Store receipt dated 8 December, 1949, provided by Dave Keellings.
Signed by Zita Gugger (Courtesy Bill Busbridge)
Peceli & Wendy's
words under scrutiny
I have long appreciated the artistic and verbal contributions made by Wendy and her partner, Peceli (now deceased), in their gently-warming blog, “Geelong Visual Diary”, thinking their comments well thought out and carefully considered. See: https://www.fyansford.com/through-others-eyes
Hence, I take seriously remarks made in their 2010 blog – A kind of Brigadoon near Geelong.
I didn’t question the ‘three hotels’. But, three schools and two churches….!
Got me thinking...
Pinpointing sites on Google maps
Click image to enlarge and arrows to view
I guess the churches and second / third schools might as well have never existed
for all we know about them.
Can anyone throw light on the any of the now non-existent churches / schools?
It has been suggested that the sites may haver been allocated but never acted upon...
Southern Star Hotel
This photo was given to me around a year ago.
Who took the photo? When was it taken? Who made the notation?
In the photo is the picture of a building located opposite the toll-house and behind it a garden in the shape of a star.
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I cannot find any reference to the Southern Star Hotel or the star-shaped garden. I'd love to know who built it, when and why.
Ca 1870 (Courtesy Phil Fenton)
Fyans Ford by Thomas Hannay Ca 1859
Ca 1870 (Courtesy Phil Fenton)
It would seem the building was erected Ca late-1850s
Whether it was a pub at that time isn't known.
This 1857 map (unknown origin)
show a hotel/house on the site.
Hectic times...
1843 Fyanstown (Swan) Inn west of the Moorabool
1854 Balmoral Inn east of the Moorabool
1854(!) Friend in Hand Hotel north-west of Fyansford
1854-55 Fyans' Ford Hotel east of the Moorabool
1855 Fair View Hotel on top of Fyansford hill
Southern Star Hotel would make this a very high-density drinking zone...
Fyans Ford
A ford is a shallow place with good footing where a river or stream may be crossed by a wading pedestrian or a vehicle prepared to get its lower parts wet. A ford may occur naturally or be constructed and though much cheaper than a bridge, the ford may become impassable after heavy rain or during flood conditions. A ford is therefore normally only suitable for minor roads (and for paths intended for walkers and horse riders etc.).
The Barwon River begins in the Otway Ranges and flows through Geelong on its 160-kilometre journey to the sea at Barwon Heads. Just 5km west of Geelong the Moorabool River which flows from the Central Highlands between Ballarat and Ballan joins with the Barwon. A steep escarpment rises almost immediately to the east of the Moorabool and Barwon rivers making the journey from the Western District to Geelong particularly arduous. Fortunately, a mere two hundred metres up the Moorabool from the confluence of these two rivers there is a naturally occurring ford.
In 1837 Captain Foster Fyans, a police magistrate, camped by the Moorabool river adjacent to the ford. Hence the locality later became known as Fyans Ford.
Because of the terrain the ford crossing the Moorabool River was critical in providing access to the south-west coast region of Victoria and as a watering hole for bullock teams carrying produce to and from the early settlers. Because of its increasingly constant use by wagons and bullock teams the condition of the ford and the much-used track deteriorated.
The Geelong Advertiser expressed concern for the situation in 1842 stating that "unless something be speedily done towards the repair of this, the principal crossing place on the Great Western Road, a serious difficulty will be found to exist in bringing down the present clip of wool to market". John Atkins, builder and owner of the nearby Swan Inn, subsequently upgraded the ford.
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An 1847 painting by Charles Norton features the ford at Fyans Ford.
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The Great Western Road in 1847, though little more than a bullock track, was still the only route from Geelong. As the ford provided a convenient crossing-place, the small Fyans Ford settlement became an important stopping point for pastoralists and others travelling from Geelong to Ballarat or Hamilton.
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The ford sustained increasingly heavy use during the gold rush of the early 1850s.
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In 1854 the first bridge, of wooden construction, was built across the Moorabool several hundred metres downstream from the ford by the Corio and Bannockburn Shire councils. The bridge was tolled until 1877.
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Surprisingly there is no contemporary signage to indicate the location of this historical land mark.
1890 map
1837 map
Foster Fyans states in his book, "Memoirs recorded at Geelong, Victoria, Australia by Captain Foster Fyans”
(1790-1870). Published by The Geelong Advertiser
".... we struck work immediately, proceeding to the junction of the river(s) Moorabool and Barrawon, a distance of three miles, to one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, ever after known as Fyans Ford. The change put our party to considerable trouble and labor lost; but we are not to grumble, and to work we went, cutting, sawing, and working. So anxious were the men to get housed that in a short time the huts were in progress ..... for about two years and a half I resided in this beautiful valley. The hut afforded good accommodation; had two rooms, not very large, only ten feet square each, but sufficiently so for the times. The chimney was prodigious: on the old Sydney plan, made of wood, with a remarkably graceful bend thrown from the building. This was my home, and how happy and comfortable people by prudence can make themselves, by attending timely to wants!”
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Unfortunately, nowhere is the location of his hut detailed. Or, in fact, how close to the ford it was located. But, I suggest, due to the location of Fyans Street and its proximity to the ford, that its location could fairly be assumed to be on the left-hand side of Fyans Street a mere 100m from the ford. See: LINK
Just my imaginings...
while out walking with Archie
Views from the bottom end of Monier Drive
fading shadows
here yesterday,
going today,
gone tomorrow
