What happened in Koo Wee Rup in 1911

This is a look at what happened in Koo-Wee-Rup and surrounding areas one hundred years ago, in 1911. These references are taken from various papers on-line at http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

On January 9, The Argus reported that The maize crops on the Koo-wee-rup Swamp have been completely destroyed by a plague of caterpillars. The cabbages and potatoes arc now being attacked.  More more bad news for the local farmers was reported in The Argus on February 7 - Potato diggers on Koo-wee-rup Swamp have ceased work, owing to Irish blight being discovered in the district, and many of the men have taken their departure for other potato districts. Strict measures have been taken by the Government to prevent the disease from spreading, and also to prevent potatoes affected form being marketed. This was not the end to the disastrous season the local farmers were having because The Argus reported on March 23 that the potato blight was also attacking carrot crops. To top if off the Weekly Times of March 25 reported that due to prevalence of pleuro-pneumonia among cattle, the sale yards at Koo-wee-rup and Lang Lang have been closed. It wasn't until May that the sale yards were re-opened after the outbreak had been checked.

Continuing on with the ordinary year, on June 12, The Argus reported that Main Drain (or Koo Wee Rup canal as it was called) had overflowed at Cora Lynn and flooded the surrounding area. There was also one foot of water in the newly built Mechanics' Institute (Public Hall). As we can see from the later report, below, this postponed the official opening of the Hall. This report said there was three feet of water through the Hall. The Hall was officially opened in August - the event was presided over by Shire President, Cr W. Carney and official guests were W.S Keast, M.L.A, after whom the hall was named and Mrs Keast. This was reported on in The Argus of August 9, 1911.

The Argus June 14, 1911

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10909711

In other matters not connected to farming or floods, The Argus of February 10, 1911 reported on a Victorian first for the town of Cora Lynn - The parents of children at the Cora Lynn State School, in Gippsland, have secured the distinction of appointing the first school committee in Victoria under the new Education Act passed last year which provides for the constitution of such committees in place of the old boards of advice. Well done, Cora Lynn! You can read the full article, here.

On October 7, The Argus reported on a a proposed extension of the railway line from Nar Nar Goon to Cora Lynn and on through the Gippsland Country - that never happened! There was later report on October 17 (read it here) that said the proposed line was to go from Cora Lynn to Modella and then onto Mirboo.

The Argus October 7, 1911

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11622072

We will end on a sad note, on October 26, The Argus reported on the sad news that the body of a newly-born male child in an outhouse there. Constable Watt had taken the body to the Morgue, and a post-mortem examination had shown that suffocation was the cause of death. I can't find a follow-up report so we don't know who this unfortunate little child was.

What happened in Koo Wee Rup in 1910

The first article I wrote for the Garfield Spectator in 2010, was a look back at what happened in the town 100 years previously (read it, here) I thought that was such a good idea, I started doing the same for Koo Wee Rup for The Blackfish, so this is the first Koo Wee Rup article on that theme. 

This is a look at what happened in Koo Wee Rup and surrounds in 1910.  Most of these references are taken from The Argus, on-line at  http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper. 

In March, at a sale of Crown land at Koo Wee Rup -  two 20 acre allotments sold for two pounds, ten shillings per acre. Four other five acre blocks sold for five pounds per acre. There was a report in July about the State revaluing land held by settlers from the Crown There are in all some 800 settlers on the swamp. The board which had charge of the matter investigated the cases some time ago. Its method has been to take the length of time a man has been working a property and the amount he has expended on it, and to consider both these important points in arriving at the value of the land. The price was originally fixed when land had a fictitious value. It is on record that a Koo-wee-rup block at the time of the "boom" brought something like £40 per acre, while others realised £20 and £30. Some time after that the State thought £10 an acre was a fair price for some of the best land, and this price was fixed, while other blocks were appraised as being worth £9, £8, £7, £6, and a few as low as £2 per acre.
By the time the settlers had to  clear the land, maintain drains and farm the block many were facing financial hardship so they were granted relief by having the land re-valued and some had their payments suspended. (The Argus, March 2, 1910 and July 23, 1910. I have quoted from the July article, you can read the full article, here.)

Victorian Government Gazette June 8 1910

The township of Cora Lynn was proclaimed on May 31 and the Cora Lynn Cheese Factory opened in December of 1910.

The Argus February 18, 1910

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10835571 

The Koo Wee Rup State School was moved into the township, to Rossiter Road, from Bethune’s Road.  A tender for the removal of the school was advertised in February 1910 and the school opened in Rossiter Road in the September.

Locally, the town of Wonthaggi was proclaimed on September 14. The town and the associated coal mine was good news for the Koo Wee Rup Swamp - The opening up of the Powlett coalfield has provided a new and profitable market for produce grown on the swamp. Tons of potatoes, onions and chaff are being despatched to Powlett from the Koo-wee-rup station at frequent intervals. (The Argus May 30, 1910)

In November, the Yannathan Butter Factory was turning out six tons of butter per week, up from 3½ tons at the same time the year before. (The Argus November 12, 1910)

Headline in The Argus February 12, 1910

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10834034

Finally, we will end on a sad note. In February, a body was found in a bag in the water at Tooradin. The victim had been seen before in the township of Tooradin and he was camped near where his body was found. When the bag was pulled from the water, a hand was protruding from a hole in the bag. This led to speculation as to whether it was murder or suicide, as the victim could well have tied the bag himself. An inquest, two days later, returned the verdict of suicide. The body was not identified, however it was said that he was of  'the swagman class'. (The Argus, February 12. The Coroner's inquest is reported in The Argus of February 14 - it is quite interesting about how the  body was found, how the man was living before his death, but sadly no evidence as to the identity of the man. Read the article, here)

What happened in Garfield in 1919

This is a look back 100 years at what happened in Garfield and surrounds in 1919. 1919 is, of course, the year after the Great War ended on November 11, 1918 and the community was enjoying peace after four years of war. Most of these reports come from the various newspapers available on Trove.  http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/

In January, there was an interesting story in The Herald - Anxiety caused by the disappearance on November 30 from Trinity Grammar School, Kew, of Merson lnglis, one of the scholars, 14 years of age, has been removed by the return of the boy to his home at Monegetta South, Romsey. A friend of his father discovered him working in a field at Garfield, where the boy was digging potatoes. A previous report in a paper said his father had offered a reward of 25 pounds for information about his son. Hard to believe that these days a 14 year could go missing and get work on a farm, but in those days you didn’t need a tax file number or any ID. (The Herald, January 10 1919)

The Herald January 10, 1919

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242667207

In February, the Bunyip and Garfield Express reported on some fishing trips - Last week a party of seven from Tynong proceeded to Tooradin for a fishing excursion, and had one of the most successful for the season. They landed 95 schnapper, weighing from 2 to 7 pounds in weight. On Tuesday a party from Bunyip also obtained a good haul, their catch being 150 whiting about 50 schnapper. (Bunyip & Garfield Express, February 7, 1919)

The South Bourke and Mornington Journal reported on February 27  - During last week, 150 tons of potatoes were trucked at Tynong railway station. It is estimated that the potato crop from that district will yield something like 5000 tons.

On March 13, the South Bourke & Mornington Journal reported that a weigh bridge had been erected at the Garfield Railway Station. The same report said that the Cora Lynn Cheese Factory in the past fortnight had treated 7,516 gallons of milk and the Iona factory 5,366 gallons. A gallon is the equivalent of 4.5 litres. 

Also, in March the Iona St Patricks Day annual carnival was held at the Garfield racecourse to raise funds for St Joseph’s Catholic School at Iona. There was a full race meeting under the supervision of a VRC steward, the Iona Brass Band rendered acceptable selections during the afternoon which enlivened the proceeding considerably, the Ladies Committee provided tasty eatables. The day finished off with a ball at the Columbia Hall at Iona. (South Bourke & Mornington Journal March 20, 1919)

On May 28, The Age reported that Country Roads Board has attended to the unmade portion of the main Gippsland road [Princes Highway] between Garfield and Bunyip, but in its present state it is not fit for motor traffic.

In June, many papers reported on a train accident at Tynong - this report is from The Argus of June 6 - A railway accident with peculiar features occurred at Tynong at about 5 o clock on Tuesday morning. A goods train from Melbourne was shunting at the station, and was partly on the main line, when another goods train from Warragul collided with it. The impact was sufficient to break the buffers and cow catcher of the Warragul train and to damage the cow catcher of the other engine, which with four trucks attached continued as far as the next station, Nar Nar Goon, where it was stopped by the assistant stationmaster (Mr Burge) The points near the east end of the yard were damaged, as were also some sleepers, while the cattle pits at the western crossing were badly knocked about, presumably by the damaged cow catcher of the runaway engine. When it became evident that the collision could not be averted the crews jumped from the two engines to escape injury.

Even though the War had ended soldiers were still returning home throughout the year and the towns were still holding ‘Welcome home’ functions. The Bunyip and Garfield Express on October 10, reported of an evening held at the Tynong Hall where, amongst other celebrations -  Gold medals, suitably inscribed, were then presented by the chairman to the following returned soldiers - Lieuts White and Wright and Ptes A. Martin, F. Snow, G. Rowley, E. Coombes, J. M’Walter, A. Weatherhead, P. Haines, J. Robinson and R. Thompson.

This report was in the Bunyip and Garfield Express on November 7 - During play hour this week, the [Garfield] school children stumbled across a large snake in the paddock adjoining the school ground. The reptile was quickly dispatched and was soon roasting over a big fire.  A week later, the same paper also reported on the Armistice anniversary at Garfield - The ceremony in connection with the Armistice anniversary was observed here. All work was suspended at 11am for a period of 2 minutes. At the school children were formed in a hollow square around the flag staff. The flag was dropped to half-mast and the Last Post was sounded by Lieut. Corby

Also, in November a garage opened in the town - Messrs Dessent and Doherty announce that they have opened a motor garage at Garfield, where cars can be hired and repairs effected, fishing parties arranged, oil, petrol and tubes kept in stock. (Bunyip & Garfield Express, November 21, 1919)

Bunyip & Garfield Express, December 5, 1919

We will finish the year off with the unveiling of the Garfield Honor Roll which took place on Wednesday, November 26 1919 at the Garfield Hall. It was unveiled by Mr Shreeve. - 

The following names are inscribed on the board - Fallen in Gallipoli - P. Gunnelson, W. Leeson, C. Mynard, L. Plant.

Fallen in France - E. Beswick, E. Bullock, E. Gunnelson, J. Gaghin. A. M'Donald. F. Toner, A Watson, J. Whiston, F. Whiston.

Returned - A. Boase, W. Body, W. Burnett, J Burrows, A. Barker, F. Bullock, G. Dunne, E. Edis, R. Gunnelson, G. Gillespie, E. Hobson, G. Hobson, R. James, S. King, R. Leeson, T. Lambden, R. Morgan, T. Mynard, J Mynard, F. Mynard, W. Ottoway, K. Olsson, H. Roberts,  F. Shreeve, H. Trasler, D. Tynan and T. Vaughan. (Bunyip & Garfield Express, December 5, 1919)