Omeo
Historic goldmining town on the edges of the Snowy Mountains.
Omeo is an old goldmining town in the mountain country 97 km north of Bruthen and 400 km north-east of Melbourne via the Princes and Omeo Highways. Now a quiet and sleepy township of around 300 people, based on cattle, sheep and timber, it was once a rugged, unruly frontier town. Indeed, the first magistrate, Judge Browne, better known as early Australian novelist Rolf Boldrewood (famous for his novel Robbery Under Arms), regarded the Omeo goldfields as the roughest in Australia.
The area was first sighted by Europeans when pioneer naturalist, John Lhotsky, claimed, in 1834, to have seen, from the southern alps, a wide plain that the Aborigines called 'Omeo'. The indigenous peoples gathered quartz crystals, which they believed to possess supernatural qualities, from the Omeo River. The Omeo Highway follows the route they used for making contacts with other groups.
In 1835 George McKillop journeyed south from Monaro in New South Wales in search of new pastures. Another member of the party, James McFarlane, returned and founded what was probably the first cattle station in Victoria - Omeo B at what is now Benambra - which he sold in 1859. In his novel, Providence Ponds (1950), Stanley Porteous described the sight which greeted the original settlers:
The creek valleys narrowed, the forests closed in, until suddenly the Omeo basin fairly burst upon us - an open treeless plain, encircled by a rim of mountains upon which the peaks of Mount Tambo and the Three Brothers stood out distinctly....from its expanse came the shimmer of two lakes, one large, one tiny.'
John Pendergast arrived with his two brothers in 1836 or 1837 and established the Mount Leinster station. His family, Welsh immigrants who had settled for several generations in Ireland, are perhaps the most prominent pioneers of the district as the other early families soon moved further south. Pendergast's descendants still live at Pendergast's Court. A hut from the property, built in 1868, is now on display in Omeo's historical park in the centre of town.
Another early settler, John Hyland, settled west of Morass Creek but sold his run to Edward Cooke in 1841. Cooke bred thoroughbred horses for the army of India and shipped his cattle to Van Dieman's Land by way of Port Albert. He later sold Hinnomunjie station, from two Aboriginal words supposedly meaning 'no fish', and bought a run at Holey Plains, near today's Rosedale (see entry on Rosedale).
Angus McMillan rested in the Omeo vicinity in 1839 while following an Aboriginal track south to establish Numblamunjie station on behalf of Lachlan Macalister. The name was changed to Ensay in 1844 by Archibald Macleod, after an island off the coast of Scotland. McMillan used the station as a base for his extensive and ground-breaking explorations of Gippsland to the south.
During the 1840s squatters moving south into Gippsland used the area as a transit camp. However, the history of Omeo changed in 1851 when pioneering geologist, Reverend W.B. Clarke, while travelling south from Sydney on an expedition, discovered gold at Livingstone Creek, named after another member of McKillop's original party.
Two years later, when the population of Gippsland was little more than 300, there were 70 men, all living in 30 tents, panning for alluvial gold along Livingstone Creek. However, its isolation and the mountainous terrain ensured that development and population growth remained slow. Indicative of the difficulties was the fact that the 80-km journey from Ensay to Bairnsdale took four days on horseback. It was also a 9-day walk from the goldfields in the Ovens Valley. The population was still no more than 600 in 1863. Movement increased when a track was cut between Port Albert and Bairnsdale. An influx of miners occurred and new goldfields opened at Gibbo, Dry Gully, Cassilis, Dartmouth, Brookville, the Wombat and Stirling. The unruliness of the situation was not helped by the fact that no police were present at the site until 1858. Initially, the gold warden from Yackandandah only visited the field twice a year.
The goldrush reached its peak in the 1860s. Land settlement began in 1870 and Omeo was declared a municipality in 1872. A Wesleyan Church was opened in 1870, with the Roman Catholic Church following in 1874, the Church of England in 1892 and the Presbyterian Church in 1894. However, the stock of alluvial gold began to disappear and with it went many of the miners. Chinese people moved into the area to work the tailings and established market gardens.
A new boom began when reef gold was located at Sunnyside, Dry Gully, Glen Wills and Cassilis. Heavy machinery to work the reefs was hauled over the mountains by bullock teams and hydraulic dredges were in operation in the 1880s. However, this supply too was soon exhausted and the fields were abandoned by the start of the First World War. The town suffered earthquakes in 1885 and 1892 and considerable damage was caused by the infamous 'Black Friday' bushfires of 1939.
Although tin was mined at Glen Wills, Pilot Creek and Limestone it was cattle and sheep which came to the fore with the end of the gold days and cattle are still put out to pasture on the high plains every summer. The annual sale, each March, of "cold country" herefords is a major event on the local calendar. A rodeo is also held each year.
Incidents of the Omeo gold days provided source material for two landmark novelists of Australian literature, Henry Kingsley and Rolf Boldrewood. In The Hillyars and the Burtons (1865), Kingsley wrote of a number of diggers who died crossing the Great Dividing Range while returning from a futile rush from Beechworth to the Omeo area in 1854, having heard the tale that year at Beechworth from survivors of the trek. Boldrewood wrote of the lawlessness of the area in Robbery Under Arms (1888) and in Nevermore, where he dealt with the rustling of the Kelly Gang (the Lawless brothers in the novel), the murder of Cornelius Green (Con Gray) and the celebrated case of Tichborne, the heir to his family's title and estates in England, who disappeared in the goldfields.
Things to see:
A.M. Pearson Historical Park
In the main street of Omeo is the A.M. Pearson Historical Park which contains the original courthouse (1865) and its Romanesque successor (1892), designed by A.J. MacDonald, who was also responsible for the neo-Gothic post office at South Yarra in Melbourne and the courthouse in Bairnsdale. The original log lock-up (1858) is representative of both vernacular log construction techniques and of the penal accommodation provided by the Public Works Department of Victoria. The exterior of this solid structure is comprised of hardwood logs, while the ceiling and internal walls are made from blackwood. An iron-bar grille door and slit windows are the only openings. The gaol was originally surrounded by a high fence and an armed guard watched over the proceedings from an elevated sentry box. Prior to its construction, prisoners were kept in leg irons in the warden's camp on the banks of Commissioner's Gully. Other buildings in the park are the old stables (1858), a blacksmith's shop, a water wheel, a post office built in the 1890s and a small indoor museum. The town's first state school (1866) is also extant. Contact (03) 5159 1445. The Park is open on weekends, public holidays and by appointment.
Tourist Information and General Activities
An information centre is currently being built in town adjacent to (and in association with) the Omeo German Cuckoo Clock Shop and Gallery on the Great Alpine Rd, tel: (03) 5159 1552. It also furnishes maps of and books about the historic area. Fishing in the local waters can be rewarding, especially for those seeking trout. Gold pans can be hired from the shire office and fishing equipment, bikes and skis can be hired from Omeo Outdoors. Horseback safaris of the area are also on offer in the warmer months.
Petersens Gallery
Resident artist Terry Petersen executes traditional landscape paintings of the high country and its history. He is open from Wednesday to Monday on Day Ave, tel: (03) 5159 1262.
Benambra and Lookouts
On the road to the picturesque township of Benambra, 23 km north-east, are McMillan's Lookout (933 metres) - which provides panoramic views of Omeo, the Victorian alps and the surrounding countryside - and Hinomunjie station, where portions of the original homestead are still standing.
A few kilometres north-east of Benambra are the Three Brothers, three mountain peaks named after the Pendergast brothers. For mountain climbers, McFarlane's Lookout is further north. Directions can be obtained at Benambra. As an alternative, follow the Lake Omeo Road out of Benambra, around Lake Omeo and on to Mount Blowhard for an excellent view of the valley. The road to the left leads back to Omeo.
Knocker Track
7 km north along the Omeo Highway is the turnoff on the right onto Omeo Valley Rd. 12 km along this road, and 1 km below the Hinomunjie Bridge, the sealed section runs out. Those with four-wheel drives may wish to turn left in order to explore the interesting 17-km Knocker Track, formerly the old Omeo to Glen Wills and Sunnyside coach road. It rejoins the highway between Glen Wills and Sunnyside.
Anglers Rest
Parts of the highway to the north are unsealed and can be snow-bound in winter although the scenery is quite stunning. 29 km north of Omeo along the highway is a tranquil and popular fishing, canoeing and bushwalking spot known as Anglers Rest, situated on the Cobungra River. The Blue Duck Inn offers accommodation (tel: 03 5159 7220).
Rocky Valley Rd
40 km north of Omeo is a turnoff to the left into the Rocky Valley Road which leads to Falls Creek alpine village and the Bogong high plains where bushwalking and fishing expeditions are popular. Kangaroos, wallabies and emus can be seen in the area and the wildflowers which bloom in the late spring are worth seeing. The road is unsealed to Falls Creek (36 km) and closed in the ski season.
Glen Valley, Glen Wills and Mt Wills
48 and 51 km respectively from Omeo are the tiny old goldmining settlements of Glen Valley and Glen Wills. Further north you will see Mt Wills (1750 m) to the left. The summit offers excellent views of the Alps. It can be accessed along the Australian Alps Walking Track (655 km) which crosses the highway at Sunnyside. For further information ring 131 963.
Remnants of the Goldrush Days at Livingstone Creek
On the Alpine Road to Mount Hotham about 1 km from the centre of town small gold workings can be seen along the banks of Livingstone Creek, where gold panning can still be practiced by the eternally hopeful. Spanning the creek, a little upstream from the new Dry Gully Suspension Bridge, is the Memorial, built as a practical war memorial by returned diggers in 1919. On the far side of the old bridge is a parking area and a sign which points the way along a walking track which crosses the creek by footbridge then moves along the river banks and past the old brick pumping station. Beyond are the old 'oriental claims' where Chinese workers operated the world's largest hydraulic sluicing operation. This historic site is surrounded by man-made cliffs up to 30 metres in height which still have minute traces of gold. Old tunnels can be seen in the hillside. The entrance to one of these tunnels is accessible from the path which leads to the main area of the claims.
The earth which comprises the huge cliffs was shifted with water. To this end a dam was built 19 km away, up Livingstone Creek. The water was carried by races, which can still be seen along the sides of the valley, to a level well above the site of the operations. It was then pumped through pressure nozzles which were used to spray water at high velocity against the cliffs. The gravel was washed into trenches, in which were placed sluice boxes to catch the gold. The silt and water flowed into the creek while larger rocks were removed by hand. The size of the stones in the mullock heaps suggests how difficult the labour could be. Pieces of petrified wood can also be found in the rock piles. Mount Kosciusko can be seen from Mount Kosciusko Lookout, a little further along the Alpine Road.
Victoria Falls
25 km west of Omeo are the Victoria Falls, on the Victoria River. The state's first hydro-electric scheme was established here in 1908 to supply power to the Cassilis mines. To this end the water from the falls was used to drive a large turbine. However, the operation was not very successful due to water shortages and it was sold off to a Tasmanian concern in 1916. This site has also been declared an historic area.
Exploring the Surrounding Area
The approach to Omeo along the Omeo Highway, via Bruthen, winds north for almost 100 km along sealed roads beside the Tambo River. It essentially follows the route of the first European travellers. En route are a number of curiously-named historic sites: Monkey Creek (7 km north of Bruthen) was named by Angus McMillan after the "monkey bears" (koalas); Walsh's Cutting (15 km north) after a coach driver who died when a brake failure caused his vehicle to plummet down the hill; 1000-Pound Bend after either the cost of repairs and insurance when two coaches collided or the cost of constructing the road at this troublesome spot; Barksleds (24 km) after huts built on the bank above the present site to house wattle bark; Piano Bridge Creek (27 km) after the tendency of the old bridge's panels to bounce up and down like piano keys. In the same area the Pig and Whistle is said to be the spot where railway surveyors collected their liquor when their boss denied them access to the local hotel. Jew's Pinch (30 km) immortalises a Jewish hawker whose vehicle met with difficulties at this spot. Lock-Up Creek (33 km) was once the site of a lock-up built to house prisoners in transit from Omeo to Bairnsdale behind the Sir Walter Scott Motel, since burned down. Snake's Back (35 km) recalls the old road's curvature. Haunted Stream (35 km) is named after its connection with the murder of Ballarat Harry; Name Stone Point (36 km) after a stone, now gone, which was adorned with travellers' doodlings; Dead Horse Flat (39 km) after a horse which was dragged along for some distance, dead, after being tied by a halter, while still alive, to the rear of its owner's wagon. Mr Stringy, at the same location, was cut from a tree by a member of a 1920s bridge gang. Battle Point (41 km) was named after a fight between two bullock drivers or road foremen and Devil's Backbone (45 km) after the tortuous nature of the country. There are also some fine swimming holes, bushwalks and fishing spots along the road.
The first significant town to be reached is Tambo Crossing, formerly the point at which the overland track from Port Albert crossed the waterway. The road continues north, passing through open country with mountains on either side of the river valley, to Ensay, once celebrated for its wool production. Here the road crosses the Tambo River then winds away for 12 km until it recrosses the river at Doctor's Flat, named after the physician and companion of Angus McMillan, the first doctor in the area. Off the main road in a peaceful setting and surrounded by fords is the Little River Inn, stylistically similar to the original inn built in Ensay in the late nineteenth century. Further north is Swift's Creek. In its heyday it was the central town of the Tambo Valley, with cattle and sheep markets, a prosperous butter factory, a bank and numerous stores. An old historic homestead in the mountains, erected on the pastoral run of P.V. Buckley -at the time the most isolated station in East Gippsland - is 'Bindi', which retains outbuildings such as the sheep wash and woolshed, built at different times and with different materials. The sleeping quarters and cookhouse were constructed in the 1850s of local stone and the timber slab dwelling was erected shortly thereafter. The homestead itself was also built of local stone, in 1880. Later work mostly entailed the extension and enhancement of the existing structures.
The remaining distance from Swifts Creek to Omeo can be covered along the Omeo Highway or a more picturesque and historic route can be pursued by turning left along the good gravel road to Tongio West and Cassilis, once goldmining centres of sufficient importance to cause the Omeo coach service, at the turn of the century, to shift its regular route away from the main road so as to take in the newer towns. The remnants of the ten-head Warden Battery, used in the 1890s for reef mining, can be found at Tongio West. Old weatherboard cottages are scattered around the valley and parts of another old battery are evident at Cassilis. Leavings of brightly coloured sand still trickle down the valley in this area. Between Swift's Creek and Omeo the road rises over 300 metres.
Other Activities
Fishing in the local waters can be rewarding, especially for those seeking trout. Gold pans can be hired from the shire office and fishing equipment, bikes and skis can be hired from Omeo Outdoors. Horseback safaris of the area are also on offer in the warmer months.
Motels
Omeo Motel
Park St P.O. Box 87
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1297
Rating: ***
Hotels
Blue Duck Inn Hotel
Omeo Hwy, Anglers Rest via
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 7220
Facsimile: (03) 5159 7212
Email: blueduckinnhotel@yahoo.com.au
Rating: *
Hilltop Hotel
Day Ave
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1303
Rating: *
The Omeo Golden Age Private Hotel
Day Ave P.O. Box 21
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1344
Rating: ****
Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
The Manse Guesthouse
Cnr Omeo Hwy & Day Ave
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1441
Rating: ***
Apartments
Cobungra View Holiday Apartments
Lot 12 Fox Crt Cobungra 3898
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1467
Rating: ****
Colonial Bank House Holiday Apartments
Day Ave P.O. Box 95
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1388
Rating: ***
Livingston Holiday Apartments
Omeo Hwy P.O. Box 25
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1308
Rating: ***
Caravan Parks
Holston Tourist Park
Old Omeo Hwy P.O. Box 91
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1351
Rating: **
Restaurants
Hilltop Hotel
Day Ave
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1303
Howard's Hut
Day Ave
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1500
Omeo High Country Tavern
Day Ave
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1273
Omeo Motel
Park St P.O. Box 87
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1297
The Omeo Golden Age Private Hotel
Day Ave P.O. Box 21
Omeo VIC 3898
Telephone: (03) 5159 1344
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