Korumburra - Coal Creek Village - West & South Gippsland

Korumburra - Coal Creek Village

Coal Creek is a recreated coal mining village that depicts the history of Korumburra. From the discovery of coal, to the regions early agricultural development, it reflects on our pioneers everyday life. Come and immerse yourself in 1870s - 1920s rural life.

Coal Creek Community Park & Museum was initially created to preserve the unique history of coal, the development of the South Gippsland railway and the rural settlement which was accelerated by the dairy and timber industries.

Coal was accidentally discovered in South Gippsland in 1872, near the present site of Coal Creek when James Brown's horse, watering near the creek, kicked a sizable piece of coal free from the surface. Some 16 years later coal began to be mined. It was the first successful commercial coalfield in Victoria and was responsible for breaking the stranglehold New South Wales had on Victoria's industries.

Come take a walk through time and explore the large collection of artefacts housed in the many heritage buildings in a village like setting. Buy some hand made sweets in the General Store or simply enjoy our 30 acres of natural bush surrounds.

Situated just forty-five minutes from Phillip Island, approximately ninety minutes from Melbourne's CBD and on the direct route to Wilson's Promontory, getting to Coal Creek is easy.

History

The original Coal Creek mine was in the hill behind where the courthouse now sits onsite. This hill had been mined in three faces down to 800 feet, and the coal was brought out into the gully through a tunnel behind the courthouse.

Coal was first discovered at Coal Creek by James Brown, a stockman, during a harrowing journey from Foster to Bunyip in 1872. At this time most of South Gippsland was covered by a vast, almost impenetrable rainforest, beautiful home to the Bunurong and Gunaikurnai First Peoples. Mighty mountain ash trees, up to 100 metres tall, towered above blue gums, black wattles, huge tree ferns and a thick understory of rainforest plants.

At Coal Creek we are recreating this dense rainforest and so far over 60,000 native trees have been planted in the 25-hectare area which includes the village and bushland area.

A year after the stockman's find, 25 miners were working in the area, but this early attempt to win coal was soon abandoned due to lack of transport for the coal. In 1892 the first train load of coal left the Coal Creek Mine from this site on a branch line from the newly laid Great Southern line, which had reached Korumburra a year earlier.

The seeds of the Coal Creek project were sown by the Korumburra Jaycee and Apex clubs when, in 1967 they wrote to the Council of the Shire of Korumburra in June and September respectively, requesting an area of land to be set aside for a community project. At that stage, the type of project was not decided upon. Within the next two years, the Korumburra Historical Society was brought into the picture, and the decision was made that the community project should be an historical village, sited where Coal Creek stands today, on what was then an overgrown piece of wasteland.

The Korumburra Shire Council adopted the project, and Sir Henry Bolte (the Premier of Victoria) made it a reality with an initial grant of $70,000 in 1973, and a promise of more money over the next three years.

The village was started by moving the original Korumburra court house from Bridge Street. The village was laid out by the engineering staff of the Korumburra Shire Council, and many of the buildings were originally furnished by members of the Shire of Korumburra Historical Society. Others have been furnished by other volunteers and by Coal Creek curatorial staff.

Work commenced on the site in 1972 and Coal Creek Historical Park (as it was then called) was opened to the public in March, 1974.

Layout Map of Coal Creek Village

Opening Hours:

Opening Times

Cost:

Entry is free (donations gratefully accepted)

Review:

An interesting site which is an amazing resource considering entry is by donation. There are a lot of spots to explore including train carriages being restored, variety of old buildings such as a cinema with an old projection device and mine equipment such as the Poppet Head and Winch House.

There were emus and ponies wandering about, ducks to feed in the pond (buy some food at the entrance), giant chess board and there are often activities happening.

The tracks can be very slippery when it is wet so need to take some care. The staff are also very friendly and helpful. There is a playground outside the entrance area.

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