Healesville Historic Walk
Take a walk through yesteryear... This 3.3km return historic walk is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Healesville, Healesville & District Historical Society and Healesville 150th Committee on the occasion of Healesville's 150th Anniversary in November 2014.
150 Years Later...
Healewille began as a 'stopping place' for prospective miners en route to the goldfields of Matlock, Jerico and Woods Point. Parliament had made 30,000 pounds available to construct a 'road' through the mountains, work beginning in 1863.
The new route avoided the flat, flood-prone areas between the former New Chum settlement and the Watts River. It was on this higher ground that an area was surveyed in 1864, land sales taking place in 1865 and a new hamlet established. It was to be named Healesville to commemorate the recently deceased former Premier of Victoria.
The main street (Nicholson Street) was a wide tree-less thoroughfare, decidedly bleak-looking, with deep gutters on both sides, and poorly-formed footpaths. The settlement was a crude, 'backblocks' place, dusty in summer and muddy in winter. The buildings were, in general, primitive one-storey paling structures with verandas extended over the footpaths, with single roofs, slab floors and hessian on the walls. However, by 1866 over thirty homes and businesses had been developed. They included six hotels, a saddler, a blacksmith and several carriers.
The focal point of the town became William Hall's blacksmith shop. It became "the resort of every man who owned a horse". The horses went to Hall's and their drivers to the Glasgow Arms (as the Yorkshire Arms had become). However, one traveller in 1872 was very unimpressed asserting that Healesville was not a lively place and "produces a rather depressing effect upon the wayfarer". He described the town as looking as if it had "missed its way, wandered a long distance from the path of progress and coiled itself up in a corner to die".
Prophetically, he thought it may perhaps recover! Recover it did, but it was a long, slow struggle to discard its backblocks image. It was the arrival of the railway in 1889 that gave the impetus the town needed. New buildings, including three brick hotels, the foundation of many sporting and cultural societies and increasing numbers of visitors began to transform the character of the town during the 1890s.
Thereafter, for many decades tourism, the timber industry, the Maroondah Water Scheme and the Healesville Sanctuary were the lifeblood of Healesville.
The town experienced a 'downturn' in its fortunes during the 196os; and early 1970's and it was not until the revival of the wine industry during the next two or three decades, which brought with it a redevelopment of accommodation facilities, that the good times returned.
In the 21st century, although the importance of the timber industry has declined considerably, tourism is thriving, B&Bs abound, the Sanctuary is prospering and the resident population has grown. Healesville has much to celebrate in its 150th year!
The Coranderrk Story
In 1860 the Victorian Government established six stations for Aboriginal people, among them, one in the Acheron Valley. This soon proved to be an unsuitable location, hated by the Aboriginal people living there. John Green, General Inspector of Aborigines, was ordered by the Board for the Protection of Aborigines to find an alternative suitable site. After unsuccessful attempts to establish sites at Woori Yallock and Watts River, together with the Aboriginal people, for whom he was responsible, John Green chose 2300 acres on the banks of the Yarra River and Badger Creek.
They called it Coranderrk after the native Christmas bush growing in profusion in the area. Coranderrk was established in March 1863 for use on the 30th June 1863. The area was increased to 4850 acres on 24th July 1866.
In 1865, Coranderrk had a population of about 100, comprising 38 men, 23 women, 24 boys and 15 girls. One difficulty was that only about 20 were able-bodied men, expected to support everybody.
However, a viable settlement developed during the next decade, with the construction of permanent buildings, including a school, and the growing of crops, initially wheat and later hops.
One of John Green's objectives was to make the settlement self-supporting. Cattle for their own food and for sale were killed on the station, and log-felling became important also.
Following John Green's retirement from Coranderrk in 1876 there appears to have been a period of inefficient management until the appointment of Rev. Joseph Shaw in 1882. During his period in charge many improvements were made including the erection of a large brick homestead, which still exists.
The best known and most influential resident of Coranderrk was William Barak (circa 1823-1903). As with his cousin Simon Wonga, before him, Barak was an inspiring leader of his people, greatly respected by his fellow Aboriginal people and many in the non-Aboriginal population, including the Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Loch. His fine character and quiet dignity made him an influence for good among his followers.
In 1948 the Coranderrk Lands Act allowed land to be sold for soldier settlement. In later years (the 1990s) some 275 acres were returned to the traditional Wurundjeri owners. In 1998 the Superintendent's House and 201 acres were sold by its private owner to the Indigenous Land Corporation with the expectation it would be returned to the Wurundjeri people of Healesville.
There is still a strong aboriginal presence in the district represented by the descendents of the last families of the Coranderrk Settlement, some of whom are responsible for the property that was formerly the site of the Army School of Health, and prior to that Summerleigh Guest House also Worawa College, a secondary school in Bank Lane established in 1986 by Hyllus Mans (nee Briggs), and now providing education for aboriginal girls.
Healesville Historic Walk
The Healesville Historic Walk is circular with easy walking access. Most are accessible for people with disabilities. Total Distance is 3.3 km return (90 min.). There are three sections:
- Railway Walk 0.5km (25 min. Nos 1 to 8)
- Nicholson Street Centre 1.5 km (45 min. Nos 9 to 15 & 21 to 27)
- East End 1.2 km (20 min. Nos 16 to 20)
Healesville Historic Walk Map
Healesville Historic Walk Points
1. Courthouse
2. Cell blocks
3. The 'Palais'
4. Hospital
5. Terminus Hotel
6. Railway Station
7. Railway Precinct
8. Rail - 'tourism gateway'
9. Rathrone House
10. Daly's Hall
11. Early churches
12. Green & Coranderrk
13. Halls 'Smithy'
14. Memorial Hall
15. French's Laundry
16. 'The Nook'
17. Timber tramway
18. Guest Houses
19. Queens Park & crossing
20. Old School site
21. Cornish Livery Stables
22. Grand Hotel
23. Early streetscape
24. Healesville Hotel
25. Cornish Buildings
26. Munro Shops
27. Mechanics Institute
Location
228 Maroondah Highway, Healesville 3777 View Map
Web Links
→ Healesville Historic Walk Brochure (PDF)
