Shepparton History Walk

This short tour is of some sites of historical significance to Shepparton.

Start / Finish: Victoria Park Lake, northern car park. Ends at Shepparton Memorial Park.
Distance: 800m. Follow the path outlined on the map, north along Welsford Street.
Surface / Access: The walk is on designated footpaths, with a small section being gravel, follow the path along Welsford Street. Terrain is flat.

Shepparton History Walk Map

Points of Interest (shown on map):
1 The Hawdon & Bonney Cairn - Charles Bonney & Joseph Hawdon, the first non-indigenous persons to visit and camp near the junction of the Broken and Goulburn Rivers on 13 January 1838.
2 Shepparton Urban Water Works was established here in 1889. The pump building remains and is now home to Goulburn Valley Water.
3 Forester’s Hall, Shepparton’s oldest remaining building was built in 1873 and is now home to the Shepparton Museum. It was previously used as a lodge room, court house, dance hall, church and a newspaper office.
4 The old Shepparton wharf (1880) and the site of McGuire’s Punt which operated between 1850 and 1876.
5 Joseph Furphy Monument and his beloved Wilga tree. The famous Australian novel “Such is Life” was penned at this very spot in 1903, under Joseph’s pen name of Tom Collins.
6 Rose gardens and commemorative plaque, established by the womenfolk of Shepparton to honour the visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 5 March 1954.
7 Shepparton Memorial Park – The sculpture shows Sgt Gordon Ayre MM, of Shepparton helping Pte Wally Johnson across the Francisco River at Salamaua PNG on 20 August 1943.

Walk Note: This walk provides access to geocaches.
Hazards: Some busy crossings at intersections, utilise traffic lights.