Welcome

Meeting August 15th

Special speaker was Mrs Carol Thorn (nee Wyeth). Many stories about Pine Lodge.

Location: Inverloch Community Hub Meeting Room 1

Reminder that Annual Subscriptions are due.

Canterbury PFA Camp at Pine lodge, Inverloch – Easter 1947

Sam Gatto was Guest Speaker at our April meeting

Sam Gatto (Sebastian J. Gatto) – Local historian & author

Born in Italy in 1942, Sam migrated to Australia with his family when he was 9 years old. He grew up in Wonthaggi and studied at Melbourne University. After teaching in Victoria for 4 years, Sam continued his teaching career in the Italian part of Switzerland.

Sam Gatto pictured in the archives of Wonthaggi & District Historical Society

Since returning to Australia in 2000, Sam has dedicated himself to researching his hometown’s rich history. A past president and active member of the Wonthaggi & District Historical Society, Sam has given many talks to organisations and written essays on subjects relating to Wonthaggi’s history.

Sam is the author of four books:

  • Accepting the Challenge, A History of the Wonthaggi and District Hospital (1970)
  • Not Just for Workmen, A History of the Wonthaggi Workmen’s Club
  • Contribution and Conflict, A History of Wonthaggi and WWI (2016)
  • A Sort of History of Me, My Family and a Cow Named Gina (2022).

In his writing, Sam is interested in the role that the men & women of his town played in creating a better society.

Sam’s latest book is partly based on historical documents, personal memories and family stories. It tells of the migration journeys of Sam’s family, beginning with his grandparents.

At the heart of the book is the story of Sam and Wonthaggi, as seen through the eyes of a growing boy during the 1950s and 1960s, a time of fundamental change in Australian society. Above all, the book tells of the struggles and successes of a migrant family settling into Australian society, reflecting so many other migrant stories.

General Meeting Schedule 2022

Every 2nd month . All meetings at the Inverloch Community Hub in ‘the meeting room’

  • Monday 15th August @ 2:30pm
  • Monday 17th October @ 2:30pm (also the AGM)
  • Monday 19th December @ 2:30pm. Christmas celebration

Do you enjoy seeing our history?

Opportunities exist to be involved in valuable projects. Research, preserve & share Inverloch’s history.

Individuals joining together & working as a team will ensure that our rich history is kept alive & accessible.

We are especially seeking people with digital skills to support archiving & presentation of our collection.

We are in a healthy financial state & have an extensive collection just waiting to be explored further.

For further information, please contact our Secretary via email secretary@inverlochhistory.com

Newsletter

To read our latest September 2021 newsletter, click here.

Latest News

Inverloch History montage at the Bendigo Bank

This Inverloch History montage of historical images was recently installed at the Bendigo Bank in Williams St, Inverloch.

Read more …

Book – “At Screw Creek”

We congratulate Linda Cuttriss on wining the 2020 Bass Coast Prize for Non-fiction with her story “At Screw Creek”, described as “Part True Detective Story, Part Local History, Part Family History”.  We hope to share this with you soon; or, you can read it online at the Bass Coast Post website at  BassCoastPost.com/bass-coast-prize/at-screw-creek

Green Storage Shed

With a lot of help from Inverloch Removals, we’ve cleared the last off-site repository of collection items. Almost everything is now under one roof – just a few bits and pieces are off-site as they are being worked on.  We thank Terry Hall for generously caring for these objects for what Terry thinks could be ten years.

The Green Shed is FULL, now that we have everything in the collection at that location. The material relocated during November has now been been sorted & registered

Amazon 1863 Project

Amazon Shipwreck: The team at the Amazon 1863 Project have achieved so much in such a short time. Their mission is the preservation of significant Amazon artefacts, the site & written records. Educate & share the history of this amazing ship. They have a very active group on Facebook & just launched their website.

Website: Amazon1863.org.au

Facebook: Facebook.com/groups/amazon1863project

Drive-in Cinema at Inverloch?

Apparently their was an Inverloch Drive-In which opened in the 1960’s.

The drive-in was demolished & is now factories and light industry. Possibly in Cashin Street with operation dates of 1/9/1968 to 1/1/1975 with a capacity of 182.

We are interested in any further information & photos, including exact location & personal memories. (Image shown is only a generic drive-in example)

Thanks for any information.

Shack Bay

Shack Bay (on the Bunurong Coast between Inverloch & Cape Paterson west of Eagles Nest) – Ever wondered why it has that name? Look closely at these photos taken around 1940-50s. In 1934, during the 5 month long Wonthaggi Coal Strike, the miners had plenty of time on their hands & this was the result. Clearly no building regulation roadblocks during this period. They were removed in 1977. (Photo credit to Jenny Graham who’s uncle took them whilst on a fishing trip.)

‘The Kiosk’ (Brown’s Kiosk) – Can you help?

We are looking for more photos of ‘The Kiosk’ (Brown’s Kiosk) & the attached house, which was on the corner of Abbott St & Ramsey Blvd.

The Kiosk for sale – March 2010. Source: Google Streetview

We have this relatively recent image from when it was for sale in 2010, prior to it being demolished.

Do you have any others? If so, we’d love to hear from you & perhaps borrow & scan them.

Eulalie Brewster OAM

We congratulate our valued & much loved Patron & Life Member Eulalie Brewster on being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2020 Australia Day Honours.

Eulalie Brewster OAM

Eulalie was honoured by the nation for service to the community of Inverloch in the fields of history, conservation, the environment, and for other community endeavours. Eulalie was a founder of Inverloch Historical Society and an active local historian for decades.

We are grateful for her immense contribution to our Society.

Historic Images

Southern Bazaarof 13 A’Beckett Street, Inverloch have been helping us promote Inverloch’s past by selling a selection of our restored images as Prints.

We sincerely thank them for their ongoing support.

Robyn Hogan of Southern Bazaar, accepting another batch of prints from Ray Burtt

On the hunt for images

The print above is an image of the Inverloch stone seawall built back in 1934 with sustenance labour, commenced below St. Kilda Street and is part blue stone & part sandstone.

The wooden groynes were added to try and stop sand movement.

The photo was taken near Venus Street. Large trees in the top right of the picture on the far shoreline mark Beilby’s farm.

We are always looking for both new images & documents. Also new members to help us.

What’s with those gate posts?

The Pine Lodge gate posts

Sitting on seven acres at the comer of Ramsey Parade and Scarborough Street, Pine Lodge was built in 1930 and demolished in 1985. Almost everything about Pine Lodge was notable. If it still existed, it would be the prime historic building in Inverloch, yet its fame goes far beyond Bass Coast & Gippsland. The story of its origin, its structure, its architecture, the people who stayed there and the man who ran it, built it and during the Great Depression saw a vision for it, is the story of legendary quality, worthy of any notable Victorian inclusion.

More on the history of Pine Lodge…

Amazon Shipwreck at Inverloch in 1863

Site investigation undertaken at Inverloch Surf Beach during Nov — Dec 2018 by Heritage Victoria.

Dr Maddy McAllister has completed her report on this heritage project and provided the following copy to the Society.

Click here for more information…

The remains of the Amazon shipwreck at Inverloch are visible during very low tides.
(Source: Heritage Victoria)

Newsletter

Newsletter #258, September 2021

A summary of important dates and activities during the 19th & 20th Centuries.

Originally called ANDERSON INLET, Inverloch was proclaimed a town on the 8th. February 1886 by the Governor of Victoria – Sir Henry Brougham Loch.

Map of Kirrak, compiled by F.S. Hilcke, August 1893.
The central township of Inverloch situated at the shallow entrance to Anderson Inlet, in the Parish of Kirrak, in the Counties of Mornington and Buln Buln.
It shows how much the coastline has changed especially around Point Smythe over the years.

It is believed that the origin of the name Inverloch is Scottish, for there were many settlers from Scotland living and settling in the area at the time. Loch means ‘lake’ whilst Inver is a Gaelic word meaning ‘at the entrance’.

The Koo-We-Rup swamp was almost impassable in Victorian times, restricting any road or rail development. The Strzlecki mountain range also offered great difficulties into entering the coastal region of South Gippsland, hence the great use of coastal shipping.

Land development and use began well before the proclamation of Inverloch as a town. By 1869 George Black owned or rented huge areas of land from what is now the township of Bass right down to Cape Liptrap, and into the Strzlecki Ranges. In 1874 the first land purchased in Inverloch was sold to George Wrigley. It covered a large area ranging from Ullathornes Road to A’Beckett Street and down to Toorak Road.

1876 saw a “choice little pocket of 260 acres of rich flats in Pound Creek, with a frontage to
Anderson Inlet” sold to the Henderson brothers.

Hay making, Pound Creek. Early 1900s

In 1880 the 31 tonne carrying capacity trading ketch RIPPLE was registered in Melbourne to trade to Anderson Inlet.

THE KETCH RIPPLE ON PORT PHILLIP BAY circa 1890.
Built 1872 at Davistown, Brisbane Water, near Gosford NSW, by ship builder Benjamin Davis.
Plied between Inverloch and Melbourne from the 1800’s tom 1929

In September 1883 the Anderson Inlet Post Office was opened. The mail was brought by ship and also carried on pack-horse from Mirboo North.

The old post office sat snugly to the left of Holmes’s grocer and baker shop. It is a small extension, poking out from the front of the residence. The old GR sign at the top, along with the other signs, give an old-fashioned charm to the structure.

1886 Anderson Inlet school classes began in a Mr. Laycock’s building near the corner of Alma and Scarborough Streets. The teacher was shared with the Pound Creek School.

1887 saw materials for the building of the Great Southern Railway delivered to Maher’s Landing, which was then hauled by bullock wagons to Leongatha and Koonwarra, ready to build the line to Foster and Yarram.

In 1888 the Anderson Inlet Cemetery was established when four hectares were reserved by the Lands Department. The first interment was in 1891.

On the 1st. December 1889 Anderson Inlet was renamed INVERLOCH.

The township of Inverloch was transferred from the Shire of Alberton to the Shire of Woorayl in 1890.

1897 saw the Inverloch Mechanics Institute and Library built by public fund raising.

Inverloch Mechanics Institute c. 1970 (going by the Holden station wagon out front). There was a map of Inverloch above the front entrance doors. The building burnt down in July 1978 and, like almost all of Inverloch’s early buildings, is now lost.

The start of the new century in 1900 saw a flurry of development for the town. A Racecourse was established at the northern end of Cuttriss St. The first meeting attracted 500 people and was followed by a Grand Ball at the Inverloch Esplanade Hotel. A Rifle Range was also established across Screw Creek to Townsend Bluff, seen as an essential activity, with the South African Boer War not going as wished.

Street lighting was introduced with gas lamps at the jetty, between there and the Esplanade Hotel, and another at the top of A’Beckett St outside Neil’s Hotel.

The property known as ‘The Cliffs’ on the Bunurong Road just past the RACV, was built for Mr. E.G.Fitzgibbon. the Town Clerk of Melbourne. It is still there!

A Mr. W.H. Ferguson discovered two fossilized dinosaur bones at Eagles Nest.

The Inverloch Rocket Brigade started regular practices with their rescue equipment, fired out to a ship in distress. No ship or boat ever required the Victorian equipment to save a life. The Rocket Shed on the Esplanade, sitting behind the recreation of the Ripple boat is still in outstanding condition, complete with a model of the old equipment, plus diagrams of how it all worked.

In 1902 permission was received to erect beach bathing boxes at the foot of Abbott St.

February 1906 saw the original wooden Catholic Church opened and blessed by Dean Coyne.

1908 brought Inverloch better communication when telephone lines were connected. 1908 also saw regular and reliable steamships providing a good service for the town – such names as Despatch, Wyalla, Moonah, Ellen and Manawatu became regular names to all citizens of the town.

In 1909 Wonthaggi was founded with the opening of the State Government Coal Mine. On 29th. November the first load of coal arrived at Inverloch. The local jetty was used to load ships with coal delivered by bullock wagons and steam traction engine.

February 1910 saw the railway line to Wonthaggi completed, so consequently the shipping of coal from Inverloch ceased.

FIRST TRAIN TO WONTHAGGI 1909. First known as Powlett River Railway. At each bridge the train was stopped, engine uncoupled and driven across to test it. The engine then returned, collected the carriages. Such care was taken with passengers they were obliged to walk across and rejoin their carriage. Last train ran 1978.

On April 8th 1914 the Inverloch State School was built on the current site in Bayview Avenue.

The Anglican Church was built on its present site in The Crescent in 1924, on land donated by Ellen Clerk in 1906.Previously services had been held in the Mechanics Institute in A’Beckett Street.

The Methodist Church purchased the original North Wonthaggi Methodist Church and erected it on land they owned. Opened for worship in 1930, they then purchased the Jumbunna Methodist Church to the front and the old church became their hall.

1930 was a significant year in Inverloch’s development in the midst of the great world Depression. Local man Calvert Wyeth (Cal as he became known popularly) decided to spend money building a holiday resort for basically the wealthy visitors. He used his own design based on an American model called the ‘LODGE’ style. Using local labour to build and run it, Pine Lodge generated work in Inverloch. It included a fine dining room, generated its own electricity, recycled water, had en-suite rooms, septic toilets and an Olympic size salt water swimming pool.

In 1931 Inverloch school children collected beach stones to build the 1914-1918 War Memorial on the corner of Reilly St. and Bayview Avenue.

1934 saw the destruction of the Esplanade Hotel by fire. Its gas lighting, including the street light outside the hotel were replaced with electrical components. Alfred Frongerud rebuilt the hotel with cement bricks made with Wonthaggi coal fields crushed red stone.

1934 also saw the Tarwin River flood the worst in memory. It forced authorities to remove much snagging and to build levee banks.300mm of rain fell in 48 hours in December. Bullocks drowned, and the beach was littered with carcases of dead sheep and cattle. Water flooded Hopetoun St, leaving heaps of dead fish and birds.

1936 saw a nine hole golf course opened half a kilometre from the town centre in the vicinity of what is now Golf and Club streets.

1936 also saw Arnold Soderman hanged at Pentridge for the murders of June Rushmer (Leongatha), Ethel Belshaw (Inverloch), plus two others.

1940 saw the tragic death of the Frongerud family, owners of the Esplanade Hotel. Their launch sank whilst attempting to cross the bar into Anderson Inlet. They ignored warnings of heavy seas by San Remo fishermen.

1939-1945 during the Second World War, Pine Lodge was used as a Naval Hospital. Red Cross branches supplied nursing Aides. The building was badly looked after and not returned to Cal Wyeth as was originally agreed. Building material shortages hindered the work to revitalize the buildings.

In 1946 the Inverloch Fire Brigade was officially registered with the Country Fire Authority, and in 1947 the Inverloch Water Trust was formed.

1953 saw the first Fire Station built in A’Beckett St. The Post Office opened for business with a telephone trunk line enchange window to pay for the trunk calls.

In 1955 the Inverloch Presbyterian Church bought the old Outtrim Presbyterian Church for $800 and moved it to William Street. This is now the Uniting Church in Inverloch.

In 1959 the Angling Club was formed, and Inverloch’s first chemist shop at 13 A’Beckett St. opened.

1960 saw the opening of the National Bank, whilst on the shoreline the Inverloch Bowling Club was formed.

1967 – the Shire of Woorayl built a new toilet block and rooms, which included space for the Jack Lewis Shell Trust Museum, plus room for the South Gippsland Conservation Society.

1973 saw the local Water Board purchase 104 hectares of land west of the town for land sewerage disposal. Sewerage was connected in 1979.

In 1974 Meals-on-Wheels was inaugurated. The Woorayl Shire Library took over the Mechanics Institute Free Library.

1977 saw the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches combining to become the Uniting Church of Australia.

1978 – the Wonthaggi railway line closed to all passenger and goods traffic. In Inverloch itself, fire destroyed the Mechanics Institute.

In 1983 a new Community Hall was opened, paid for by an additional rate charge on all local
properties. Over the years additions were made to the building which eventually became known as ‘The Hub’.

1985 saw the destruction of the Pine Lodge building by developers. This much loved and important architectural building was a great loss to the community and Gippsland. All that remains are the two brick pillars standing lonely in Ramsey Boulevard.

In 1987 Community Radio 3MFM was granted a full license to broadcast.
A much needed new Fire Station was opened in 1990 valued then at $350,000.

1995 saw numerous City and Shire boundaries altered in Victoria and consequently Inverloch was removed from the Shire of Woorayl and placed into the Bass Coast Shire Council.

Below: The Esplanade Hotel. Original timber building constructed 1896, destroyed by fire mid 1930’s, rebuilt using bricks from Wonthaggi.

The Esplanade Hotel 1906
This is 1935, with the Esplanade Hotel being built, following the disastrous fire of the old timber hotel in 1934. The builder was Alfred Frongerud, who also built the Wonthaggi Railway Station. Note the state of the streets and the old timber buildings nearby.
The Esplanade Hotel, Inverloch. Late 1940s (Rose Series postcard – P1837)

 


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