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
Buildings:
1 Entrance Building
2 Mothers Room & Toilets
3 Woodleigh Railway Station
The Woodleigh Railway station houses the railway museum and was the last remaining station on the now dismantled Nyora to Wonthaggi line which was built to service the Wonthaggi Coal Mine. When the station opened in 1910 it was called "Hunter", but a few months later renamed Woodleigh.
It was moved to Coal Creek in 1972 after the station was closed in 1970. In 1975 the portable railway station buildings were relocated from Clyde Railway Station and now houses the Nursing Mothers Room.
The verandah over the platform was added in 1974 and the toilets were added in late 1973 early 1974. The verandah on the western side of the station was added in the early 1980s . The station originally served as the entry to the Park prior to the present foyer being built in the 1980s.
6 Wrench's Bootmakers & Cordial Factory
The manufacture of soft drinks in Korumburra was commenced by Maxwell in the early 1890's. Lawrence Bros followed some years later with the Lyrebird brand and served soft drinks for the next 20 years.
It passed through a number of hands in the first half of the 20th century, from a William Dobell to Mr Ebsworth and finally to Colin McLean in 1946. McLean with a canny sense of marketing dropped the old-fashioned Lyrebird label, and in 1948 introduced the hip, modern, jazzy looking "Joe's" label.
Of course the practice of making registered bottles that remained the property of the soft drinks company was common enough, as was offering a redemption for their return, but finally succumbing in 1986.
This display contains similar machinery to that which would have been used to produce lemonade in those early days. This display is housed in a building that was formerly one of the two houses built in 1890 in Elizabeth Street Korumburra Built on site in 1974 and verandah completed in 1984.
In 1888 Thomas Wrench, his wife Asenath and their eight children, left Orange, New South Wales and travelled to Lang Lang in reply to an advertisement for a bootmaker. They followed the railway line through to Korumburra and established a business here in 1889. Albert Wrench followed his father in the boot-making business.
The Wrench family was closely identified with the growth of Korumburra for many years, manufacturing and repairing boots for miners anti farmers of the area.
This display is housed in a building that was formerly one of two houses built in the 1890's in Elizabeth Street, Korumburra. It was purchased by the Korumburra Shire Council (now South Gippsland) and placed on site at Coal Creek in late 1979. The front window came from a shop in Trafalgar and was added in 1988.
7 Macqueen's Barber Shop
Lachlan Macqueen was born in the Lal Lal area near Ballarat in 1875. Lachie followed in his fathers footsteps and became a teacher until he was bitten by the gold bug and went off to make his fortune. He had minimal gold mining experience and knowledge but he mined a claim at Mount Egerton Having no success. Lachie was forced to sell it "for a song".
Lachie's real talent didn't lie in mining, it was singing. He had a fine baritone voice and was invited to join the Royal Musical Company in Perth to tour South Africa. After five years he returned to Australia and toured New Zealand and India as one of the leading Australian baritones of his time. His professional career came to an end when he fell in love. He was invited to perform near his home town of Ballarat but there was no pianist there to accompany him. A shy young lady from the audience offered her services, Miss Hannah (Tootse) Lay. Although there was an age difference of fifteen years, they fell in love and were married in 1908 in Ballarat, Victoria.
Lachie soon felt that a career on the stage and married life did not mix, and his last professional stage appearance was in 1908. Lachie and his new wife moved to Bena in South Gippsland where he worked for a road contractor. The couples first son was born in Korumburra, followed by six more sons and two daughters. In 1920 the family moved to Kardella Road, Korumburra.
Lachie decided to utilise a skill he learnt in South Africa, which was hairdressing. Lachie opened a barbers shop in Commercial Street, Korumburra. Lachie's barbers shop was a gathering place for all of his friends. Korumburra's Friday late night shopping would see a large number of miners swapping yarns with Lachie late into the night. Lachie ran the barbers shop successfully for 20 years until he sold the business during World War 2. During Lachie's time as the local barber he became known as the "singing barber".
8 Spinners' Cottage
9 Skin Store
The early settlers supplemented their meagre incomes by clearing the land of the animal population, which to them had become pests. Professional trappers roamed the hills and forests after native animals and the hated imported foxes and rabbits.
The only market for their skins was in Melbourne or the infrequent buyers who came into the country. It was not until 1923 that South Gippslanders were able to sell their hides locally.
Mr Harry Biggs set up business in the area with his headquarters in Commercial Street, Korumburra. When he first set-up business however he traded from a horse and can, which he would drive between camps and farms, sleeping in the back during the night. Mr. Biggs was the first person in Korumburra to have a motor vehicle license. In 1927, during what was then described as Korumburra's biggest fire, flames tore through the street, completely demolishing nine shops including Biggs' skin store.
This building was originally the Members' Pavilion at the Leongatha Bowling Club. It was built in 1908 on the Club's first green in Long Street, Leongatha. near the present Leongatha Railway Station. In 1947 it was moved to the Leongatha Bowling Club's present green and in 1975 donated to Coal Creek.
10 Lands Office
In the early days of settlement, the Lands Department were responsible for surveying, sale and management of crown land. As the land became settled, the Lands Department was able to provide a useful advice service which had not been possible in the earlier days of settlement. The Lands Office was able to bring expertise into the methods of weed and vermin control, and in the earlier years of its existence had manpower to back up this expertise.
This building was the original Korumburra Lands Office built somewhere between 1910 and 1920. It was moved to Coal Creek in 1972 and used as a site works office in the early years of Coal Creek's creation until approximately 1977.
12 Mechanics' Institute
The Mechanics' Institute was an important social venue in the life of most country towns in the early years of settlement. Based on an idea brought by migrants from the UK, Mechanics' Institutes were venues for night school classes, public meetings and social gatherings of all kinds. They often housed the town's only public library.
The Coal Creek Mechanics' Institute was originally the Kardella South Public Hall, built at a cost of 210 pounds in 1926. The money was raised by local residents who used the building for social events and church services.
The hall was moved to Coal Creek in 1985. After renovation, it was opened as the Mechanics' Institute on April 19, 1986, by Don Dunstan, Chairman of the Victorian Tourism Commission and former Premier of South Australia.
13 Blacksmith
There was no more important man in the early days of mining in the Korumburra area than the blacksmith. He fashioned the machinery, shod the horses, sharpened the picks and the shovels, made and mended the rails, repaired the skips and rebuilt the boilers.
To the carriage builder, like Bostons of Korumburra, blacksmiths were equally as important. A master blacksmith would use his skill to bend and weld iron tyres for the wheels of the sulkies, gigs, carriages, wagons, carts and jinkers. He also fashioned the hardware needed for the fittings and running gear of the horse drawn vehicles.
14 Poppet Head & Winch House
16 Carpenters
17 Joinery
22 Slab Cottage
24 Machinery Shed
26 Wattle & Daub Cottage
This building incorporates parts of the hut built by early pioneer, Edward Hobson, near the coast on the Tarwin River in about 1842. The roof especially, with its hand-cut wooden frame and timber shingles, is original. The building was moved to Coal Creek in 1973.
The but is typical of those built by many early settlers using the wattle and daub technique The walls (reconstructed in Coal Creek in the 1980s) are made of thin branches, in this case tea tree, woven and then covered in daub made of mud mixed with dung, animal hair and straw.
Edward Hobson used the vast Tarwin property as a resting place while moving cattle from Melbourne to Port Albert and Traralgon. He sold it in late 1844 to another Gippsland pioneer, Alexander Hunter, who held it for seven years before selling it in 1851 to Scottish immigrant George Black for 60 pounds.
For almost twenty years Black lived in the small, remote hut as he worked to drain the swampy areas and improve the pasture. The only settler in the area, he led a lonely, often dangerous life. But when he married in 1870, he built a large comfortable homestead, and the hut was lived in by a farm worker. It later became a tack room for saddles, bridles, etc. and was in continuous use up until the 1960s.
27 Bush Tramway Office
28 Vertical Boiler
29 Locomotive & Carriage Shed
This building is the re-creation of one of Korumburra's earliest industries. The original factory was established in Radovick Street, Korumburra, by Robert Boston in 1893. Seventy-five per cent of this building has been constructed from materials from the former home of Henry Littledike, who selected land at Poowong in 1875 and built his house in about 1890.
In 1885 Robert Boston established a business in Carlton, Victoria. It was called 'R.Boston & Co. Engineers and Blacksmiths.' Due to an economic downturn this business closed in the late 1880s. By August 1893 Robert had moved to Korumburra and opened a carriage works. Robert chose Korumburra as it was an emerging coal mining town and would provide good prospects for his business. Robert's business dealt with coach building, agricultural implements, mining tools, iron chimneys and colonial ovens.
Robert's skill with coach building gained him the Korumburra Butter Factory transportation building contract. He built multiple carriages for the factory and later trucks. In 1993 the Boston family business celebrated its 100 year anniversary after having successfully adapted to the changing world around them.
The buggy on display was built by Robert Boston, for the Rainbow Family. The attention to detail on this piece shows the skill and craftsmanship of the day.
30 Middle Bush Tramway Station
31 Water Wheel
32 Sports Oval & Pavilion
33 Westerns' Cottage
34 Bottom Bush Tramway Station
39 Kilcunda Road State School
This building was originally the Kilcunda Road State School, No. 3337, situated about 15 km west of Korumburra between Bena and Kongwak.
Originally constructed by J.C. Hick in 1902, it is one of the oldest school buildings in South Gippsland and incorporates a number of unusual design features not found on school buildings elsewhere in the Shire.
After the school was closed in 1972, the building lay vacant until 1985 when it was purchased by Masonic Lodge members and moved to Coal Creek. During the next four years it was restored by local and Melbourne Lodge members who also added several extensions. The formation of the Coal Creek Lodge No. 907 took place in July, 1993. When the Lodge was disbanded in 2017, the building was converted back into the Kilcunda Road State School, with a masonic display in the foyer.
40 Band Rotunda
41 Clunes State School
This building was originally constructed at Mosquito Flat (now Clunes North), as a school. The school had been disused for some time when, in 1897, the Education Department moved it to Kardella where it became Kardella State School No. 3196. It replaced the existing school which had been in a hall built in 1893 and had become too small for the population.
The Kardella Community bought the school building from the Education Department in 1950 for 380 pounds ($760) for use as a public hall. In 1976 the building was donated to Coal Creek by the people of Kardella. Money resulting from sale of the block of land was also donated to Coal Creek. After the building was brought to Coal Creek, the kitchen at the rear and the front veranda were added, and it was used for many years as the Pre and Whistle Cafe.
42 Jeetho State School
In 1883, a request for a school at Jeetho was made to the Education Department. The Wilson family had offered a block of land and 25 children of school age were in the area. A full-time school was recommended.
In 1884, Edmund J. Wilson, head teacher of Jumbunna school, applied to be head teacher at Jeetho and the first Jeetho school, No. 2690, was completed at a total cost of 252/1/2 pounds. It opened officially on January 1886, with 30 pupils. Mr Franz Stielow was appointed head teacher in 1890 and remained in this post for 24 years.
A new school was built in 1908 to accommodate 75 pupils, but burnt down in 1915 after Mr Stielow left. With it went all the certificates gained for its prize-winning gardens.
A third Jeetho school was built in 1917, but by 1954 numbers had dropped to 16 students and the school was closed in 1960. In 1974 the building was transported to Coal Creek Historical Park. The Master's desk and stool are from the former Jumbunna State School.
43 Krowera Church
The origin of the place name has been forgotten, but this little church, beautifully restored and furnished, stands as a reminder of the early settlers of the area who held tenaciously to the religious training of their English, Scottish and Welsh forebears in their new isolated existence.
Built in 1899 the church was subscribed for and erected in Kernot Road, Krowera, by the local community, on land donated by William Thompson. Services were held there regularly until 1970, when it was decided to cease using the building owing to lack of support and finance.
The church was moved to Coal Creek in 1972. Alterations since then include ceiling lining-boards from the Korumburra Methodist Church, replacement of timber lining above the dado with new timber, some furnishings from the Bena Presbyterian Church, and candlesticks from the Korumburra Catholic Church. The vestry was also added, and was the headquarters of the Korumburra Historical Society for some years.
44 Mine Manager's House
This house was built in approximately 1910 at Korumburra South. It was sold to Coal Creek for $25.00 and moved to its present site in about 1972. It was furnished by members of the Korumburra Historical Society who set it up as the Mine Managers Home recreating the atmosphere of a house of the coalfields in the 1890's. The beautiful patchwork quilt is 125 years old and belonged to a pioneer.
The Mine Manager was an educated, reliable and informed person who was held in high esteem. He was called upon to make decisions affecting the safety of his men and to see that each miner produced a good days output to maintain the set targets.
Mr J Hardwick managed the Coal Creek Mine for 27 years from 1891 and employed between 300 and 570 men. The output reached 300 tons per day.
44A Blogg's Creamery
Horse drawn milk-floats were used for daily delivery of bottled milk to households from the 1940's until the 1970's, replacing earlier lighter carts that were designed for 'Billy milk' - when the driver would dispense the milk into the household billycan. The floats would deliver door to door between the hours of 1am & dawn carrying between 25 & 40 crates of 20, 1 pint reusable glass bottles.
45 Doctor's Surgery & Chemist
Dr Edward Strahan was an active helper of the miners during industrial unrest and was known as the "colliery surgeon". Strahan set up his practice in 1895 in a small store near the coal lease on Mine Road, amongst the miner's cottages and near to Jump Town, a tent village. He was very vocal about the poor living conditions of the miners and helped to bring about change in his role as Medical Officer of Health at the Shire.
At age 21 Mr Thomas Buzza opened the chemist shop next door to Dr Strahan. Dr. Strahan credited Mr Buzza with being instrumental in his coming and setting up the doctor's surgery in town. Mr Buzza was a valuable member of the community and when the Great Bushfires of 1898 burned through South Gippsland he rode out on his horse and supplied liniment to those affected. He helped restore sight to over 200 people.
46 Top Bush Tramway Station
47 Printing Office
Printer's offices played a very important role in the early life of Korumburra and district. They created the newspapers that provided the only real means of local, state, interstate and international news and information for the people of the district.
In its early history, Korumburra was served by no less than five newspapers. The printing office at Coal Creek contains the machinery of a newspaper and commercial printing office of the early 1900's. This method of printing is called letterpress which had changed very little since it was first invented in 1450.
This building was built on site in the late 1970's. It was occupied by the Coal Creek Pottery Group for much of the 1980's and 90's until that group disbanded. After the demolition of the original printing office opposite the Courthouse, the machinery spent some time in storage and was then moved into this building.
49 O. Gilpin's Drapery Store
This recreated building and its display represents one of the 0. Gilpin drapery stores. Oliver Gilpin is credited with founding the first major chain store in Australia. His first store opened in Korumburra in 1895, he opened 94 new stores by 1944.
Oliver became one of the richest men in Australia, he owned two Rolls-Royces' and a mansion in Balwyn, Melbourne. After his death, Oliver's business was sold to Foy and Gibson and later Coles.
Oliver had many unusual sayings and rules: "Be first to listen and last to speak", "I lead, follow who can" and "Wasting time is stealing".
Oliver only hired women as he believed that they were more trustworthy. However, Manageress's and assistants were not on any account to associate outside business hours. Adverts for positions at O. Gilpin's drapery stores stated that "no redheads or catholics need apply."
50 Devlin's General Store
In 1903 Bernard Devlin came to Korumburra as a hairdresser and purchased a grocery, tobacconist and hairdresser business from William Smith. Concentrating on groceries, he added two more sections to his shop. His children Jack, John and Mary operated this shop for many years.
Devlin's Place, located between South Railway Crescent and Mine Road in Korumburra, was named after the Devlin family.
Coal Creek's reproduction of Devlin's General Store was built in 1976. It was named in honour of the Devlin family and the building was based on photographs of Futcher's Ironmongery, corner of John Street and Mine Road, Korumburra. The store counters were built in blackwood timber by former Coal Creek sawmiller, Jack McMaster. The cash carrier system came from the Korumburra Butter Factory Store
52 National Bank of Australasia
The National Bank is made up of four rooms. The two rooms at the front of the building depict a bank teller station and the bank manager's office. In the hallway there are replica bank notes. The two rooms at the back of the bank are comprised of a paymaster's office and a lands office.
The National Bank of Australasia was the first bank in Korumburra. It commenced operations in May 1890.
The National Bank and the Doctor's Surgery and Chemist that make up the bottom storey of this building were all part of a house that stood in Elizabeth Street, Korumburra and was built in the 1890s. The building was purchased by the Korumburra Shire Council and moved to Coal Creek in 1981.
55 Court House
In 1899, the Government reserved a site in Bridge Street, next to the police station, for the construction of a courthouse for Korumburra. No provision was made at this stage for witnesses, jurymen or solicitors. They were left out in the cold.
Later that year, Mr. Downard, MLA, led a deputation to the Solicitor-General, to have the courthouse enlarged. They were successful, and Mr. John Eadie was asked to tender for the enlargements, whoch included a jury room. The new courthouse was completed and opened on May 15, 1900, with the sitting of the County Court. The court of Petty Sessions was held in the new courthouse on May 18, 1900.
In 1971 the Courthouse was to be demolished. To save this historical building, the Korumburra Historical Society paid $750 to have it moved from its original site to the former site of the Coal Creek Mine.
From this single building a historic village was born and the Coal Creek Community Park and Museum was established.
55 ANZAC Museum
55 Mine Museum
56 Poowong National Bank
This building was formerly the National Bank of Australia, Poowong Branch, and is thought to have been constructed around 1900 in Poowong. It was moved to Coal Creek in 1980. A verandah, roof and chimney were added in December 1980, with the verandah roof not completed until May 1981. In 2018, the building was renovated by The Friends Of Coal Creek.
57 Boston's Carriage Factory
60 Miss Daisy Hardwick Studio
Daisy Hardwick's Music Studio - Daisy Hardwick was born approximately 1885 in Glebe, New South Wales. Daisy Hardwick came to Korumburra as a small child in the early 1890's. She was the youngest daughter of James Hardwick. Her father was the first Manager of the Coal Creek Mining Company.
She attended the Melbourne Conservatorium of music and after graduation, became a piano teacher at Korumburra. She taught many local people and was also the organist at the local Presbyterian Church. One of Daisy's students, Leonard Hungerford (later known as Bruce Hungerford) won worldwide acclaim for his music.
On the 21st of April 1979. Daisy passed away in a retirement home in Kew. she was 94 years old. She always had a place in her heart for the town in which she spent most of her life. She once wrote "I have a special love for Korumburra particularly the miners with their black faces, clean hearts and homes and their always friendly smiles for the children."
This building was originally a railway house at Koo Wee Rup. It was placed on site at Coal Creek in approximately 1977, where it was used as the Administration Office for the complex until the present entrance building was completed.
Opening Hours:
Opening Times
Cost:
Entry is free (donations gratefully accepted)
Review:
A really 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, a variety of historic old buildings and mine equipment such as the Poppet Head and Winch House. The interior of some buildings are spectacular with many items from the past. Make sure you don't miss the General Store and Chemist.
At the main entrance building there was an exhibition "Turning Points" which celebrates 50 years of Coal Creek and an area which runs a video.
There is no swimming, wading or fishing permitted in the lake - just admire it.
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 and also a giant chess board within the village.
Photos:
Location
12 Silkstone Road, Korumburra 3950 Map
✆ (03) 5655 1811
Email Enquiry
Web Links
→ coalcreekcommunityparkandmuseum.com
→ Coal Creek Community Park and Museum, Korumburra on Facebook
