Woodvale Historical Trail
Woodvale, situated 10km north of Bendigo, has known many names since European occupation first began in 1845. Woodvale was originally regarded as part of Myers Creek, later Myers Flat. It was changed to Sydney Flat when mining became established in 1852. This name lived until the 1920s, when it was changed to Woodvale to avoid confusion with the NSW city. Prior to European settlement it was open forest country occupied by the Dja Dja Wurrung people, who were estimated to have a population of about 1000 people. The Aboriginal name for the locality was Nerring. In 1845 it became part of Weddikar station. In 1861 Marong Shire was founded and Woodvale was a part of the north-east riding of the shire. In 1991 Woodvale was absorbed into the City of Greater Bendigo.
Woodvale was settled after the discovery of gold in Bendigo. This brought many people including Chinese miners. Most alluvial miners soon moved on after surface gold ran out, leaving the land ransacked. A couple of puddling machines continued to operate up until the period of World War 1, although the lack of water was a continuous problem. Quartz-reef mining commenced in the 1880s.
A number of settler families whose names are still associated with the district took up land after mining activities declined and established farms and enterprises. The district of Woodvale was one of mixed farming, dairying, vineyards and orchards. The settlers' life was arduous.
Apart from mining, non-agricultural industries were established in Woodvale to service the needs of miners and farmers. This included a blacksmith and farrier, shoemaker and a number of general stores. The first eucalyptus distillery in the district was located at the base of Flagstaff Hill, at the location of the current Shadbolt picnic ground in the Whipstick State Forest. Shadbolt supplied the Red Cross with eucalyptus oil during WW1.
There were 12 hotels operating at different times at Woodvale. The Old House at Home was the last of the Woodvale pubs to operate and was de-licensed in 1970.
State School 1531 Nerring was opened in 1875. It was built for 632 pounds 19s 10d from bricks carted from the Eaglehawk brick kiln, and was extensively renovated and remodelled in 1912 and 1914. It was subsequently renovated by local volunteers and reopened in 1993 as the Woodvale Public Hall.
Today, the Woodvale Public Hall forms a community hub, alongside the Woodvale Recreation Reserve (with roots dating back to the early 1860's), Bendigo Clay Target Club (est. 1971 in Woodvale but with history dating back to 1856), and Woodvale Fire Brigade (est. 1932). The Woodvale Progress Association (est. 1929) functions today to bring the local community together advancing local interests. Over the years Woodvale has progressed into a small but active community with a strong sense of identity and a welcoming spirit.
Woodvale Historical Trail Map
1. Woodvale Recreation Reserve
2. Harry Boyles Tree
3. Former Dredge
4. North New Moon and New Moon Consolidated Mines
5. Sander's Eucalyptus Distillery
6. The Australia Hotel
7. Red Lion Hotel
8. Thistle Hotel and General Store
9. Chinese Camp & Diggings
10. Red Jacket Mine Site
11. Adelaide New Moon Mine Site
12. Kelly Cottage
"Kelly Cottage" was built prior to 1892 by Daniel and Sarah Kelly. Daniel was a miner working in local gold mines. His wife Sarah was a midwife delivering babies locally. They raised seven children in the house, and like their father all the males were miners. It is believed this was the second house they built here, the first being burnt down by Daniel's father as part of a family feud.
13. Central New Moon Mine Site
14. Full Moon Mine Site
15. Notleys Picnic Reserve Eucalyptus Distillery
16. Snowball Mine Site
17. The Booth's House
18. Northern Blocks Mine Site
19. Bare Knuckle Fight Area
20. Mulberry Tree and Well
21. Old Toll Gate
22. Fletts Eucalyptus Factory & 23.German Charlie's Hut
Flett's Eucalyptus distillery was established in 1921 by Robert M. Flett in partnership with Jim Borserio and it was worked until 1980. This is a remarkably intact example of a pre-mechanised eucalyptus distillery. Nearby German Charlie's Hut consists of two mudbrick buildings, one built in the 1890's for the three Flett boys, and the other in the early 1900's as a dairy. 'German' refers to mudbrick construction.
24. The Camp Hotel
The Camp Hotel is at the junction of Camp and Neilborough Roads, near Shadbolts Picnic Ground. It is still the original structure with its original grand features. The hotel was originally licensed to Mrs Deeming in 1857, when the hotel was simply a "slab hut". In 1862 it was purchased by John Doleman, who built a brick kiln from which the structure we see today was constructed. Designed by Robert Lowe (who also designed St. Pauls Cathedral Bendigo), the hotel was de-licensed in 1910.
25. The Roy Rogers Tree
26. Old Tom Mine
This is one of the best local mine sites to visit that will give you a true sense of what it was like to mine during the gold rush. Old Tom Gully is known to have been occupied as early as 1857 and was named after "Old Tom the unsophisticated Hibernian", (Irish descent). Quartz reef mining was conducted from 1860 to 1900, (the deepest shaft was 408 feet). Sluicing, puddling, and cyaniding was carried out from 1931 - 1936.
27. Pot and Drive
28. Shadbolt's Eucalyptus Distillery
"Shadbolts Picnic Ground" was named after early settler Jack Shadbolt who operated a Eucalyptus distillery there. This was an important industry supplying the Red Cross with Eucalyptus oil during WW1. The picnic ground was the site of the Shadbolt family home, originally a miner's house occupied by Charles Loveland and his family. Sadly now long gone, the house was near cactus plants that remain. The picnic area is a well known spot in the Whipstick State Forest, frequented by both locals and visitors.
29. The Water Race
30. Monmore Vineyard and Dairy
This property situated on Bayliss Road was originally a winery and dairy built by Edward Bayliss in 1878. In addition to supplying significant quantities of dairy products to the region, by 1890 it was producing 1600 gallons of wine a year. One wine variety won a gold medal at the Grand National Show of 1892. All that remains today is a unique mud brick structure that originally served as the dairy, its walls nearly 4 feet thick, keeping the cooling chamber at a constant 17 degrees centigrade.
31. The Nerring Hotel
32. Harritables Stables
Harritables Stables These stables show how resourceful the early settlers were. Take note of how the unsplit cypress logs were joined and the gaps filled with mud and brick fragments. Francis Harritable was a Spanish seaman who arrived in Woodvale in 1865 and worked as a miner. In the 1870's he purchased 170 acres and his three sons ran sheep and grew crops. The height of the doorways suggest they were not tall men. On Sundays the three brothers would walk in single file to 'Monmore' for a glass of wine.
33. The Rothacker's House Early
34. Telephone Exchange (1)
35. The Railway Hotel
36. Early Telephone Exchange (1)
37. 'Woodville' House
38. Bob the Shepherd's Hill
39. The Royal Hotel
The existing hotel was constructed in 1912, replacing the 1886 pub that burnt down. The 'new' Royal Hotel was well known for having the shortest bar in the area. The original pub serviced workers on the local diggings with the replacement pub also incorporating stabling for travellers. The stables have since been demolished. The pub was de-licensed in the late 1920's, and it's recessed cement panels still have faded original lettering present.
40. Woodvale Fire Brigade
41. Old Bendigo Aerodrome
The Bendigo Aero (Flying) Club leased land in Woodvale in 1929 to cater for a growing interest for aviation. The Aerodrome was officially opened on May 18th 1929, when thousands of spectators paid one shilling to see a display of aerobatics by two air force officers. The club conducted flying training on this site and Bendigo Airways Services commenced paid passenger flights. Two people were killed in 1929 when a plane nosedived. On February 23rd 1932 Air Commodore Kingsford Smith visited the aerodrome to much fanfare. It was closed in the mid 1930s as was too costly to maintain.
42. Butchers Shop (1) - Foristals
43. Blacksmith Shop
44. Greens Telephone Exchange (2)
45. Nerring Methodist Church
46. Memorial Avenue & 47. School No. 1531 Nerring
The school opened on 1st June 1875 to accommodate 100 pupils. It had a single teacher, George Whitfield and a sewing mistress. The school was renamed Sydney Flat in 1902, and Woodvale in 1936. Closing in 1956, it then fell into disrepair before being re-opened in 1993 as a community hall. Seven Cypress trees were planted adjacent in 1919 as a "Living Row of Honour' for seven ex-students who fought and died in WW1. Named memorials for each soldier were unveiled in 1927 with rose bushes planted.
48. Old Post Office
49. Butchers Shop (2) - Inghams
50. Belz Hut
51. Old House at Home Hotel
This hotel was the hub of the area due to its central location. Built around the 1860's the House at Home Hotel was established to service miners at the nearby Red Flag diggings. The first publican recorded was Stephen Ingham who operated the pub from 1868 to 1870, when he left to open the butchers shop located opposite. The legendary "Ma Burke" ran the hotel during the interwar period and is said to have been responsible for its high profile in the community. Other licencees include Jerkins and Harris, and the hotel was delicensed in March 1970.
52. The Tonkin's House 'Roseville' & 53. 'Brynglas'
In the late 1890's John Tonkin built Roseville. What an impressive place it would have been in the early 1900's with a beautiful display of roses at the front and at the rear a 10 acre vineyard and large and varied orchard. Unfortunately in 1924 he was fatally gored by a wandering bull. Tom Hughes built Brynglas in 1936 and operated a poultry farm and engineering business on this site until the early 1970's.
54. Bendigo Clay Target Club
Key Sources / Acknowledgements:
Ray Wallace: Sydney Flat Gold to Woodvale Green, 1984
William Perry: Tales of the Whipstick, 1975
Goldfields Library, Bendigo
City of Greater Bendigo.
