A world of rivers

This Sunday, 30th September, 2012 is:

 World Rivers Day

 

The Barwon River, Geelong at sunset

Despite having maintained this blog for over a year and a half, I had not until recently heard of this celebration of all things river-related. A little research on the topic tells me that World Rivers Day is held on the last Sunday in September every year and was first held in 2005.

The idea grew from an earlier initiative in British Columbia: BC Rivers Day, which was first held in 1980 and was the idea of renowned river conservationist Mark Angelo. The aim of the day was to highlight the importance of rivers not only to humans but to recognise the role they play in the wider environment. The day provided an opportunity for community groups to focus on river health issues, get involved with clean up activities and revegetation programs or just to get to know their local river a little better.

The Barwon River flowing high, Bunyip Pool, Buckley Falls

So, when the United Nations launched their Water For Life Decade in 2005 Angelo felt that an international day recognising the importance of rivers around the world would compliment some of the aims of the UN. It was from this concept that World Rivers Day was born.
With all of this in mind, I thought it would be timely to put together a post on this blog to highlight what Geelong and the other communities along the Barwon are doing to bring the community together to celebrate the event...


The Moorabool River, Batesford

Well, I searched high, I searched low, I searched here and I searched there.
I discovered that the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority who are responsible for the management of that "other" Barwon River in the north are holding a community breakfast barbeque at Inverell on the banks of the Macintyre River (an extension of the northern Barwon River) which will also include interactive water testing and other educational activities designed to inform the local community of the various river rehabilitation projects underway and to increase awareness of environmental issues as they relate to local waterways.



The Leigh River, Inverleigh

The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority wanted to tell me about World Environment Day, International World Wetlands Day and even National Threatened Species Day, but neither they nor any of the other government or community groups with an interest in our Barwon River wanted to tell me anything at all about World Rivers Day. Parks Victoria didn't seem to know, nor did any of the "Friends of" groups, The City of Greater Geelong or Geelong Otway Tourism.
The one exception to this complete lack of information was a little group very familiar to me: Geelong Runners. In recognition of the day, they are hosting a barbeque and run around the river trail(10am-2pm this Sunday, 30th September at Barwon Valley Fun Park on the river). Run or walk as much or as little as you like. You are never too old - or too young - to start running, so come and join us!

Many drops make a flood...

Once again the river is up and as usual the Google searches have begun. That being the case, I thought I'd better get some photos up of the latest flood event - such as it is. Over Friday night and into Saturday, in the vicinity of 70mm of rain fell in the upper reaches of the Barwon catchment. In other circumstances this may not have had much of an impact, but after a wet winter and with the ground already saturated, any rain was going to raise the river height.
And rise it did. Rickett's Marsh on the upper Barwon quickly reached moderate flood level, the Batesford gauge on the Moorabool peaked at the minor flood level and by Sunday night the usual sections of the path around Barwon through Geelong were going under.

Barwon through Geelong, 5:30pm Sunday, 19th August, 2012

Barwon through Geelong, 9am Monday, 20th August, 2012

Matters continued to develop overnight. The Rickett's Marsh gauge fell but Geelong continued to rise and is currently (8:30pm Monday) at a peak around the minor flood level.
As usual when the river floods, I didn't have time today to do more than whip around the same old inner-suburban locations, so below are a few shots from various points:

Old Breakwater Bridge, 9am Monday

Hmmm...perhaps they'll wash away and solve the problem..., 1pm Monday

Looking at Queen's Park from Windmill Reserve, 1:30pm

Bunyip Pool or Whirlpool?

Rock detail at the Bunyip Pool

Next time I will hopefully make it further afield.

I did also attempt to upload a video or two of the water flow to give some idea of the volume and the noise, however Blogger didn't want to oblige. Another aspect it can't convey is the smell of a flood. At the Bunyip Pool where the water is aerated, the smell of muddy water is quite marked. When the water recedes, I know from experience that the paths will all smell of mud...but that is something for next week...



Creatures of the night

A short wander along the Barwon below the Mount Brandon Peninsula yesterday, yielded some unexpected photo opportunities. The first arose as we followed the rough track around from Buckley Falls towards Baum's Weir along the south bank of the river.
I am aware of plans to improve the recreational facilities along this part of the river as nearby residential development progresses, but I was surprised by how many people already seem to be aware of the walking and fishing opportunities provided by this rather informal stretch of parkland.

Is it a bird, is it a tree...?

At one point I paused to listen to the birds, trying to locate the owner of a call which I have heard many times, but had been unable to attach to a particular species. I was once again unsuccessful in my attempt at identification (I have since discovered it was a Fan-tailed Cuckoo), but as I shushed the boys in the hope of spotting my quarry, a passerby - also with two boys of his own in tow - informed me that there were three Tawny Frogmouths in a tree up ahead.
I hung back still hoping to solve the puzzle while the others went on ahead, however they were soon back and reporting that they had found the frogmouths, so we quickly headed up the track lest they decided to depart.
Fortunately, being the middle of the day, they were rather disinclined to go anywhere and were happy to sit on a rather low branch of a dead tree as we approached to within only a few metres. Even four small boys circling the vicinity did not seem to disturb them.
In fact, the response of the three birds to our presence was almost amusing. One, perched below the others, refused to acknowledge our presence in any way whatsoever, adamantly insisting that it was nothing more than a dead tree branch, its eye slitted just slightly so as to watch us, its beak pointed skywards to further enhance the illusion.
The other pair of birds were less concerned with disguise. They stood close together, eyes open, but not moving - with the exception of one who was bold enough to turn its full gaze on us. It stared very directly with its piercing yellow eyes, but didn't seem too worried that we had blown their cover and interrupted their day's rest.
I hope their disturbed sleep didn't leave them yawning on their perch when they should have been out pursuing their rather slimy, crunchy prey last night. I discover that are happy to consume pretty much anything which scuttles, slides, flies or hops and is smaller than themselves. Moths, birds, frogs, lizards, slugs, snails, insects and worms are all fair game and usually pounced upon from above as the frogmouth drops from its perch to the ground.

Nankeen Night Heron

Nor were the frogmouths the only night birds we spotted on this particular visit to the river. On our way back downstream we saw a Nankeen Night Heron (aka Rufous Night Heron). I was not particularly surprised as I have seen these birds here before and in daylight too. In fact on today's visit what was possibly the same bird, was once again, standing on the weir at Buckley Falls. Despite this species feeding at night, it, along with a Great Egret, a White-faced Heron and a Little Black Cormorant were all quite obviously fishing at various points along the weir, using this man-made structure to best advantage.They, like the Wathaurong, clearly understand the culinary opportunities offered by the Bunyip Pool.

From Rags to Riches or Just Milling Around?

Nor was wheat-milling the only industry to spring up along the banks of the Barwon. In 1876 as I mentioned in my previous post, a paper mill was in the process of construction on the north bank of the river at Buckley Falls.

Barwon Paper Mill at Buckley Falls during flooding
16th January, 2011

On the opposite side of the river from the old wheat mill, this new enterprise - the Barwon Paper Mill - drew its power from a channel running along the northern bank from Baum's Weir to the mill buildings below the Bunyip Pool at Buckley Falls. Unlike the wheat mill on the south bank, the paper mill and the complex of buildings which were associated with it, are still remarkably intact and as such are one of the most significant surviving examples of 19th century industry in the country. It is also one of the earliest and longest running examples of paper-milling in Australia and was operational until 1923.
At the time of its opening, the complex was at the forefront of paper-making technology and its backers included such notable Geelong names as Silas Harding, James and Andrew Volum and William Francis Ducker. A more detailed discussion of the technology involved can be found here.
The mill buildings themselves were constructed from bricks and locally quarried bluestone with corrugated iron and the equipment was powered by a water turbine wheel whose performance was enhanced by an impeller housed in a tower which can still be seen facing onto the river. Likewise, the water race is clearly visible carrying water from the weir along its full length until it reaches the mill where in times of adequate supply, it tumbles down to the rocks below and back into the river.

Water race running to the Barwon Paper Mill during drought
January, 2010

These mill buildings and their associated machinery were designed and built by the engineer Andrew Millar. The six workers' cottages and manager's house which also form part of the complex were designed by the Geelong architect Joseph Watts a couple of years after the original buildings in 1878. The cottages are the earliest example of company housing to be built in this state. They are still occupied as private residences and if the noises I heard last week are anything to go by, at least one is currently being renovated.
Originally, they were used to house some of the 200 men whom it is estimated, worked in the mill, making over 40 different types of paper.
Unlike today, paper-making processes in the Victorian era - and for 2000 years beforehand - relied on the pulping of old rags, rather than that of wood fibres and the Barwon Paper Mill was no different in this respect. The rags went through a number of treatments designed to break the fibres into small enough pieces to be formed into paper.
A curious side effect of using rags, was the need to first remove any old buttons or fastenings which may still be attached to the cloth. This task was undertaken by women whose job it was to sit and remove the unwanted attachments. Once removed, the buttons were simply dumped in a pile near the mill site. It was this practise which gave rise to the name Button Hill for the land which rises to the east of the mill. According to descriptions by the Victorian Heritage Database, there are hundreds of thousands of buttons, beads and other clips and fastenings on the hill made from bone, ceramic, glass, metal and other substances. The site is located partially on private property which does not belong to the mill and currently still awaits comprehensive archaeological examination.

Mill cottages built in 1878

 In 1888, upon the death of Captain James Volum, one of the principal proprietors, the partnership dissolved and the complex was sold to the Victorian Paper Manufacturing Co Pty Ltd who in turn on-sold it in 1895 to the owners of two other paper mills in Melbourne and Broadford. The three mills were then run jointly under the name of the Australian Paper Mills Co. Ltd.
After paper production ceased, the complex was taken over for the manufacturing of ice before being commandeered in 1941 for use by the navy during World War II. Nowadays, the mill is privately owned and whilst no longer used for its original purpose, the buildings are utilised by a number of small businesses which operate out of the site. Unfortunately for those of us who are interested, this has the disadvantage of excluding access by the general public to the mill complex. So, for the present we will have to continue as I have done for several decades now, to view the mill from the south bank of the river.
Well, that was, until today (6th June, 2015). See this post.

Grist to the mill...

Buckley Falls is probably one of the more interesting stretches of the Barwon as it runs through Geelong. As mentioned in an earlier posting, it is named for the escaped convict William Buckley who escaped from a fledgeling penal colony established near what is now Sorrento. At some point he came upon members of the local Wathaurong tribe who mistook him for the ghost of the warrior Murrangurk. Buckley lived with the tribe for thirty years before re-joining white society.
The history of the river at this point is also a combination of ancient Wathaurong and more modern European settlement. To the Wathaurong, the nearby Bunyip pool was a source of food. Yarrum Mordong is the Wathaurong name for this part of the river. Yarrum means rapids or a waterfall. Mordong means eel.
To the newly arrived Europeans of the 19th century, this part of the river was a source of power which could be harnessed for industry and not surprisingly one of the earliest recorded was flour-milling. The history of flour-milling at Fyansford seems to me to be somewhat unclear. It is widely reported that Henry William Collins opened a flour mill on the banks of the Barwon in 1845. Whether this is the same establishment as the Barrabool flour Mill which started operation in 1849 on a projection of land upstream of Buckley Falls, known as Mt Brandon Peninsula, I cannot determine, however a source stating that the latter was built in 1849 suggests that they were separate establishments.

Barrabool Flour Mill, built 1849

Records indicate that the Barrabool Flour Mill was a five-storey, bluestone structure whose 90cm thick walls were constructed from locally quarried stone - perhaps from one of the three quarries on the opposite bank of the river. It was powered by an "undershot" wheel and water was drawn from a channel which ran along the south bank of the river. Nowadays, there is no sign of the mill or an associated onsite cottage and no-one seems quite sure where the mill was located. A comparison of the two photos to the left however, is interesting.

It is also interesting to note the extent to which the banks on both sides of the river have been revegetated over the intervening decades as well as the presence of the lower weir (not built until 1927) in the lower picture.

The only traces of the mill and its surrounds now visible are a few non-native trees (possibly the cyprus growing on the high ground of the peninsula) and the remains of the outer race wall which can still be seen as I discovered for myself yesterday on another expedition to see a part of the river which, for some unknown reason, had to this point escaped me.

 Yesterday's saunter took me down to the south bank of the river opposite the car park at Baum's Weir and along an informal track, back towards Buckley Falls. Here, to my delight, I discovered the remains of the old bluestone race. Originally about 244m in length, it ran from a weir upstream down to the mill. Whilst not explicitly stated, I believe that the weir was in fact Baum’s Weir which is said to date from the 1840s, although no-one seems to know when or by whom it was built.

Remains of outer wall of the channel on the south bank of
the Barwon below Brandon Peninsula

Regardless of when exactly the mill was built, it would seem that by 1854 at the latest and probably earlier, an Englishman named John Highett was the owner. He may also have had to rebuild the mill subsequent to substantial flooding in 1852. I haven’t been able to turn up anything which indicates how long Highett ran the mill, however some time after his death in 1867 and with the opening of the Barwon Paper Mill on the opposite bank of the river in 1876 (more of which later), business appears to have dropped off. After standing idle for some years, the mill reopened. Confusingly once again, one source states that in 1887/1888 it reopened as the Fyansford Starch Factory, milling rice instead of wheat. This is supported by a contemporary photo showing the mill and labelled accordingly. It states that the mill buildings had almost completely disappeared by 1938. However, another reference published by the City of Greater Geelong, indicates that the mill was sold in 1888 and subsequently operated as a jam factory on a limited scale. This reference claims the building was gone by 1908.

A couple of possible explanations for these differences spring to mind, such as the possibility that the two businesses used the buildings jointly or perhaps the tenure of the starch factory was very short-lived. The difference in dates given for the disbanding of the mill buildings seems a likely transcription error.

So, who was the mill's owner John Highett and what was his association with the Barwon River? Highett (1810-1867) was an Englishman who migrated first to Van Diemen's Land with his brother William (a noted politician) before arriving in the Port Phillip district in 1837. He took up farming land overlooking the Barwon on the south side of the river and built a substantial house at the top of the hill overlooking much of the region in what is now Montpellier Park. The house later became the Montpellier Hotel, Picnic Ground and Pleasure Gardens and was run by Edwin Hooper. The surrounding land was also used for the cultivation of grapes, with vineyards extending down to the river, into the nearby Barrabool Hills and as far as Pollocksford. The Montpellier name derives from a town in Southern France known for its wine growing.

The house no longer stands, however the footings can still be seen in the park's grounds. The other, perhaps more permanent reminder of Highett's contribution to the development of the area in the early days of European settlement is the suburb of Highton, which was originally given the name Highett's Town. Of course, Highett Road which connects with Buckley Falls Road below the Bunyip pool is a further reflection the area's association with John Highett and his family.

A Bunyip Aristocracy

Every culture has its mythical beasts. The Egyptians have the sphinx, Greece has the Centaur, Scotland has the Lochness Monster, the Yeti inhabits the Himalayas and Bigfoot is found in North America. Both the European and Asian cultures created traditions based around the concept of dragons - a mythical, scaly, serpentine creature. Aboriginal culture also had its mythical creatures which varied from region to region, however one mythical creature which was common to many indigenous groups across the country was the bunyip. Known by various names (bunyip, kianpraty, katenpai, wawee, tooroodun), there were as many different descriptions of bunyips as there were names for it and each was different from the other. There was agreement that the bunyip was a large, aquatic creature which emitted a terrifying moan. However, one description was of an emu-like creature, whilst another had it with a tusk, teeth and feet like fins. It could have scales, fur or smooth skin.
To the European settlers who had recently arrived in the country, the concept of a bunyip must have been terrifying. They were in a land filled with animals which had been totally unimaginable only a few decades earlier - kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, platypus, a multitude of poisonous snakes, spiders and sea creatures and of course, crocodiles in the north, so the idea of a fearsome creature which lived in the rivers, lakes, swamps, billabongs and lagoons of this new country did not seem so far-fetched as it does today.

Drawing of a bunyip at "Barwon Lakes" near
Geelong, 1845

It is not surprising then, that the Wathaurong also had an established tradition of bunyip stories and sightings and naturally, several of these centred around the Barwon River. The first reported use of the word bunyip in and Australian newspaper was in 1845 when the Geelong Advertiser reported that a "wonderful new animal" had been discovered when a local indigenous man identified a fossilised bone as that of a bunyip. He claimed to have seen the creature and a tale was also told of an Aboriginal woman killed by a bunyip. When asked to describe the bunyip, he told of a part-bird, part-crocodile with an emu's head and a long bill. Its body was that of the crocodile or alligator and when in water it swam, whilst on land it walked on its hind legs, measuring about 12 to 13 feet. Interestingly, it was stated that the bunyip's preferred method of dispatch was to hug its victim to death. Another man showed deep scarring on his chest, also - he said - the work of a bunyip whilst it was also reported in the article that a "bunyip attack" took place on the river in South Geelong where the punts crossed back and forth. It was claimed that a local woman - the preferred prey of the bunyip - was taken in the river at this point.
However, not everyone was convinced that bunyips really existed. Some alternate explanations included seals which had found their way into inland rivers, fugitive humans hiding out in swamps, freshwater crocodiles or perhaps even a particularly large eel. If the latter is true, then I have seen a bunyip myself - by the Breakwater, dangling off the end of the rod of an elderly Greek fisherman. And an impressive size it was too!

Duck-billed dinosaur

As early as 1871 it was suggested that the bunyip was in fact an indigenous cultural memory of Australia's extinct megafauna with long dead bones being identified as those of bunyips. Gradually, as more people began to doubt the existence of bunyips, they slowly became a source of ridicule. It is from this we have terms like "bunyip aristocracy", used in 1853 to denigrate the idea of an hereditary peerage for Australia. Across the 20th century, the bunyip continued its transformation from fearsome monster to a wise and friendly creature used to impart wisdom to children - a far cry from the terrifying beast used to deter small children from wandering off into the bush or drowning in rivers and waterholes.

Nor was it only the Wathaurong who claimed to have seen bunyips in the Geelong region. William Buckley, the escaped convict who lived with the Wathaurong around the Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula during the first decades of the 19th century also claimed to have seen a bunyip on several occasions. In his 1852 memoirs he recounted that bunyips were to be found in Lake Modewarre (no doubt terrifying the poor musk ducks after whom the lake is named) and that they were common in the Barwon. Whilst he never saw a complete bunyip he claimed on several occasions to have seen the back of one in the water which was covered in dusky grey feathers.

Bunyip Pool, Barwon River

The local connection to bunyips was also reflected in the name of the last full-blooded man from the Barrabool clan of the Wathaurong. Waurn Bunyip who was also known as King Billy, died in 1885. He was named for the bunyip seen by his father on the day of his son's birth. In more recent times, the renaming of the "Devil's Pool" at Buckley's Falls to the "Bunyip Pool" after consultation with the local Wathaurong community also reflects the indigenous connection to the bunyip legend.

Whilst the bunyip was very real both to the Wathaurong and to the white inhabitants of Geelong during the 19th century, this was also true of the wider community and is reflected in place names across the country. The towns of Bunyip and Tooradin, the BunyipWaa in New South Wales all reflect this belief.