The Deviation revisited

Several years ago I looked at a little of the history of Deviation Road, Fyansford then, whilst researching a recent post I came across further details which revealed the politics behind what became a 22 year battle to have the road constructed. Here's what I found:

Prior to 1933, the most direct way to travel from Fyansford to Geelong was via Hyland St up the steep, 1 in 10 grade of Fyansford Hill. Hauling drays up the hill required the harnessing of extra horses, just to make the climb and the heavy braking by vehicles travelling downhill caused damage to the road's surface. The steep incline was also susceptible to erosion during bad weather.

Aerial image of the Cement Works and Fyansford Hill prior to the construction
of Deviation Rd, dated (incorrectly) as 1939. Image by Charles Daniel Pratt,
State Library of Victoria

By 1911, an alternative route was being promoted by Councillor McCann of the Corio Shire, one which was slightly shorter but most significantly had a gradient of only 1 in 20. The total cost, including land purchases, was estimated at £1,500 (Geelong Advertiser, 30th November, 1911). The benefits would include easier access for Geelong to the bluestone and sand deposits in the Fyansford area whilst the journey would also be significantly easier for travellers and companies bringing produce into town. By February, 1912, the shire engineers of both the Shire of Corio and City of Geelong were in agreement that the project would be a significant improvement on the existing road. The surveyor for the Shire of Newtown and Chilwell agreed.
By April, 1914 (Geelong Advertiser, 30th April, 1914) four prospective routes had been proposed. The first was merely an upgrade of the existing route up Hyland St, whilst two other options also saw the road rerouted from the end of Fyansford Rd (now Autumn St) at the top of the hill. The fourth and preferred scheme, not only provided breath-taking views of the valley, but also provided the most direct route between Geelong and Fyansford as well as eliminating the need for several right angle turns. It was also the most expensive route, now estimated at £7,000.
At this point, the outbreak of war intervened and it was not until 1919, that the required land had been purchased and the route pegged out. As always seems to be the case when multiple parties are involved however, progress on building The Deviation stalled. On 2nd June, 1921, the Geelong Advertiser reported that Corio Shire was (understandably) reluctant to carry the sole cost of construction. In November 1923, Geelong West Council objected to the financial burden of the project (to be divided amongst various shires and councils) which it saw as having little benefit for its own town (Geelong Advertiser, 1st November, 1923).
By July, 1924, the longer, more picturesque route from the end of Aberdeen St had been accepted as the preferred option and on 4th July, the Geelong Advertiser published the below map of what the new road would look like. (Note also, "Valley Rd" descending from the top of proposed Deviation to the river below. Traces of this older road can still be found today.)

Proposed deviation from Fyansford to Aberdeen St, Newtown (Geelong Advertiser,
4th July, 1924)

By this time, suggestions were circulating that day labour in the form of returned solders from the First World War could be used to build the road, keeping costs to a minimum.
As with many major projects, politics was also a burning issue. In July, 1924, a stoush was brewing between the Nationalist Member for Barwon Edward Morley - in whose seat the road lay - and Labour Member for Geelong, William Brownbill. The latter was deemed guilty of a breach of etiquette when he intervened in the matter, approaching the acting chairman of the Country Roads Board to discuss funding and the use of day labour for the project.

A young William Brownbill. Image taken from the
Parliament of Victoria website

By 1925 steps were being taken to secure finance which would allow the extension of Aberdeen St past Minerva Rd to the top of the proposed deviation, however objection to even this measure was raised by one Louis Melville Whyte of 'The Heights', subject of one of my recent posts. Whyte - some of whose land had been compulsorily acquired by the CRB - was now being levied by the
Newtown and Chilwell Council who had stepped in after the CRB declined to build the extension, to contribute to the cost of building the new road. He argued successfully (see the above post) that as a previous, rather than current owner, he could not then be charged for construction of what he claimed would be an under-utilised dead end road (Geelong Advertiser, 12th August, 1926).
Regardless, progress did continue, albeit slowly. In May, 1926 it was reported that the line surveyed by the CRB for The Deviation in about 1914 was about 18 feet south of the line of Aberdeen St, which if not fixed would have left a kink in the road once it was finally constructed (Geelong Advertiser, 24th May, 1926).
A further hurdle was faced by the unfortunate surveyor for Newtown and Chilwell Council who, when needing to take the new levels, was confronted by an angry bull. The council resolved to have the unnamed owner remove the animal whilst the surveyor was on site (Geelong Advertiser, 6th July, 1926). The issue with Whyte was finally resolved in his favour with the council ordered to pay costs in August, 1927 (The Age, 23rd August, 1927).
And so it continued. By the middle of 1930, construction still had not begun as wrangling over finances continued. In June, the shires of Bannockburn, Corio, Geelong, Geelong West and Leigh sent a deputation to the Minister for Works, asking the government to undertake the project, once again citing local employment as a benefit, however the government were unimpressed with the lack of funding offered by the respective councils (The Age, 25th June, 1930).
During August, the councils continued pushing to have the earthworks for the project funded from the Government's unemployment fund. By early 1931 however, these issues were sorted and 80 unemployed Geelong men were selected to begin work on 9th February. A few months later, an article in the Weekly Times (11th April, 1931) noted that workmen had discovered numerous fossils ranging in size from tiny shells to the bones of "huge beasts".
In May the following year and with construction well under way, beautification works were being undertaken in the form of tree planting. On the 14th June, commemorative trees (does anyone know where?) were planted by Alderman William Brownbill, the mayor of Newtown and Chilwell and the President of the Shire of Corio.
Finally on 28th April, 1933 a short paragraph in The Age noted that "the new Fyansford deviation road, which has been formed with cement penetration, has been opened to traffic."

The Deviation, 2016 from Button Hill, Fyansford

Finally, after 22 years of delays, politicking, legal proceedings and financial wrangling, Deviation Rd, Fyansford was completed. Today, it remains the main entry point to Geelong from the Hamilton Hwy and still provides one of the most scenic views of the Barwon River; a view which has been painted, sketched and photographed from the earliest days of European settlement.

Installing art on Redgum Island

Last Sunday, along with a number of other community members, I attended an event on Redgum Island at Fyansford to acknowledge the installation of a new artwork.

Sunday morning's event

For those who don't know, Redgum Island is the piece of land which lies at the confluence of the Moorabool and Barwon Rivers. It is divided from the rest of the land between the two rivers by a small ana-branch - a rivulet of only a few hundred metres which branches off the Barwon below Buckley Falls, joining the Moorabool to the south of Fyansford Common.
This little island has been significant to generations of locals for thousands of years. The original Wathaurong inhabitants referred to the area as "Bukar Bulac" the place between two rivers. They set up eel traps along the ana-branch, fished in the rivers, harvested the native flora and hunted along the riverbanks. With the arrival of European settlers, the island was used for farming, with extensive clearing The the native vegetation taking place.
In 1885, the island formed part of a 17 acre block of land which was purchased by William Francis Ducker, a former mayor of Geelong, businessman and one of the main backers of the neighbouring Barwon Paper Mill. The land continued to be used for farming purposes until as recently as the 1980s and whilst little of the original flora has survived, one of the spectacular River Red Gums for which the island is named did and can still be seen today at the northern end of the island.

The large River Red Gum at the north end of Redgum Island

In the early 1980s, after protracted negotiations between local council and the Geelong Environment Council largely driven by Tony Woolford, a land swap was arranged which saw Redgum Island pass into public ownership. It was Tony who then became the driving force behind The Friends of Buckley Falls group who for the last thirty years have been responsible for the revegetation of the riparian strip along the Barwon from the Geelong Ring Road to Queen's Park. In recent years, the lower reaches of the Moorabool River have also become part of their brief. Over the years, the members of the Friends of Buckley Falls have spent many thousands of hours planting, weeding, cleaning up and reclaiming the land along the banks of the two rivers, including Redgum Island, which today bears little resemblance to the farmland it once was.

This aerial shot of Fyansford c1920s shows most of Redgum Island lying
between the two rivers towards the bottom right of the picture. Image held by
the State Library of Victoria

The artwork which was the focus of our attention on Sunday is a collaborative effort conceived by the Friends of Buckley Falls and the City of Greater Geelong and designed by Mark Trinham and Glenn Romanis of Concept Design, Sculpture and Paving. The dry stone wall was erected by David Long and landscape design was undertaken by Gill Mexted.
Carved from a single piece of reclaimed River Red Gum timber, the seat and pole reflect elements of the flora and fauna found on Redgum Island. The birds represented are the Lorikeet and the Swift Parrot which rely on the River Red Gums and other plants found along the rivers for food and shelter. The leaves of the gum also form part of the sculpture. The accompanying seat shows two of the endangered species of native fish - the Southern and Yarra Pygmy Perch - which are found in the two rivers.

The artwork on Redgum Island

The basalt plains which are so dominant in the landscape through which both rivers flow, are represented by the basalt dry stone wall which partially encloses the work and by the paving which surrounds the wooden structures. The pavement, constructed from basalt and slate depicts a map of the region. Both the Moorabool and Barwon Rivers are shown flowing to their confluence with Redgum Island nestled between them.
A sign at the site provides a more detailed description of the installation and the surrounding environment:

The island and the art. Click to enlarge

For those who wish to visit, the art installation is only a short walk from the carparks on Fyansford Common (crossing the footbridge over the Moorabool, then that over the ana-branch) or from the end of the walking track on Lower Paper Mills Rd. A slightly longer walk from the lower carpark at Buckley Falls (about 1km) or from Queen's Park Bridge (about 1.7km), crossing the Barwon opposite the Queen's Park Golf Course takes in views of the river and The Deviation on Fyansford Hill. After crossing the bridge a short detour across the grass to the northern tip of the island will bring you to the remnant Red Gum whilst the path leads to the artwork and the bridge over the ana-branch.

Paddling the Barwon - Part 2

In the first part of this post, I gave brief descriptions of the sections of the river which I have paddled up to this point in time.

On the Barwon, January, 2013

Below is a table giving details of the various points along the river from which it is possible to launch small water craft such as kayaks and the type of access involved. I have also included links to a photo of each location.

Access Points	Approximate GPS Co-ordinates	Distance to next access	Comments
Inverleigh Bell’s Bridge, Inverleigh-Winchelsea Rd, Inverleigh	S38 º 6.792’ E144 º 3.787’	16.2km	Access from the north bank via dirt track about 200m downstream of Bell’s Bridge
Murgheboluc Hamilton Hwy, Murgheboluc	S38 º 6.654’ E144 º 8.459’	8.2km	Steep bank access. Entry via 400m grassed laneway to the north bank behind “please shut the gate” sign opposite Murgheboluc Public Reserve, Hamilton Hwy, Murgheboluc
Pollocksford Bridge Pollocksford Rd, Gnarwarre	S38 º 8.627’ E144 º 11.206’	1.8km	Access from the east bank via a rutted track to a small weir about 150m north of the bridge
Stonehaven Dear’s Lane, Stonehaven	S38 º 8.427’ E144 º 14.713’	9.9km	Steep bank access via dirt track from the end of Dear’s Lane, Stonehaven
Merrawarp Rd Bridge Merrawarp Rd, Barrabool (Ceres)	S38 º 8.496’ E144 º 15.750’	5.7km	Steep access to the south bank adjacent to the west side of the bridge via rough access track (approx. 200m)
Ceres Track off Gully Rd, Ceres	S38 º 8.749’ E144 º 16.081’	640m	Access via shallow bank. Entry via 550m gravel track from Gully Rd, however permission is required
Baum’s Weir Cnr Cyril Synot Dve and Degoldi’s Rd, Fyansford.	S38 º 8.946’ E144 º 17.995’	5.1km	Access via 200m gravel track to parking area. River entry from concrete-paved slipway or timber deck
Fyansford Common Moorabool River west bank, Fyansford Common, Fyansford	S38 º 8.672’ E144 º 18.691’	2.4km	Access to the Moorabool about 450m upstream from the confluence with the Barwon via a paved slipway. Portage of around 150m required from nearest parking
Fyans Park Fyans Park boat ramp, Cnr Gairloch and West Fyans St	S38 º 9.389’ E144 º 19.280’	2.6km	Concrete ramp access adjacent to parking
Newtown Marnockvale Rd, Newtown	S38 º 9.893’ E144 º 19.970’	2km	Access via timber deck adjacent to the Geelong Canoe Club facilities
South Geelong Rowing sheds, Barwon Tce, South Geelong Or Boat ramp, Barrabool Rd, Belmont	S38 º 9.930’ E144 º 21.261’	1.9km	Access either from the deck at the rowing sheds (north bank) or ramp access from opposite bank (access via Barrabool Rd)
Breakwater Gun Dog Lane, Breakwater Upstream Downstream	S38 º 10.906’ E144 º 21.861’	1.9km*	Upstream access from timber deck adjacent to road bridge (west bank). Downstream access from the west bank below the bridge
St Alban’s Park Wilson’s Rd, St Alban’s Park	S38 º 12.076’ E144 º 23.140’	3.7km	Access from the bank adjacent to the Geelong Water Ski Club at the end of Wilson’s Rd
Lake Connewarre Tait’s Point, Stacey’s Rd, Connewarre Or Brinsmead’s Lane, Leopold	S38 º 14.217’ E144 º 25.776’ S38 º 12.927’ E144 º 28.922’	7.4km (5.2km from Tait’s Point)	Access via concrete-paved boat ramp or pontoon, end of Stacey’s Rd Shallow bank access via steep track from the end of Brinsmead’s Lane
Barwon Heads River Parade, Barwon Heads Or Ocean Grove Jetty, cnr Peer’s Cres and Guthridge St, Ocean Grove Or Barwon Heads/Ocean Grove foreshore	S38 º 15.922’ E144 º 29.795’ S38 º 15.774’ E144 º 30.475’ S38 º 16.884’ E144 º 29.682’	11.2km	Access via boat ramp, River Parade on the west bank  Boat ramp access from carpark Beach access from either side of the river at Barwon Heads/Ocean Grove

Of course, there are other locations from which it is possible to launch small craft, however they either do not have close enough vehicle access, are on private property or there is another suitable access point with better facilities nearby. For example, it is possible to launch from the decks near the bridge at Queen's Park, but the boat ramp at Fyans Park is within 1km of the bridge and provides easier access to the river.

River access points plotted o Google Earth. Click to enlarge

The first part of this post can be found at Paddling the Barwon - Part 1. Happy paddling everyone!

Paddling the Barwon - Part 1

Several times over the years, I have been asked for advice on paddling on the Barwon; what are the conditions like? Where are the best spots to paddle? Where to launch? How deep/shallow is the water? So I thought it might be a good idea to give a brief description of the sections I have paddled to date and to add a few photos for demonstration purposes.
Before paddling however, it is worth knowing what conditions are like on the day. Below is a table listing some potentially helpful websites:

Useful Links
Waterways Guide	Information: paddling conditions (Inverleigh to Barwon Heads) rapid grades (if any) current river heights some river access points safety information including weather conditions, fire danger estimated paddle times* tips on safe paddling practises
Bureau of Meteorology	Weather information and river heights
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority	Event details and river closures
Geelong Water Ski Club	Event details and river closures
WillyWeather TidesChart	Barwon Heads tide times
Game Management Authority	Victorian duck hunting dates and locations

* paddling times may vary depending on river height in some sections

Over the past four years at one time or another I have paddled most sections of the river from about 1km upstream of Bell's Bridge, Inverleigh, downstream to Barwon Heads. At this point, I have not attempted to paddle further upstream and am not sure how far the river remains navigable by kayak. Below is a brief description of each section I paddled as I have found it at the time.

Inverleigh to Pollocksford

From Bell's Bridge for about 2km downstream to a small weir the river is relatively clear of obstructions and easy to paddle with no rapids.

Above the weir, November, 2014

Below the weir conditions vary, with rocky, reed-lined sections interspersed with long stretches of clear water. During periods of low flow, regular portage is necessary, sometimes for a few hundred metres.

April, 2016

We did not encounter any significant rapids. Higher water levels would reduce the portage required but increase the number and size of rapids encountered (grade II to III according to the Waterways Guide). The guide also estimates a travel time of around 4-5 hours. With low water levels (April, 2016) we took 6 hours to cover the distance from Bell's Bridge to Murgheboluc - around 8km short of Pollocksford.
With the exception of a vaguely-remembered paddle around 30 years ago, I have not paddled the section between Murgheboluc and Pollocksford, but expect it would be similar to the section immediately upstream.
The surrounding countryside is privately-owned farmland with a fringe of eucalypts lining the river.

Pollocksford to Merrawarp Rd

We paddled this section of the river - also with low water levels - in early 2013. Once again there were minimal to no rapids, however there were significant obstructions in the form of several dozen fallen trees which either impeded our progress or required us to carry the 'yaks either over or around them, significantly slowing our pace.

Low water levels downstream of Pollocksford, February, 2013

With higher water levels, many of the trees would be submerged, making for easier paddling, but I imagine some portage would still be required. Water levels varied between ankle-deep shallows and deep sections which were easy to paddle.

Lots of obstructions, February, 2013

I have regularly paddled the lower 2.5km of this section which is an easy paddle with minimal obstructions at any time of year. A further kilometre or more upstream of this is also a relatively easy
paddle, however low water levels do increase the number of obstructions. On the occasion we paddled this stretch we took about six hours to complete the trip.

February, 2013

During periods of low water flow, the river surface at some points can become clogged with Azolla, a surface-growing species of water fern, which can impede paddling. As with the previous section, the surrounding land is privately-owned land which has been cleared for farming purposes.

Azolla bloom above Merrawarp Rd, March, 2015

Merrawarp Rd to Baum's Weir

I have paddled this section of the river many times. Even when the river height is low, this section provides easy paddling with minimal obstructions in the form of fallen trees and branches - many of which are submerged. No portage is required at any stage.

Below Merrawarp Rd, February, 2015

Once again, during periods of low water flow Azolla blooms covering several hundred metres or more may slow paddling speed. As a general rule, I would take about an hour to paddle between the weir and the bridge.
It is not uncommon to see people fishing either from the bank or from kayaks on this section of the river and for some distance upstream of the Merrawarp Rd Bridge. Once again, the land to either side is mostly given to farming, with the Barrabool Hills rising above the south bank as you approach the Geoff Thom Bridge on the Geelong Ring Road.

Under the Barrabool Hills, September, 2014

From this point, the river enters the outskirts of Geelong and bare hills give way to houses and parkland.

Baum's Weir to Fyansford

Between the weir and Fyansford, the river flows over a basalt (bluestone) base and is generally shallow and rocky for a distance of about 1.5km. Much of the water is diverted into the water race constructed for the Barwon Paper Mill in the 1870s. Whilst the mill no longer uses it as a power supply, the water still runs via the race making levels on the river bed too low for convenient paddling at most times.

Bunyip Pool looking upstream, November, 2013

The exception is during periods of flooding when more experienced paddlers often brave the torrent which pours down over the weir and through Buckley Falls in order to ride the rapids. A second smaller weir also dams the flow of the river immediately upstream of the Bunyip Pool.

In flood. Looking upriver from the Bunyip Pool, January, 2011

I have not currently tackled this section, in part because there is pedestrian access along both banks throughout this section which is predominantly parkland.

Fyansford to Breakwater

This section of the river is wide and free of obstructions, its water level being regulated by the breakwater. Above Queen's Park there is little traffic however, below this point and particularly through the "rowing mile" the river is heavily used during much of the year for rowing, water skiing, dragon boating, canoeing and of course kayaking.

The Barwon above Queen's Park, September, 2014

During the summer months the river though Geelong is often closed to the public so that competitive water sports can be conducted. It is advisable to check opening times before paddling to avoid disappointment.

The "rowing mile" September, 2014

I would generally take around 1.5 hours to cover this distance. The land to either side is public property with a walking/cycling track forming a continuous circuit (about 18.5km) around this section of the river. In some sections houses and in others some industrial buildings overlook the river.

Breakwater to Tait's Point

Continuing downriver, portage is necessary to cross the breakwater  or it may be a convenient point to start or finish a paddle. About 1.75km downstream of the break is Goat Island where the river divides briefly around a small piece of land about 250m in length. The island is crossed by the Ovoid Sewer Aqueduct. Built between 1913 and 1916 to carry Geelong's sewage to an outfall at Black Rock, the now decommissioned pipe is in a dangerous state of disrepair and passage underneath - either on land or water - is prohibited, with buoy lines crossing both river channels either side of the aqueduct.

Near the Geelong Water Ski Club, January, 2013

A further 1.75km below the aqueduct are the club rooms of the Geelong Water Ski Club who hold events on this section of the river which may therefore also be subject to closure at certain times.
About 8km downstream of the breakwater is a second break, commonly called the Lower Breakwater for obvious reasons. Portage is necessary here also, however access to the west bank is relatively easy both above and below the break through gaps in the reeds at the river's edge.

River above the Lower Breakwater, January, 2013

From the Lower Break, the river continues through a formed channel for almost 2km before flowing into a branch at the western end of Lake Connewarre. Whilst finding the lake is easy when paddling down river, I recommend using a GPS and marking a waypoint or two at the mouth of the river channel (I do this at home using Google Earth as a guide), to make sure you can find the channel again coming back upstream. There are numerous nooks and crannies which can make finding the river channel quite tricky when heading upriver.

The Lower Breakwater, January, 2013

By this point, the river which at Breakwater flowed through light industrial and semi-rural farmland has become both tidal and saline. The tree cover found above Geelong is mostly absent and thanks to the breakwaters, the river is wider and deeper. Downstream of St Alban's Park, the river channel becomes mostly lined with reeds which block much of the view of the banks to either side. To the left is Reedy Lake which is not naturally accessible from the river and to the right is more farmland.
Below the Lower Break, the river channel is completely reed-lined with swamp to either side.
After entering the channel and the reeds, it is less than a kilometre across the narrow western-most branch of the lake to Tait's Point. The water level in the lake is naturally quite shallow in places depending on tides, meaning some portage through shallow water may be unavoidable. The lake bed is soft and muddy which further complicates the issue. I have it on good authority however, that a seal was seen as far upriver as the Lower Break, meaning that it is - under some circumstances at least - possible to cross the lake without resorting to lugging your vessel. In total I take about 3 hours to paddle this section.

Approaching Tait's Point, February, 2015

This part of the river also includes both the Lake Connewarre Wildlife Reserve and the Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve, meaning that game hunting is allowed along some parts of the river, Reedy Lake, Hospital Swamp and Lake Connewarre during duck hunting season (generally from the 3rd Saturday in March to the 3rd Saturday in June).

Tait's Point to Barwon Heads

The lowest section of the Barwon is quite different to the upper reaches, being a marine environment, with quite different bird life in evidence. Between Tait's Point and the river channel at the south east corner of the lake, the water level continues to be quite shallow in places.

Lake Connewarre, February, 2015

Where the lake flows once again into the river, there are numerous sandbars and small channels which make it difficult at ground level to see which is the correct path to take. Once again I would suggest pre-loading some waypoints into a GPS device to make it easier to find the river mouth at the bottom end of the lake.

Sandbar near the bottom of Lake Connewarre, February, 2015

Once back in the channel, the land to either side is flat, swampy and saline and the banks are increasingly lined with mangroves, however there are no obstructions and the water level is suitable for paddling. See also the above comments about duck hunting season.

Mangroves on the bank, October, 2014

More of a concern along this length of the river can be tide and wind conditions which can make paddling in either direction hard work. Check weather reports prior to going out.

Closer to Barwon Heads, there will be increased traffic as this part of the river is popular with those fishing from small motor boats and with occasional jet skiers. Once past the boat ramp on River Parade, there are channel markers along the river for the boating traffic. Outside the channel, the river rapidly becomes too shallow even for kayaks, with sandbars and mudflats blocking passage, particularly at low tide.

Once at Barwon Heads (a trip of around 2.75 hours), whilst it is possible to paddle past the bridge, caution should be exercised as the current can be strong, particularly with an outgoing tide. As you approach the river mouth, the water can also be quite choppy in windy weather.

Barwon Heads Bridge, October, 2014

In the second part to this post is a list of access points from which small craft such as kayaks and canoes can be launched. The post can be found at Paddling the Barwon - Part 2.