Australian National Botanic Gardens Kialla.
This sandy area beside the Goulburn River was established as a communistic style village settlement in 1893 by the Victorian government. Unemployed people were invited to join the commune to develop and work the land communally. Like the scheme in SA it failed after a few years despite fruit orchards being established. Most village settlers eventually moved. In the 1920s the area was used for sand quarrying. Later this area was the rubbish dump for Shepparton but in 2000 it was developed as a botanic garden for Australian plants. The nearby town of Kialla pre-dated the village settlement. It began to grow around 1874 as Shepparton grew. By 1900 Kialla had two schools, two hotels and Catholic and Methodist Churches. In recent decades it has been developed as residential housing estates. The actual site of the Botanic Gardens was closed as a rubbish dump in 1987 and then was land filled. The site was selected in 2011 and the gardens cover 22 hectares with specialised areas such as the wetlands (noted for its bird life), the childrens garden, the turtle garden, the weaving garden, the refugee’s garden and the migrant’s garden. There is a lookout on the man mad hill and billabong walks near the Broken River which joins the Goulburn River nearby.
Shepparton Heritage Centre. The Heritage Centre is in the city’s oldest still standing building. Erected in 1873 as the Institute Hall it later became the Foresters Hall. Foresters were felling River Red Gums along the Goulburn River once the riverboat trade began in 1854 from Echuca. The old 1850s wharf in Shepparton was near this Museum. After the paddle steamer era the river course was changed when the river was dammed to create Lake Victoria in 1929. The current museum and old wharf are located where a punt crossed the Goulburn River and where the government established the animal pound and a government presence in 1853. The Emu Bush Inn also operated here. From around 1850 the locality was called McGuire’s Punt which was changed to Shepparton in 1860. Explorers and cattle overlanders Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney camped near here in 1838 when they set off along the Goulburn and Murray rivers to be the first to overland stock to Adelaide. A second wharf was constructed in 1880 near the museum. Shepparton was one of the early inland ports. Shepparton Council purchased this hall in 1969 and the museum opened here in 1972. The museum houses the Family History Group and has reference materials and photographic displays of lost Shepparton. Their prize items include the old clock from the 1882 Post Office tower. They have changing exhibitions but the main interest is in the photographic record contained here. The Historical Centre is hoping to one day rebuilt a replica of the old 1882 Post Office! The buildings themselves that contain the collection are of significant historical value. You can see a Furphy’s water cart here, 19th century carriages and historic items from prams to printing press and tractors to old telephones.
Some historical buildings in Shepparton beginning with the Catholic Church in Knight St.
•The first St Brendan’s Church built in 1878 was later destroyed by fire in January 1900. The new red brick St Brendan’s opened in November 1900. Next to it is a huge Edwardian presbytery. The convent is now Notre Dame College and across the street is the Catholic School which began in 1891 but the main building was not built until 1916. It was run by the Sisters of Mercy from 1902 and their two storey convent was built in 1917. Turn around towards the town centre and turn left at Maude Street.
•Near McKinley St. The new Anglican Church was built in 1925 and the narthex or front entrance foyer added in 1986. The first brick Anglican Church was built elsewhere in town in 1882.
•At 112 Maude St is a fine Edwardian Arts and Crafts villa house on the corner. Built in 1927 by the style of the house. It has terracotta tiled roof, half hipped gables etc. At end of Edward St. 141 Maude. The former Methodist Church which is now the Uniting Church. First church built in 1878 and then moved to this site. This church was built in 1908 with additions made in 1934.
•179 Maude on corner of Fryers St. The Aussie Hotel was the Australian. Built as the Union Hotel in 1897.Turn left into Fryers Street here as the Maude Street Mall begins.
•120 Fryers Street. The Baptist Church bought the site of the town’s first flourmill in 1901. The church was built in 1904. The first Baptist services were held elsewhere in 1882.
•140 Fryers St across the street is the former Presbyterian or Scots church. Now painted white with its tower. It was built in 1888 but services began in 1878.The transept was added in 1905 but the tower was only added in 1964. The church hall was built in 1902. Turn left at this intersection into Corio Street. At the next main intersection with a roundabout is:
Elsewhere in town:
• The old Shepparton High School is at 71 Hawdon St. It opened in 1909 as the Shepparton Agricultural High School in Fryers St. It moved to the Hawdon Street site when this building opened in 1929 and the name was changed to Shepparton High School.
•The fine old railway station is at the end of Vaughan Street. The original 1880 station burnt down and was replaced by this building in 1910.
•The 1939 Art Deco style Courthouse still remains intact at 10 High Street. The first Courthouse was built in 1881. Few Art Deco Courthouses were built in Australia.
• At 212 High Street is the Art Deco Terminus Hotel near the railway station. It opened in 1885 but was remodelled in Art Deco style in 1938. Across the street the Goulburn Valley Hotel was licenced from 1885. It was remodelled in a less pleasing Art Deco style in 1928.
•47 Wyndham St. It is worth the walk to see the Alexander Miller Memorial Homes. Scottish born Geelong shopkeeper Alexander Miller later had stores in Shepparton, Euroa, Benalla etc. He donated the money to build these homes in 1919 for the poor. He had died in 1914 but left instruction in his will for their construction. Also homes in Rushworth, Benalla, Europa, St Arnaud, Castlemaine, Geelong & Maryborough.
Posted by denisbin on 2022-02-28 22:44:39
Tagged: , Shepparton , Garden Art , High , SChool St , Brendans , Catholic , Convent
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