As some of you will know I’m pretty much “head down” in all my spare time right now working on my latest manuscript.
Over Easter however, I took a road trip to the Western Districts of Victoria, ending in the town of Wannon, about 15 kilometres west of Hamilton. You’ll have to wait for my next book to know why I was there but on the way there and back home I learned a lot.
I went there pretty directly on the Hamilton Highway mainly because I wanted to get there quickly and take a look at a few of the smaller towns that are on the highway. I chose to come home the other way, via the Glenelg Highway because that was the main route the Squatters and Pastoralists of early Victoria (Port Phillip) took.
What I found along the way was not only a little surprising but very heartening. There is an active and vibrant historical community out there that not only recognises the history of the region and the specific towns but also celebrates it. Before leaving I already knew that places like Fyansford and Inverleigh had active communities and societies that had posted signs, plaques and information about their towns. The ones in Fyansford are a little old and tired now but the idea is there. Inverleigh has some good information and have even produced a flyer to use in a walk around the town.
Further afield though, I saw that places such as Derrinallum, Hamilton, Wannon, Wickliffe, Streatham, Skipton and Rokewood had all done something. When I stopped in a number of these places the locals were not only extremely friendly but helpful for the visitor and historian. In a lot of these towns there are signs down the main street (usually the Highway but not always) that mark specific places or events. The state of the signs varies, most are excellent but some are in need of attention. At Wickliffe I had to get water and a rag from the car to clean a number so I could read them!
It was a great day and not only did I achieve what I set out to (thanks to some locals in Wannon) I also had the pleasant surprise of learning that others appreciate and understand what it is we have around us.
So next time you’re out and about – take a look around, you never know what you’ll find!
Until the next installment.
