SWAN HILL

On March 4, 1891 the Guardian carried the story Mr. Taverner, MLA (Swan Hill) travelling to Sydney to make negotiations with the NSW Government for construction of the bridge. After several years of discussions and letter writing by Swan Hill, Castle Donnington, Balranald and Wakool Shire Councils, as well as district progress committees, the construction of the bridge was given the go ahead.The official opening of Swan Hill Bridge on December 2, 1896, was an occasion of great rejoicing for Swan Hill and district residents.

The Guardian on April 18, 1939, reported on the "shocking" state of the bridge. It was reported that if urgent repairs were not carried out immediately, then a serious accident was imminent."The main stringers which hold the bridge were in a deplorably rotten condition - badly split and cracked throughout. Most of the covering planks were so rotten they would not even make decent firewood"

The Guardian, Centenary Souvenir Edition, Friday, August 12, 1988, p.38.

The Guardian believed that through its reporting and investigation of the state of the bridge, that they had prevented a major disaster from occurring. Urgent repairs were carried out soon after the report.

On the weekend of the 7th / 8th February 1998, the 101 year old Swan Hill Murray River Bridge suffered severe structural damage. It is believed that an unauthorised vehicle carrying farm machinery caused the damage. The deck of the bridge is supported temporarily with a Bailey Bridge which was in place within two to three weeks after the incident. A 25 tonne load limit was place on the bridge whilst the Bailey Bridge was constructed. Work on the bridge is still taking place in August 1998.

If the bridge was to be replaced at the present time, it is estimated that it would cost $12 million. (Source: Guardian Wed., Feb. 11, 1998 p.3).

Major Thomas (later Lt. Col. Sir Thomas) Mitchell, surveyor-General of N.S.W. He led four expeditions of exploration and carried out surveys of Eastern Australia.

It was on his third expedition that led him down the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers that he passed through the present site of Swan Hill.

Major Thomas Mitchell was the first white explorer to pass through the Swan Hill area. Whilst camped on the banks of the Murray (today Riverside Park), he was kept awake by the loud trumpeting of many black swans. Near by was a hill, and in his diary he named this part of Victoria, Swan Hill .

Not only did Major Mitchell discover Swan Hill, he showed the way to it for the adventurous settlers who followed the Major’s line .

The official seal of the city of Swan Hill carries a fine head of the explorer with his own motto "I excel with the help of God",

On 21 of June 1836, Mitchell wrote in his diary: "I therefore named this isolated and remarkable feature Swan Hill"....

The giant Morton Bay Fig is considered to be the largest of its kind in Australia. It was planted by the famous explorers Burke and Wills before leaving Swan Hill on their historic journey to the Gulf of Carpentaria, with its tragic end at Coopers Creek. The explorers were guests of Dr. Gummow who lived on this site. He was Swan Hill’s first doctor.

INTERESTING TREE STATISTICS

HEIGHT:- 27.43m

BRANCH SPREAD:- 44.5m

DIAMETER OF TRUNK:- 3.6m

ROOT SPREAD ABOVE GROUND:- 13m

Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills were two explorers who set out to find a practical route from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Burke was a Superintendent of Police for the Castlemaine district at the time. Prior to this, he was a military officer who was brave and enterprising.

Wills was a skilled surveyor and an enthusiastic scientist. They left from Royal Park, Melbourne on 20th August 1860, and reached Swan Hill on the 6th September 1860. The party consisted of seventeen other men including three Indian camel drivers.

"Swan Hill at that time consisted of 12 houses, little more than shacks. However, people came from miles around to welcome the explorers, and after the camels had been unloaded a public dinner was given in the explorers’ honour.

The following morning a thick-set tattooed ex-sailor knocked on the back door of the Lower Murray Inn where Burke was staying."

Leyden, Peter. The Tragic Journey of Burke and Wills Vol.20 Pictorial Social Studies, p10. n.d.

His name was Charles Gray.Charles Gray joined the expedition in Swan Hill. He was a sailor, and was seen as a valuable addition with his skills of using a compass, as a bushman and a negotiator with the aboriginals.

A plaque by the Murray states:

TO COMMEMORATE THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST TWO PADDLE-STEAMERS TO NAVIGATE THE MURRAY RIVER FROM GOOLWA TO SWAN HILL, ARRIVING ON SEPTEMBER, 17TH, 1853. CAPTAIN FRANCIS CADELL IN THE P.S. "LADY AUGUSTA" AND CAPTAIN WILLIAM RANDELL IN THE P.S "MARY ANN" PIONEERED A SYSTEM OF RIVER TRANSPORT THAT WAS TO BECOME THE LIFE-LINE OF THE SETTLERS OF THE MURRAY- DARLING RIVER SYSTEM

Randell and Cadell

The South Australian Government offered 4,000 pounds in 1850 to the first two iron steamers to navigate from Goolwa to the Darling River Junction.

Cadell was very interested in this challenge, so he obtained a promise from the South Australian Government to pay him 2,500 pounds if he navigated the Murray.

Randell planned to freight flour close to the gold diggings, but, his first venture in February 1853 failed due to the low river. Even though he had little experience using a steamboat and was just as short of knowledge on the Murray River waters, Captain Randell was determined to collect the prize.

Unaware Randell had made a start, Cadell set sail from Goolwa with much ‘pomp and circumstance’ leaving South Australian Governor Sir Hennery on board P.S Lady Augusta (named after Sir Hennery’s wife).

The barge Eureka, with its 100 tons capacity, was towed behind the Lady Augusta to collect the cargo of produce that Cadell had been promised on his earlier voyage.

The two Captains were unaware of each other for some time, but once they realised, there was much competition. The lead changed several times as each stopped to get fuel for their fires.

The race was won by Cadell and PS Lady Augusta arriving in Swan Hill on September 17, 1853, with Randell pulling into the bank 4 hours later.

Paddle Steamers

The Pyap

The ‘Pyap’ was built in 1896 at Mannum for the Oliver Brothers. She was constructed of wood and iron and had a ten horse-power steam engine.

The ‘Pyap’ was brought by Eudunda Farmers CO-operative Stores of South Australia and was used as a floating store, travelling some 300 miles each week and selling to settlers and settlements along the Murray River. She was set out as a shop, having a counter, store and separate drapery section of the lower rear deck. Crews quarters were in cabins on the upper deck.

Eudunda Farmers sold the boat to Les Newitt, who took her up river for woodcutting and fishing.

When Toby Henson bought the Pyap at Mildura, he installed a Fergurson tractor engine in the hold and brought it to Swan Hill where, at the Pioneer Settlement, it was placed in a landlocked pool and restoration work commenced. Toby rehulled the ‘Pyap’ with steel, installed a diesel motor and replaced the decking with polished red gum. The original lines and shape of the boat were retained.

The P.S. ‘Pyap’ now operates out of Pioneer Settlement, taking tourists on one hour cruises twice daily, down the Marraboor River (Little Murray River) and up the Murray River, passing Murray Downs Homestead and returning to the Settlement.

The paddle steamer Gem was built in 1876 at Moama for Elliott Randall. Randall decided, to use her as a barge.

On her first journey towed behind the P.S Pearl she took 22 tons down the Murray and the Darling to the junction of these rivers.

Early in 1877, she was fitted out as a steamer and for the next 5 years operated as a cargo boat. At this time, she was 93 feet and 5 inches in length and had a beam of 20 feet and 5 inches. The engine was made in Ballarat by Dauey Bros.

The Gem

The paddle steamer Gem was sold twice up to 1882, when she was owned by W and R Ried and Captain Hugh King. The P.S Gem was cut in half across the beam , dragged apart by bullock teams and lengthened by 40 feet [ built in the mid section]. Her new dimension 133 feet 7 inches by 20 feet 8 inches.

In 1962 Paddle steamer Gem was purchased by the Swan Hill Folk Museum for $2000. In 1962-63 P.S Gem was towed to Swan Hill.

The Pioneer Settlement in Swan Hill has called in Australia’s foremost paddle steamer shipwright to restore the deteriorated Gem steamer.

Andrew Cook, who learnt his trade in Echuca, will spend the next year restoring the Gem’s structural integrity and replanking and caulking the hull to make it river-worthy.

The project, worth $ 395,000, is stage one of a long-term and as yet non-specific to rejuvenate the paddle steamer.

The water tower was constructed because of the increasing population in the town and district. The water supply for stock and domestic purposes became a critical issue. Because of the huge drought in 1902 the government was stimulated and took action, resulting in the formation of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission. Shortly afterwards the beginnings of a permanent water supply was established for the Mallee area via the Long Lake Scheme.

In Swan Hill itself, the first red brick water tower which still stands today was constructed in 1883 on the banks of the Murray River. Built by a contractor named Edward’s, this well built edifice with it’s arched windows and circular interior stairway was topped by a solid iron water tank. Water was pumped out of the river and into the top of the tower by a wood-fired steam engine, and the then flowed by gravitation to surrounding businesses and private residences. One task that Alfred Wm. Stutley had when he purchased the P.S. Little Ruby around 1909 was to carry wood to the Swan Hill Water Tower Pump.

About 13 tons could be carried per trip for that purpose. Alf’s son often used to wag school to accompany his father on river trips.

The second tower was built in 1902 at the corner of Splat and McCallum street’s to better service the town of Swan Hill. This was also a brick construction which is still standing today.