A History of Wilsons Promontory by J. Ros. Garnet WITH ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS BY TERRY SYNAN AND DANIEL CATRICE Published by the Victorian National Parks Association A History of Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia Published electronically by the Victorian National Parks Association, May 2009, at http://historyofwilsonspromontory.wordpress.com/ and comprising: • An Account of the History and Natural History of Wilsons Promontory National Park, by J. Ros. Garnet AM. • Wilsons Promontory – the war years 1939-1945, by Terry Synan. • Wilsons Promontory National Park after 1945 [to 1998], by Daniel Catrice. Cover design and book layout by John Sampson. Special thanks to Jeanette Hodgson of Historic Places, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria for obtaining the photos used in this book. On the cover the main photo is of Promontory visitors at Darby River bridge, c.1925. The bottom left picture shows visitors at the Darby Chalet, c.1925. To the right of that photo is a shot of field naturalist Mr Audas inspecting a grass- tree, c. 1912, and the bottom right photo is of a car stuck in sand near Darby Chalet, c.1928. © This publication cannot be reproduced without the consent of the Victorian National Parks Association. Victorian National Parks Association 3rd floor, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria - 3053. Website: www.vnpa.org.au Phone: 03 9347 5188 Fax: 03 9347 5199 Email: [email protected] 2 A History of Wilsons Promontory Contents Foreword by Victorian National Parks Association ................................................................ 5 Acknowledgements, Preface, Introduction by J. Ros. Garnet ........................................... 6-13 Chapter 1 The European Discovery of Wilsons Promontory ....................................... 14-21 Chapter 2 The Pastoral Runs of Wilsons Promontory ................................................. 22-29 Chapter 3 The Township of Seaforth, and Tin Mining .................................................30-35 Chapter 4 Botanical exploration, the Lighthouse and Skye Crofters ...........................36-43 Chapter 5 Land Subdivision, Surveys and Temporary Reserves ..................................44-53 Chapter 6 National Park Committee of Management .................................................54-63 Chapter 7 Biological Studies of the Prom – and Fires .................................................. 64-73 Chapter 8 Early Rangers and Visitors .......................................................................... 74-99 Chapter 9 Native Plants and Animals Introduced to the Prom ................................ 100-103 Chapter 10 Indigenous and Exotic Fauna of Wilsons Promontory ............................ 104-109 Chapter 11 Post-war History of the Prom – 1946 to 1963 ........................................ 110-121 Wilsons Promontory: the War Years 1939-1945, by Terry Synan ................................ 122-129 Wilsons Promontory National Park: 1946 to 1998, by Daniel Catrice ......................... 130-137 Contents 3 Wilsons Promontory National Park today. Map courtesy Parks Victoria. 4 A History of Wilsons Promontory Foreword by Victorian National Parks Association ohn Roslyn Garnet (1906– a later hand-written note that the chapter should be 1998), known as Ros., revised. He was unable to carry out this revision, and Jwas a scientist who had as the existing text would need considerable updating it a distinguished career with has been omitted. the Commonwealth Serum We hope to add a revised chapter on Aboriginal Laboratories. Through his history at a later date and wish to acknowledge the connection with the Field traditional owners of the Promontory (which was Naturalists Club of Victoria, known to Indigenous people as Yiruk or Wamoom), the he was one of the founders of importance of its many thousands of years of Aboriginal the Victorian National Parks Ros Garnet c. 1970. history, and the ongoing involvement of local Aboriginal Association (VNPA) and its communities with the national park. honorary secretary for 21 years Chapters on the geology and flora of the Prom have from its establishment in 1952. In 1982 he was also been omitted. The geology story has been partly awarded an Order of Australia (AM) for services to superseded by later research, and the flora material conservation. is included in Ros’s book The Wildflowers of Wilsons He had a particular interest in the flora, fauna and Promontory. human history of Wilsons Promontory National Park, The VNPA gratefully acknowledges the work of Leon one of Victoria’s most loved natural icons and the Costermans, who transcribed Ros. Garnet’s original southernmost part of the Australian mainland. Over typewritten text into digital text, and of Gwenyth several decades he researched the history of ‘the Prom’ Vivien, who carried out some preliminary editing and (as it is affectionately known to Victorians) and wrote correcting of the text. the text for a book on the subject which he completed in the early 1980s and hoped to publish. This did not We encourage readers who would like to help look eventuate, but the text has now been placed on the after Wilsons Promontory National Park to contact the web as a useful reference for anyone researching the Friends of the Prom, who carry out regular surveys and fascinating history of Wilsons Promontory and as a working bees in the park. See www.friendsoftheprom. tribute to Ros. org.au or phone (03) 9752 3846. More information about the Prom can be found on Parks Victoria’s In addition to Ros’s text, there is a history of Wilsons website www.parkweb.vic.gov.au. Promontory during the Second World War (1939-45) by teacher and historian Terry Synan, and an account Please note that the VNPA does not accept any by Daniel Catrice, formerly Historian with the Victorian responsibility or liability for omissions or errors of Department of Sustainability and Environment, of the fact or interpretation in the attached documents on Prom’s history from 1945 to 1998. The latter year was the history of Wilsons Promontory. Copyright in Ros. the centenary of the park’s establishment. Garnet’s History rests with the VNPA; copyright of the documents by Terry Synan and Daniel Catrice rests with Ros. Garnet’s text is reproduced in its original form the respective authors. with minor corrections of typing and grammatical errors but no revisions. Ros. did not record all the sources of For more information please see our website, his history and so it cannot be easily checked. However, www.vnpa.org.au, or contact us on (03) 9347 5188, it contains much interesting and valuable information email [email protected]. not readily available elsewhere. Matt Ruchel It should be noted that Ros. included a chapter on Executive Director VNPA the Aboriginal history of the Promontory but added April 2009 Foreword 5 Acknowledgements, Preface, Introduction by J. Ros. Garnet This book is dedicated to my wife and to all those shared my many excursions to South Gippsland and the who love their native land enough to want its Promontory, and who has, I hope, long since forgiven wildlife always to have a place in it. me for getting bogged in a morass (which has since – J. Ros. Garnet been made negotiable by vehicle) at Chinaman’s Creek and, the very next day, in sand near the shore of Corner Acknowledgements Basin. The compilation of a book of this kind would not have been possible without the help of hosts of people, Preface both living and dead, but it is the living who deserve My interest in Wilsons Promontory was first aroused by particular acknowledgement for the help they have an uncle and aunt who had spent several months in the given me during the years I have been occupied in national park. My uncle, during the First World War, preparing it. had been gassed—by chlorine or phosgene I suppose— I have never ceased to marvel at the amiability and and, in the belief that active life in the open air would courtesy of my informants and at the endurance of help to repair the damage, he became one of the Park friends who have allowed themselves to be put to vast rangers in the spring of 1919. With his sister he was trouble in verifying facts and correcting errors which installed at a cottage at Barrys Hill. arise from ignorance or doubt. Although their stay on the Prom was all too short, it In naming them individually and collectively I left happy memories which were reflected in the tales wish it to be recognised that whatever errors have they told of their delight at being able to dwell in such persisted are due not to them but to me. Such people surroundings—where lovable creatures were free to and institutions include the late Mr W Baragwanath, live as nature ordained, where wildflowers flourished in OBE, former Director of Mines; Mr Alex Burns, almost mad confusion, unrestrained by at least some of formerly Assistant Director and Curator of Insects at the hazards which beset them elsewhere. the National Museum of Victoria; Mr Fred Cripps of Place names such as Barrys Creek, Bennison, Corner Toora; Mr Jock Greenaway of Hedley; the late Mrs Inlet, the Darby and Mount Vereker and personalities Susan Greenaway of Hedley; Mr A C Hellison of Fish such as Bill Cripps, Professor Ewart, Jimmy Kershaw Creek, formerly District Land Officer in charge of the and Baldwin Spencer began to mean something to an Yanakie Run; Mr J S Henthorn, leader of the MCEGS impressionable youth who had been born in Gippsland expedition to Refuge Cove in 1960-61; Mr J Lester of and remembered enough of the wonder of the bush Shallow Inlet; Mr David Morgan of Melbourne; Mr and the mighty forests of the Strzelecki Ranges to be Douglas Robertson of Reservoir; Mr Charles Rossiter of able to form some kind of mental picture of the place Hedley; Mr Alex. Selby of Gunbower Estate; Mr Harold about which they spoke. Tarr of Melbourne; the Committee of Management of Wilsons Promontory National Park and especially its Later on, in my student days, I determined to see the former Secretary, Mr E Kennedy and its members Mr Promontory for myself so, during the summer vacation J G Jones of Foster, a former Councillor of the Shire of of 1924, I set out on my bicycle on my first grand tour.