Our next intended park activation was the Salt Lagoon St Leonards Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2432, also located on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Above:- Map showing the location of Salt Lagoon St Leonards Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Google maps.

After leaving the Point Richards Flora and Fauna Reserve we drove down to the waterfront and enjoyed the views across Port Phillip Bay towards Werribee. The You Yangs were clearly visible across the water.

We drove along The Esplanade following the coastline and stopped at the Batman and Flinders monument at Indented Head.

The monument commemorates the landing of British navigator and cartographer Captain Matthew Flinders (b. 1774. d. 1814) in 1802, and John Batman in 1835. In 1802 Flinders climbed Arthurs Seat and observed the Bellarine Peninsula on the opposite side of the bay. He noted that the peninsula had an indented coastline and as a result, he named it Indented Head.

Above:- Captain Matthew Flinders. Image c/o Wikipedia.

Thirty-three years later, on the 29th day of May 1835, John Batman sailed his 23-ton schooner ‘Rebecca’ into Port Phillip Bay from Van Diemen’s Land. Upon hearing a native dog howling, Batman and his party anchored the Rebecca near Indented Head and let his own dogs off to play with the native dog. It is reported that Batman and his men then drove the native dog into the sea and shot it.

Batmand his men met with the local aboriginal people on a number of occasions, presenting them with gifts including blankets, handkerchiefs, sugar, apples and other goods. Batman and his men in turn received gits of woven baskets and spears. In June 1835, Batman met with elders and signed a land treaty with the local aboriginal people. For a total area of 600,000 acres, including present-day Melbourne, Batman paid 40 pairs of blankets, 42 tomahawks, 130 knives, 62 pairs of scissors, 40 looking glasses, 250 handkerchiefs, 18 shirts, 4 flannel jackets, 4 suits of clothes and 150 lb. of flour.

Above:- the Batman Aboriginal treaty. Image c/o Wikipedia.

William Buckley, aka “wild white man” (b. 1776. d. 1856) was an English bricklayer and served in the military until 1802 when he was convicted of theft, and transported to Australia. In December 1803 he escaped the settlement at Port Phillip Bay. He was presumed dead, but in fact, had commenced living with the local Wallarranga aboriginal people.

For a total of 32 years, Buckley lived with the local aboriginal people on the Bellarine Peninsula. In 1835 Buckley heard that a ship had arrived at Indented Head and that some of the aboriginal people intended to murder the English passengers and rob the ship. On the 6th day of July 1835, Buckley and a party of aboriginal people arrived at the camp site of John Batman and his men.

One of Batman’s men wrote in his journal:

“About 2 o’C. a White Man came walking up to the Native huts, a most surprising hight [sic], Clad the same as the Natives. He seemed highly pleased to see us. We brought him a piece of bread, which he eat very heartily, & told us immedeatily [sic] what it was. He also informs us that he has been above 20 years in the Country, during which time he has been with the Natives….He then told us his name was William Buckley….being so long with the natives he has nearly forgot the English language – but the native languages he can speak fluently.”

Buckley convinced the aboriginal people not to rob and attack the Englishmen. Buckley was subsequently pardoned by John Wedge, a surveyor, explorer, and politician through Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur.​

Above:- a painting by Frederick Woodhouse of the meeting between Buckley and Batman’s party. Image c/o Wikipedia.

The Salt Lagoon St Leonards Wildlife Reserve is located in the suburb of St Leonards on the Bellarine Peninsula. St Leonards was named after St Leonards Station, a pastoral run in the area, which in turn was named after St Leonards in Sussex, England. Prior to European occupation, the land was the home of the Wathaurong aboriginal people.

During the 1840s settlers of Chinese origin settled in the area due to its abundance of fish and seafood. By the 1850s many of them had moved to the Victorian goldfields. Following the gold rush area, settlers returned to the area and commenced growing wheat.

In 1855, George Ward Cole (b. 1793. d. 1879) settled in the area and St Leonards became a source of firewood for Melbourne. Cole built a pier, and by 1858 the town had a hotel, store and six houses. On the 19th day of March 1860, the St Leonards Post office opened. The St Leonards State School No. 866 was opened in October 1874.

Above:- George Ward Cole. Image c/o Wikipedia.

The park’s eastern boundary is The Esplanade, while its western boundary is Ibbotson Street.

Above:- An aerial view of the park, looking north towards Werribee. Image c/o Google maps.

The park is a former marine embayment, isolated by coastal deposition from Port Phillip Bay, and now forms a shallow and hypersaline lake. The park is about 120 acres in size and was established on the 20th day of March 1979.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3SQ
2. VK3PF
3. VK3ZSC
4. VK2EXA
5. VK7QP
6. VK3NBL
7. VK3ZPF
8. VK3UAO
9. VK1AO
10. VK2MET
11. VK2VH
12. VK4AAC

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3SQ
2. VK3PF
3. VK3ZSC
4. VK2EXA
5. VK7QP
6. VK3NBL
7. VK3ZPF
8. VK3UAO
9. VK1AO
10. VK2MET
11. VK2VH
12. VK4AAC
13. VK7PAL
14. VK5FB
15. VK7HAM
16. VK4TJ
17. VK4FW
18. VK8MM
19. VK5FANA
20. VK3MIJ
21. VK7XX
22. VK2PKT

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK4FW
2. VK8MM
3. VK5HS
4. VK2IO
5. VK4NH
6. VK4DXA
7. VK1AO
8. VK2MET
9. VK5PE/m
10. VK3CEO
11. VK4SMA
12. VK4TJ
13. VK7XX
14. VK3ZSC

I worked the following stations on 15m SSB:-

1. VK4SMA
2. VK4TJ
3. VK2IO
4. VK2YAK
5. VK4YAK
6. VK4NH
7. VK4DXA
8. VK1AO
9. VK2MET
10. VK3ZSC
11. VK3UAO
12. VK7XX
13. VK5HS
14. VK4UTT

References.

1. CAPAD 2020.
2. Intown, 2023, <https://intown.com.au/>, viewed 7th April 2023.
3. Monument Australia, 2023, <https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/landscape/exploration/display/33549-john-batman-and-matthew-flinders>, viewed 6th April 2023.
4. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Leonards_Salt_Lagoon>, viewed 6th April 2023.
5. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Leonards,_Victoria>, viewed 7th April 2023.
6. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Flinders>, viewed 7th April 2023.