After booking into our accommodation at Avoca and dropping off most of our gear, we decided to activate the Avoca Bushland Reserve VKFF-4270 and the Avoca silo VK-AVA3.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Avoca Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
Close to the Avoca silo is the old Avoca railway station that was located on the old Avoca to Maryborough line operated by the Victorian Railways. The station was built in 1876 by J Summerland. The station consists of a hip-roofed red brick building. The goods shed is gable roofed and is constructed of brick with bluestone coping. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database. (Victorian Heritage Database 2024)
The Avoca silo is part of the Australian Silo Art Trail. It was Australia’s 47th silo to be included in the Trail. The artwork on the silo commenced in March 2021 and is the work of artist Jimmi Buscombe. The images on the silo include the endangered Barking Owl and the vulnerable Brush-tailed Phascogale. The silo features a night interactive element which I will talk about in a future post. (Australian Silo Art 2024)
The Avoca Bushland Reserve is about 25 hectares in size and consists of five separate sections. The reserve was established on the 26th day of February 2002. (CAPAD 2022)
The Parks Victoria website has a page re this reserve but it contains no information about the reserve other than a park boundary image.
Where we set up in the park there was a lake and it was alive with birdlife. Some of my ‘average’ photographs can be seen below.
Whilst taking some bird photographs I saw my very first Antechinus in the wild. Antechinus is a small marsupial which is often mistaken for mice. I was very excited to see one and he/she was not camera shy.
We set up in a clearing amongst the scrub on Slaughterhouse Road. We ran the Yaesu FT847, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. I used the special event callsign of VI10VKFF.
Above:- An aerial view of the Avoca Bushland Reserve showing our operating spot. Image c/o Google Earth.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3BEL/p (Tocumwal Regional Park VKFF-0978)
- VK2IO/p (Brindabella National Park VKFF-0054)
- VK3PI
- VK3SG
- VK3GB
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- VK2HHA
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
- VK3PF
- VK3KAI
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3BEL/p (Tocumwal Regional Park VKFF-0978)
- VK2IO/p (Brindabella National Park VKFF-0054)
- VK3PI
- VK3SG
- VK3GB
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- VK2HHA
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
- VK3PF
- VK3KAI
- VK5WF
- VK3DAC
- VK4FE/3
- VK3ALH
- VK3GJG
- VK2HRX
- VK3YV
- VK3TNL
- VK2EXA
- VK4EMP
- VK4TI
- VK3OAK
- VK3TDX
- VK7DW
- ZL4NVW/p
- VK3CLD
- VK3MLU
- VK3ACU
- VK3WMF/m
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- ZL4NVW/p
- VK5HS
- F1BLL
- VK6LMK
- VK4EMP
- VK4TI
- VK3OAK
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- UT5PI
- OH1MM
- IK4IDF
- IK1GPG
- VK4EW
- IW2BNA
- IK3HMB
- SQ9CW
- IW2NXI
I worked the following station on 40m AM:-
- VK4EW
With the park qualified we headed back to Avoca to have a quick walk around the main street to view some of the historic buildings and then get some dinner.
Avoca has one of the widest streets in Australia and has a large median strip that consists of a parkland and a war memorial. (Aussie Towns 2024)
The traditional owners of the land around Avoca are the Dja Dja Wurrung aboriginal people. (Avoca 2024)
Explorer Major Thomas Livingstone Mitchell (b. 1792. d. 1855) embarked on his Australia Felix journey in 1836. Australia Felix is Latin for ‘fortunate Australia’ or ‘happy Australia.’ He discovered a branch of the Avon River and named it Avon after the Vale of Avoca in Wicklow Country, Ireland. (Victorian Places 2024)
Above:- Major Thomas Mitchell. Image c/o Wikipedia.
The Vale of Avoca is a river valley about 3 km from the village of Avoca (Irish: Abhóca). It is known as the “Meeting of the Waters” where the Avonmore and Avonbeg rivers join to form the Avoca River. (Frommers 2024)
Above:- The Vale of Avoca, Ireland, c. 1890. Image c/o Wikipedia.
Gold was discovered at Four Mile Flat near Homebush Flat northeast of Avoca in October 1853. A few months later the main lead at Avoca had been discovered. By the end of 1853, there were about 2,200 miners in the district. This had increased to about 16,000 by the middle of 1854. A Wesleyan school was opened in 1855, followed by a National school in 1857. A sub-treasury building was built in 1859 and the District of Avoca was proclaimed on the 25th day of March 1859. In that same year, a courthouse was built followed by a town hall in 1861. By 1865 Avoca had six hotels, a bank, and the Avoca Mail newspaper. The Avoca Shire was proclaimed on the 28th day of December 1864. (Avoca 2024) (Victorian Places 2024)
Above:- Article from the Geelong Advertiser, Sat 29 Oct 1853. Image c/o Trove.
Below is a link to an excellent video on the history of Avoca.
https://youtu.be/gh42Z8G5oDY?si=lVeiX4g8r_OXJZ8z
Avoca is a beautiful little town that services the local region. The video below gives you a good feel of what the town looks like.
The Albion Hotel was built in 1868 and operated as a hotel until its closure on New Year’s Eve in 1937. It is now a private residence.
The State Savings Bank building was built in 1924. It was built to the design of Melbourne architects Godfrey and Spowers. It is now the Salvation Army thrift shop.
The Avoca Hotel was built in 1870. It is one of only a few buildings in Avoca to have operated continuously since 1870. The current building is built on the site of the original Avoca Hotel built in 1854.
The original Avoca Hotel was built by Mr Beazeley in 1855. It was the first public house in Avoca. In 1856 C.K. Pearson purchased the hotel. By 1866 James Smith was operating the Avoca Hotel and in 1870 he released plans on constructing a larger and more impressive hotel on the site. (Avoca Shire Heritage Study 1993)
The prefabricated two-storey section of the old hotel was sold and the timber section was demolished. The architect for the new Avoca Hotel was William Atkinson and required 100,000 bricks to complete. During the 1800’s the hotel was the site of several inquests and special events including a performance by the Melbourne Opera Company in 1865. During the 1880’s the hotel had both a doctor and dentist consulting rooms. The Avoca Hotel was the local depot for Cobb & Co. coaches. (Avoca Shire Heritage Study 1993)
Above:- part of an advertisement in The Avoca Mail, Tue 17 Feb 1880. Image c/o Trove.
Below is a photograph of the Avoca Hotel, c. 1917.
Above:- The Avoca Hotel, c. 1917. Image c/o State Library Victoria.
The Victoria Hotel was built during the late 1850s. The hotel’s stables were built in 1872. The hotel was partially rebuilt during the 1930s. (Avoca Shire Heritage Study 1993)
Above:- Advertisement from The Avoca Mail, Tues 17 Feb 1880. Image c/o Trove.
The Herlihy Grocery and Drapery store was built c. 1870. Between 1870 and 1873 the building was operated by a tea merchant, H. Brooks. Later in 1886, it became a grocery and drapery store operated by Mrs. Kate Herlihy until 1915. By the 1920s Mr Henderson ran a fruit and vegetable store from the building. During the 1960s Bill Burke operated a barber shop from the building. (Avoca Shire Heritage Study 1993)
The small Savings Bank building stands right alongside the Avoca Hotel. It was built in c. 1912.
At the time of its construction, there was considerable discussion about it being located alongside the hotel. Despite this, construction went ahead. (Avoca Shire Heritage Study 1993)
Above:- Article from The Ballarat Star, Fri 5 Apr 1912. Image c/o Trove.
The Bank of Victoria building was built in 1912. It was built to continue service as the Bank of Victoria following from the former building.
Below is a view along High Street Avoca, c. 1948, showing the Bank of Victoria in the foreground.
Above:- High Street Avoca, c. 1948. Image c/o State Library Victoria.
The Avoca War Memorial was built in 1921 to honour the men from Avoca who fought during the First World War. A total of 137 men from Avoca served during WWI and of those 29 were killed in action. The Memorial was designed as a band rotunda “with eight piers carrying a roof obscured by a parapet. It cost £1,100 to build. (Avoca Shire Heritage Study 1993) (Aussie Towns 2024)
Below is a great photo of a Model T Ford parked alongside the Avoca War Memorial, c. 1925.
Above:- A Model T Ford parked alongside the Avoca War Memorial. Image c/o Museums Victoria.
The Bakery and Tearooms were built c. 1860. From 1860 the north shop commenced as the first bakery in Avoca. Later both shops joined to become tearooms until the 1930s.
The Avoca Newsagency was built in 1887. The site was originally occupied by a hay and corn store. The present building was opened as a stationery shop. The store continues to operate as a newsagency.
The Avoca Post Office was built in 1872. It is one of Avoca’s most prominent public buildings and has provided postal services for over 120 years.
In a shop window, we found a magnificent model railway collection.
Unfortunately, the hotel was closed so it was off to the local takeaway for some dinner.
References.
- Aussie Towns. (n.d.). Avoca, VIC. [online] Available at: https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/avoca-vic [Accessed 27 Feb. 2024].
- Avoca-Victoria. (n.d.). Avoca | Victoria. [online] Available at: https://www.avoca.vic.au/history [Accessed 28 Feb. 2024].
- Dcceew.gov.au. (2023). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2022 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2022 [Accessed 26 Feb. 2024].
- vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au. (n.d.). VHD. [online] Available at: https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au. [Accessed 27 Feb. 2024]
- http://www.australiansiloarttrail.com. (n.d.). Avoca Silo Art. [online] Available at: https://www.australiansiloarttrail.com/avoca [Accessed 27 Feb. 2024].
- http://www.frommers.com. (n.d.). Vale of Avoca in County Wicklow and County Carlow – Attraction | Frommer’s. [online] Available at: https://www.frommers.com/destinations/county-wicklow-and-county-carlow/attractions/vale-of-avoca [Accessed 27 Feb. 2024].
VK5PAS 