After leaving the Patchewollock North Bushland Reserve on Thursday 20th October 2024, Marija and I headed south to our next stop, the little town of Hopetoun. We had planned on activating the two silos there for the Silos On The Air (SiOTA) program.
Hopetoun is located about 385 km northwest of Melbourne in the Mallee region of northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of Hopetoun in northwest Victoria. Map c/o Google Maps.
Prior to European settlement, the area was inhabited by the Yarrikaluk aboriginal people. The Wotjobaluk and Wergaia aboriginal people were also in the area. (Aussie Towns 2024)
The first European to call the area home was Peter McGinnis (b. 1819. d. 1886). He was born in 1819 in Country Armagh, Ireland. He married Rose Lappin. Peter and Rose emigrated to Australia in 1841. In July 1846 he established a sheep run called ‘Lake Corrong.’ They lived in a humble pine log homestead and had nine children. They also adopted an aboriginal boy, Jowley. McGinnis became a wealthy squatter and in 1874 retired to Newtown in Geelong. By 1881 they had moved to Northcote, Melbourne. Peter died in 1886, aged just 67 years of age. (ancestry.com.au) (Aussie Towns 2024)
Above:- Article from the Weekly TImes Melbourne, Sat 17 Jul 1886. Image c/o Trove.
The town of Hopetoun was named by Edward Harewood Lascelles (b. 1847. d. 1917) who was a pastoralist and businessman and was known as the ‘Father of the Mallee’. He purchased ‘Lae Corrong’ from McGinnis. He named his house Hopetoun and subsequently the town. Hopetoun was the name of the seventh Earl of Hopetoun, Lord Hopetoun. He was the Governor of Victoria from 1889-1895 and the first Governor General of Australia from 1901-1903. Hoeptoun was a friend of Lascelles and visited Lascelles’ house frequently. (Aussie Towns 2024) (Wessels 1974)
Above:- Edward Harewood Lascelles. Image c/o The Pastoral Review, 15 Mar 1915.
Hopetoun is located on Yarriambiac Creek and the beautiful Lake Lascelles.
The town has a very impressive mural that depicts all aspects of local history in the area. The mural features a stump jump lough, wool bales, drovers, the Mallee roller, local birds and wildflowers. It was completed by local artists Shirley Decker and Trish Hogan.
Adjacent to the mural is an information board that tells the story of Peter McGinnis (b. 1819. d. 1886)
Marija posed for a photograph at the McGinnis mural.
We then took a short walk around this historic town. Our first stop was the Hopetoun Memorial Hall which was erected as a tribute to the men of Hopetoun and the district who fought during World War One.
Nearby is the memorial fountain, erected in 1929 as a tribute to Lascelles.
Hopetoun is clearly a town that takes pride in its history. There are several information boards on the old shops in the main street, detailing the history of the shops.
The Bon Bon Cafe closed in 2017. The ice cream for the Bon Bon cafe would arrive by rail in a Peter’s ice cream shipper made of stiff waterproof canvas that was packed in dry ice. Stables once existed at the rear of the shop where visitors to the town could tie up their horses. (Werner 2017)
Next door is the billiard room and barber shop. In 1950 Kevin, Frank and Bill Conway purchased the billiard room from Rae Dart. Billiard tournaments were held including the ‘Calcutta’ which had 128 entries and a prize of 80 pounds. Frank Whykes opened his hairdresser business in 1933. It operated for 60 years. The shop was also a tobacconist and sporting supplies and toys were also sold.
We then drove to Hopetoun House on Evelyn Street. It was built in 1891 by Edward Lascelles. Unfortunately, there was not much of a view to the trees and shrubs in the front yard. (Aussie Towns 2024)
Although we had been there previously, Marija and I stopped over to have a look at Corrong Station Homestead. This is well worth visiting and is just a gold coin donation. The pine and corrugated iron hut was built in 1846 by Peter McGinnis. McGinnis lived in the hut with his wife, seven children, and their adopted aboriginal child, Joweley who was also known as ‘Black Peter’. The grounds also contain historic farm machinery and the old local police lockup. (Aussie Towns 2024)
Marija and I then drove down to nearby Lakes Lascelles. The lake is popular with walkers, swimmers, fishermen, boating enthusiasts and bird watchers.
At the lake, there is an information board about the nationally vulnerable Malleefowl.
Another point of interest is ‘Wally and His Dog’ located at the entrance gates of the Hopetoun Showground.
The Hopetoun silo is located along the railway on the northeastern side of Hopetoun W Road. The Hopetoun 2 silo is located further south along the railway line on the northeastern side of Garrard Street.
Marija and I parked on Hopetoun-Yaapeet Road in the activation zone of both silos. We operated from the 4WD running the Icom IC-7000, 100 watts, and the Codan 9350 antenna with the 1.5 metre stainless steel whip.
Above:- the activation zones at the two silos at Hopetoun. Image c/o SiOTA website.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3PF
- VK2MOE
- VK1MO
- VK5AYL
- VK3MCA
- VK3GCM/P (Yabba North silo VK-YBH3)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3PF
- VK2MOE
- VK1MO
- VK5AYL
- VK3MCA
- VK3GCM/P (Yabba North silo VK-YBH3)
- VK5LA
- VK1TTY
- VK2LEE
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
- VK3CEO
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VK2BUG
- VK2OKR
- VK2AUS
- VK2BXB
- VK7PAL
- VK5ZNC
- VK4EW
- VK3WSG
- VK2KEV/4
- VK2KA
- VK3OAK
- VK3BCM
- VK4CPS
- VK5AMH
References.
- Aussie Towns. (2024). Hopetoun, VIC – Aussie Towns. [online] Available at: https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/hopetoun-vic [Accessed 23 Dec. 2024].
- Werner, C. (2017). Hopetoun’s Bon Bon Cafe to close. [online] Mailtimes.com.au. Available at: https://www.mailtimes.com.au/story/4762807/long-standing-hopetoun-business-to-close/ [Accessed 23 Dec. 2024].
- Wessels, S.F. (1974). Lascelles, Edward Harewood (1847–1917). [online] Anu.edu.au. Available at: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lascelles-edward-harewood-582 [Accessed 23 Dec. 2024].
VK5PAS 