It was now Saturday, 2nd November 2024, and the last day of our Bendigo trip. After breakfast, we had a look around the town of Edenhope.
Current day Edenhope is in the area that was occupied by the 120,000-acre Lake Wallace pastoral run established in 1845 by George and James Hope. The station takes its name from Lake Wallace, which was discovered in April 1843 by Scotsman William Wallace. (Blake 1978) (Victorian Places 2015)
The township of Edenhope was surveyed in 1862 by G.W. Langford. It was gazetted on the 8th day of January 1862. The town’s name derives from the Hope brothers’ fatherland of the River Eden in Scotland. In 1865, a school was opened. The town also had a hotel and a coach service operated from Edenhope to Hamilton. A school was opened in 1865. There was also a hotel and a coach service from Edenhope to Hamilton. (Blake 1978) (Victorian Places 2015)
In the main street, you can find some information boards on the Aboriginal Cricket team that toured England in the 1860s.
Another interesting point in Edenhope is ‘The Icons of Edenhope’, a series of large paintings in the main street that are the work of Geoffrey Carran, who grew up in the Wimmera region of Victoria. The murals feature the birdlife found in the district. (Carran 2021)
The Edenhope War Memorial can be found on the main street. The monument was unveiled by Senator Brigadier General Elliott, D.S.O., D.C.M., D.C., D.M. on the 2nd day of September 1922. The monument features a life-size Australian soldier and honours those men of the Edenhope district who served and died in service during the First World War. The names of those killed in action during the Second World War were added at a later time. (Monument Aus 2025)
Also on the main street is a monument for the Edenhope State School No. 817, which was built in 1878. It provided education for students up to Grade 8 (Merit Certificate).
Nearby is an old timber jinker. They were used to transport timber after harvest to the sawmill. The log on this jinker came from John Warner’s property ‘Content’ at Powers Creek. It was used to drag logs from ‘Kadnook Station’ owned by Ronald Fyfe Jamieson, to the Western Sawmilling Company at the Black Water Hole on the Harrow Road.
Across the road is the old Presbyterian Church, which was opened on the 21st day of September 1868.
The Lake Wallace Hotel was established in 1862.
We then headed to the Edenhope College, where you can find a monument for the Aboriginal cricket team. It is near this site that the team trained prior to their departure for England.
On the side of one of the college buildings is an excellent mural featuring the Aboriginal cricket team. The mural is the work of local artists Win Forster and Ella McLaren, assisted by Kerry Dixon and the 2008 Year 9 & 10 at Edenhope College.
Our next stop was the Bigeye Scad sculpture, which was on one of the barges along the Yarra River during the 2006 Commonwealth 72 fish each representing a nation participating in the Games.
We then headed out to the Edenhope Racecourse.
It was then off to the Awonga I19 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4510, about 5 km northeast of Edenhope
Above:- A map showing the location of the Awonga I19 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the northern side of Sims Road, which runs off Wimmera Highway.
Above:- An aerial view of the Awonga I19 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 91 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3CEO
- VK5LA
- VK5KAW
- VK3SQ
- VK2BD
- VK2VAR
- VK2GOM
- VK3WSG
- VK3JE
- VK1CHW
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3CEO
- VK5LA
- VK5KAW
- VK3SQ
- VK2BD
- VK2VAR
- VK2GOM
- VK3WSG
- VK3JE
- VK1CHW
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
- VK5IS
- VK7PJM
- VK3PF
- VK3KAI
- VK5PE
- VK7AN
- VK7MAD
- VK2LEE
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VK2BUG
- VK3ZK
- VK3MGM
- VK2MOE
- VK1MO
I worked the following stations on 40m FT8:-
- VK3PF
- VK1CHW
- VK1AO
- VK3KAI
- VK3APJ
- VK3AWA
- VK3WSG
- VK4MRH
- VK7XX
I worked the following stations on 20m FT8:-
- VK1AO
- VK2VAR
- VK2GOM
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VKSBUG
- VK2LEE
- VK2VAR
- VK2GOM
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
References.
- Carran, G. (2021). Icons of Edenhope. [online] Geoffrey Carran. Available at: https://geoffreycarran.com.au/blogs/projects/icons-of-edenhope?srsltid=AfmBOoo_RywY57AnfutOpRQpwPlFQK4yQMYQG4-9LA2UksK-epVPOAE8 [Accessed 10 Jun. 2025].
- UBC Web Design (2025). Edenhope War Memorial | Monument Australia. [online] Monumentaustralia.org.au. Available at: https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/multiple/display/31177-edenhope-war-memorial [Accessed 10 Jun. 2025].
- Victorianplaces.com.au. (2015). Edenhope | Victorian Places. [online] Available at: https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/edenhope [Accessed 10 Jun. 2025].
VK5PAS 