Did you know?

  • Hume & Hovell travelled across the Basin on 24 November 1824, being the first Europeans to see it. They crossed the Ovens River where the Burgoigee Creek joins it.
  • Victoria is the only British colony settled illegally (the squatters were not authorized by the government to occupy land in the “Port Philip District”)
  • William Bowman was the first permanent Squatter in NE Victoria. Taking up “Tarrawingi” sometime around March 1838. His wife Eliza was the 1st white woman to live east of the Ovens River. Their house was the 1st to have a wooden floor and glass windows.
  • The local aboriginal “tribe” (the Waywurru) fought a “guerrilla” style war for several years to defend their lands from the NE Victorian squatter’s encroachment. (no record of Bowman’s involvement).
  • Gold discoveries in Beechworth and the Buckland led to much traffic through the Basin. The Buckland Riot caused a number of Chinese to flee, some settling in the Basin (50 collected their mail at the Murmungee Post Office). Also local gold discoveries in Murmungee attracted them and European miners to the area.
  • Gold was instrumental in the government’s attempts to open the squatter’s land for selection. At least 10 of the early selectors were successful gold miners which enabled them to buy land along the Burgoigee Creek in 1857.
  • At least 4 early selectors were ex-convicts.
  • There were 7 known hotels along the Buckland Road and another 6 along the Everton Road. Not far to go for a drink! Later there were another 8 along the Horseshoe Gap Road during Railway construction in the 1880’s. A thirsty lot!
  • Bushranger Harry Power robbed a “Crawford & Connelly” stagecoach near Orton’s Road in 1869. The 2 women passengers were the local assistant school teacher and 1 (of the only 2) Chinese women in the Ovens district.
  • Crawford & Connelly Coaches (who had a local NE coach monopoly) had a horse changing and a horse resting depots in the Basin.
  • A “Bowmans Forest Farmers Common” existed from 1860 to 1885. It was for district farmers to graze their livestock on unsold/crown land.
  • The Bowmans Forest Cemetery was established in 1868. It contains the graves of many of the early “pioneers”.
  • The 1st school opened at Bowman’s Forest in 1866, the 1st in Murmungee in 1869. There was a private tutor for some children prior to this.
  • The “old” Murmungee Hall was built by fund raising by the local residents (so was the Bowmans school) in 1869. It served as the school, a church (for several denominations) and an entertainment venue for almost 70 years. It is Heritage Listed.
  • Beechworth’s “Newtown Bridge” (1875) was built by local resident John Morrison (a Scottish stonemason). He used to walk everyday up the “Zig Zag Track” from his home in the Basin to work and back (a distance of 16 kms).
  • There were 3 “Toll” gates on the roads leading into the Basin. The tolls were to provide funds for local road maintenance.
  • Believe it or not, rabbiting was the most popular kid’s entertainment (& for pocket money) for at least 50 years! There were 3 rabbit buyers operating in the Basin prior to WW2.
  • In the 40’s the school piano was hauled by horse drawn “sled” between the “new” school and the hall for dances, then back again to the school.
  • The Bowmans Railway station was a major freight/transport point for the entire region (the only manned station between Everton & Myrtleford).
  • Dairying was the first major industry in the Basin. A Creamery opened from 1897 to 1919 where the “new” Hall is located.
  • The Bowmans Forest Fire Brigade was formed in 1906. It is one of the oldest continuous existing fire brigades in Victoria. It has an original “Fire Cart” made that year which is still in working order.
  • Electricity only came to the basin in 1964.
  • Many of the original selectors have descendants living today in the Basin. The family trees can be quite complicated.