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Big occasion for Underbool

Posted on July 20, 2011

GOOD READ: Underbool’s Janet Lynch with a copy of the first book about Underbool, which she co-authored for release in 1988. Janet is helping with another book, to be released in time for the town’s centenary.

FIRST came the publication, ‘A Vision Realised’ launched in 1988 to record the history of Underbool, Torrita, Linga and Boinka.

Now the Underbool Centenary Book Committee is working on another one, this time to coincide with the 100th anniversary celebrations of Underbool itself.

If the first book of 154 pages is any indication, copies of the revised edition will be snapped up as a keepsake, historical items of interest and keepsake by the hundreds of people expected to celebrate the grand occasion.

Janet Lynch, Secretary of the Underbool Centenary Committee and co-author of the book, describes it as a historical reference about the people and families of the region, and a great way to preserve the history of Underbool and district.

The 100th anniversary celebrations will be held over the weekend starting Friday, September 30, with the launch of the new publication, with activities the following day to include a re-enactment of the arrival of the early settlers, unveiling of a welcome wall, an animal nursery, live broadcast of the AFL Grand Final, a children’s choral group, entertainment by local artists and the burying of a time capsule.

The original book, dedicated to the Mallee pioneers, makes for interesting reading, dealing with the arrival of the first settlers and their struggles with the land, water, rail and roads, and farming problems.

Loaded with good quality and historic photographs, Janet and fellow authors Margaret Willsmore and Christy Brown wrote and compiled articles about community services, organisations, businesses, sporting clubs, churches, schools, family history and high achievers.

They write that it was the then Premier of Victoria, Sir Thomas Bent, first saw the potential of that part of the Mallee, from Ouyen to Kow Plains, as far back as 1904, and it was the first time that rail, roads and water were actually supplied ahead of settlement.

Once labelled as part of the Wimmera, the Underbool region was traversed by early explorers and run-seekers in the 1850’s. By then, most of the local Aboriginal population had moved away, closer to white settlements, or had been decimated by disease.

Later studies revealed the Aboriginals had inhabited the area for at least 4000 years. There was evidence also that the dense Mallee scrub had thwarted many an attempt by explorers to find a way through to northern regions.

By 1847, squatters occupied runs along the Murray and Wimmera Rivers, and occasional ‘visitors’ included prospectors en route from Adelaide to the rich gold fields around Bendigo, scientists, pastoralists, shepherds….and sometimes an outlaw on the run from authorities.

When the area was thrown open to settlement in 1910, more and more people took up the challenge to develop the area, and after the railroad and water supplies became a reality, clearing of the land and agricultural production started in earnest in 1911.

Walpeup, the settlement closest to Ouyen, was proclaimed a shire, then the largest in Victoria, covering 6700 square kilometres, and a special Act in 1911 gave the power for the shire to be divided into ridings. Councillors were appointed to look after the interests of Walpeup, Murrayville, Underbool and Ouyen.

The detailed history of how and when the various parts of the Mallee were settled is littered with amazing facts and figures…all of this was done quickly and efficiently, much of it during the Depression years, and without any of the modern gadgets and machinery that are widely available today.

The photographs themselves, of people, places and events, and drawn from private collections, Government agencies and historical societies, are a fascinating insight into the life and times of the early settlers.

Information about the centenary will be available in coming months on the official website: www.underbool.vic.au.

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