FORMER COLVINSBY SCHOOL
518 HILLSIDE ROAD DOBIE, ARARAT RURAL CITY
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Statement of Significance
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FORMER COLVINSBY SCHOOL - History
The parish of Colvinsby, surrounds the Great Western Highway along the southern border of the Langi-Ghiran State Park. At the foot of Mount Langi-Ghiran (named Mount Mistake by Major Thomas Mitchell in 1836), was a small settlement which no longer exists. Local community consultation led to the identification of this community, .known as Colvinsby. Prior to its better documented settled period, the Colvin sby locale was a staging point for miners making their way either to Ararat or into the forested area surrounding Mount Mistake / Langhi Ghiran to explore quartz leads similar to those previou sly discovered at Mt Ararat (The Argus 7 November 1855). As such, it had a considerably more knockabout and raw character than under subsequent settlement. In Augu st 1858 the owner of the Mount Mistake Hotel (later Fay's) a Mr Jonathan ('known by a remarkable cognomen' (nickname)) Smith was charged with the brutal murder of his wife, 'a woman of about 40 years of age'. She was 'unfortunately much addicted to habits of intemperance' -as apparently was Smith. The witness to the murder who informed the local police was so offhand in his reporting of the incident, merely stating that he had seen a woman die suddenly, that prior to viewing the ghastly scene the constabulary assumed natural causes (The Argus 2 September 1858). Timber cutting and milling was a further local industry, possibly fuelled by the demands of miners for shoring their deep-leads. Small scale and alluvial mining dropped off, with deeper mining left to larger concerns.
FORMER COLVINSBY SCHOOL - Interpretation of Site
Site was located using primary and secondary historical references including a geo-referenced map c.1 91 0 showing a small allotment marked as a state school. A field survey confirmed the presence of physical remains at the state school location identified during background research. Physical remains comprise elongated mounds and are likely those of a small two roomed structure. Artefactual material identified in and around the mounds is domestic in function including glass, ceramic and metal. A small ceramic plate, possibly from a toy tea set was identified in the artefact scatter and is potentially indicative past activities involving children at the site.
FORMER COLVINSBY SCHOOL - Archaeological Significance
Physical remains at the site include several -N-S, E-W mounds forming the possible outline of a small, two-roomed structure. A line of large granite stones is partially visible contained in the outside edge of the eastern mound. It is likely that in situ archaeological features and deposits are retained within the mounds. Artefactual material present within the surrounding scatter is consistent with the period of the school as identified in background research.
The site is of medium archaeological significance for its potential to contain intact archaeological deposits and features relating to 19th century educational and domestic activities at a now abandoned , rural community
Heritage Inventory Description
FORMER COLVINSBY SCHOOL - Heritage Inventory Description
Site comprises a series of low mounds with sections of in situ granite located within an extensive artefact scatter including ceramic, glass and metal. Mounds are elongated and appear to form the outline of a 2-roomed structure. A flat bottomed, linear depression to the NW of the mounds may be the remains of a former track to the building
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FORMER COLVINSBY SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Inventory
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Eucalyptus leucoxylonNational Trust
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