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RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE
ROAD 5M MCMAHONS CREEK, YARRA RANGES SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE

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Statement of Significance
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?
Richards & Sons carried on logging and sawmilling operations in the Starvation Creek area from 1916 to 1938. Their last steam log winching station was established on Roy Spur c1936. The family abandoned the remaining plant after access tramways to it were destroyed in the 1939 bushfires.

How is significant?
Richards & Sons Log Winching site is of historical, archaeological, and scientific significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
The Warburton district was Victoria's premier logging area for the first three decades of the twentieth century, and the district's sawmillers played an important role in the introduction of new methods and technology. Richards & Sons log winching site is important for its manifestation of this facet of the State's forest industry.

Richards & Sons Log Winching site is scientifically significant because of its extraordinary intactness and being one of about a dozen in situ historic steam winches still surviving in Victoria. The site is especially unique in containing two different types of winches illustrating the replacement of old adaptive technology with new purpose built imported machinery. Only one other single cylinder steam logging engine is known in the State and the Russell Allport double drum outrigger steam logging winch is rare in Victoria.

Richards & Sons Log Winching site is archaeologically significant because of the its potential to yield information on the technological development of Victoria's sawmilling and logging industry.

[Source: Victorian Heritage Register]

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- History
  
  RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE - History
  Heritage Inventory History of Site: In March 1916 W. Richards & Sons were granted milling rights to 1000 acres of forest at the head of Starvation Creek, near Powelltown. They established a saw mill and a logging tramway. Log winding was carried out along the railway, the last site for the winches was on Rob Spur, c.1937. The plant was abandoned when the family left the area in 1938.
  
  Interpretation of Site
  
  RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE - Interpretation of Site
  
  Heritage Inventory Interpretation: Last steam log winching operation to be carried out by Richards and Sons in the Starvation Creek area. The plant was abandoned in 1938 and has remained more or less undisturbed since then.
  
  Archaeological Significance
  
  RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE - Archaeological Significance
  
  Med to High. Extraordinary intact site with machinery and associated infrastructure. Only known in situ historic steam winch in Victoria which illustrates the replacement of old adaptive technology with new purpose built imported machinery.
  
  Historical Significance
  
  RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE - Historical Significance
  
  Associated with the Richards family who lived and worked in the area for over 20years in early 20thC
  
  Heritage Inventory Description
  
  RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE - Heritage Inventory Description
  
  Steam logging winches and associated infrastructure
  
  Heritage Inventory Significance: Extraordinarily intact site with machinery and associated infrastructure. Only known in situ historic steam winch in Victoria, which illustrates the replacement of old adaptive technology with new purpose built imported machinery. Winch site - double drum outrigger steam logging winch. Jackass boiler, single cylinder double action steam engine drawing two outrigger drums, and associated infrastructure (including bull wheels, steel rails, tramway and large landing). Will also be at least one hut site for the winch driver.
  
  Informant/s: Robert Bourke, Forest officer, Powelltown ph. 59667204Peter Evans, Historic Places Section, DNRE ph. 94124111DSC Glen Anthony, Lilydale CIC ph.97351684./nRecorded by: David Bannear
  
  Heritage Inventory Site Features: The plan will show the steam winches and boiler, and associated log landings, tramways and huts.
  
  Archeological Potential: Remnant Structure,Site
- Show:
- RICHARDS AND SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE
  
  Victorian Heritage Register H1739
- RICHARDS & SONS LOGGING WINCH SITE
  
  Victorian Heritage Inventory