Rubicon Airplane Crash Site
Torbreck Range RUBICON, Murrindindi Shire
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Statement of Significance
RNE:
The aeroplane crash site and memorial is associated with the impact of the Second World War on the Central Highlands region. The fact that the site is still remembered by the community is apparently common of such crash sites, which seem to attain folklore status in local communities.
(Criterion G.1)
It is possible that Indigenous cultural values of national estate significance exist in this place. As yet the Environment Forest Taskforce has not identified, documented or assessed these values.
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Rubicon Airplane Crash Site - Physical Description 1
RNE:
The crash site is a large opening in the forest canopy approximately fifty meters across. When the crash occurred the area would have been covered in young Ash saplings regenerating after the 1939 fires. The undisturbed forest has grown up around the site, leaving the opening to be colonised by bracken which is now at head height and completely obscures the area.
Anson bombers were constructed with a tubular metal frame and had wooden framed wings. The outer skin of the aircraft was fabric. Therefore, apart from the engines there is likely to be little at the site.
The heritage values of place name were assessed as part of a comprehensive regional assessment of national estate values in the Central Highlands regional Forest Agreement Region. This assessment was undertaken jointly by the Commonwealth and the Victorian land management and heritage agencies. To obtain a full understanding of the methods and outcomes of the regional assessment, and of the identification of heritage values in place name, it is necessary to refer to the following documents:
Australian Heritage Commission and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria (1994). Method Papers: East Gippsland and Central Highlands Joint Forest Projects. Volume Two- Cultural Values.
Australian Heritage Commission and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria (1994). National Estate Values in the Central Highlands of Victoria. Draft Project Report.
Joint Commonwealth and Victorian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) Steering Committee (1997). Central Highlands Comprehensive Regional Assessment Report.
(A set of eight reports comprising the titles: Overview of Assessments; Environment and Heritage Report; Resources and Economics Report; Social Report; National Estate Report; Wilderness of the Eastern Victorian Forests; Methods Paper: East Gippsland National Estate Assessment; and Ecologically Sustainable Forest Management.)]
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Bibliography:
Johnston, C. (1994). Technical Assessment of Social Value: Central Highlands. Report prepared for the Australian Heritage Commission. Context Pty. Ltd.
Johnston, C. , Lewis, N. , Mathews, S. & McCann, J. (1993). Central Highlands Community Workshops - Places of Importance from the Central Highlands Workshops - Vols 1 and 2. A report by Context Pty Ltd and Lewis Richard Aitken Pty Ltd to the Australian Heritage Commission.
Evans, P. (1993). Sawmill and Tramway Sites in the Central Highlands Forests of Victoria: Vols 1,2 and 3. A report to the Australian Heritage Commission.
Rubicon Airplane Crash Site - Physical Description 2
Location: On the northern slope of Mount Torbreck about 13.5km south-east of Rubicon at approximate AMG point 8023-071589.
Veterans Description for Public
Rubicon Airplane Crash Site - Veterans Description for Public
The Airplane Crash Site is located on the Torbreck Range, on the northern slope of Mount Torbreck about 13.5km south-east of Rubicon. On May 16th 1940, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Avro Anson bomber A.4-4 crashed on Mount Torbreck while on a training flight. All four crew were killed. The wreckage was not discovered until 1941 when forest graziers stumbled across it. Some salvage was carried out by the RAAF and other small items were stolen from the wreckage for their souvenir value.
A memorial at the crash site was erected at the instigation of Flight Lieutenant Hyland, father of one of the crew. This memorial was damaged by a falling tree in the early 1960s and it was subsequently re-erected in 1966 some distance from the crash site at a then more accessible location.
Heritage Study and Grading
Murrindindi - Murrindindi Heritage Study Stage One
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 2006
Grading:
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TIN HUT (RUBICON) TOWNSHIPVictorian Heritage Inventory
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BARNEWALL & LEE'S LOWERING GEARVictorian Heritage Inventory
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Rubicon Hydro Electric Power SchemeNational Trust H1187
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