UNKNOWN WOMAN GRAVE SITE
NOONES ROAD DARGO, WELLINGTON SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
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UNKNOWN WOMAN GRAVE SITE - History
The grave was marked by the Harrietville Historical Society in 1969 as the "Unknown Woman". Rogers & Helyar believe the grave could be Eliza Gardner who died, aged 39 years, of heart disease at 18 Mile Creek, Dargo Road on 11 may 1867. She had been in the Colony for 30 years, and had married Alex Gardner, an engineer, when aged 33 years. They had no children. The grave was also know as "Little Women of Frasers", as the ruins of the settlement nearby included a wayside store and hotel owned by Alex Fraser (Little Womans Plain, c1865-80's). The grave could also be that of "Mother" Fraser, wife of Alex. "Mother" Fraser, or the "Fat Woman" of the High Plains, ran the shanty, after it was put up in 1865 to intercept the traffic between the Upper Dargo reefs and Grant. She was referred to as an old lady at the time, "18 stone weight and moustacheoed like a dragon". She was well-liked by the struggling local diggers, but notoriously took full toll of the well-heeled. Her date of death and burial details have not been researched.Heritage Inventory Description
UNKNOWN WOMAN GRAVE SITE - Heritage Inventory Description
The grave, which measures 2.4 metres by 1.9 metres, is aligned east-west. It is marked with a concrete, Latin cross, and a cast iron plaque on a concrete slab. A small, brass relief image of a woman has been attached to the cross. The south and east side boundaries are marked with rocks, and bush timber poles have been laid on the north and west sides. Short, light, upright poles have been added to the north-east and south-east corners of the grave. The rock surrounds and the grave surface are possibly the only original fabric. The cross and plaque were erected by the Harrietville Historical Society in 1969. The plaque reads "Peace be with her, and all who lie in these lonely graves, in the mountains and on the High Plains".
The grave is situated beside the Dargo High Plains Road, in an area treed with snow gums. The grave is on an open flat grassy are beside a track leading to a picnic area, once an early settlement along the High Plains Road. Archaeological remnants of huts are visible there, as well as the remains of a substantial stone fence. A dam and a very large, old poplar tree also survive. The nearest of the hut sites is about 150 metres to the east of the grave. The grave site is approximately 1km south of Gow's Hotel site. There are alluvial gold workings below the ridge line to the west (Paddy Joy's Workings), as well as to the east of the house sites.
Physical Conditions: Good
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UNKNOWN WOMAN GRAVE SITEVictorian Heritage Inventory
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GOWS HOTELVictorian Heritage Inventory
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