OLD KERANG TOWNSHIP ARTEFACT SCATTER
OLD KERANG ROAD KERANG, GANNAWARRA SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
This record has minimal details. Please look to the right-hand-side bar for any further details about this record.
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OLD KERANG TOWNSHIP ARTEFACT SCATTER - History
The area initially formed part of the Loddon pastoral run, gazetted in 1848 and licenced 24 months prior to the NSW OIC to James Cowper. The run itself passed through many hands until it was finally forfeited in 1879.
However, portions must have been excised early on for closer settlement because an 1859 Parish plan shows individual lots extending from the Melbourne-Swan Hill main road to the Loddon River. At this point, the subject land is part of CA3, Sec 3. There is also a forge shown in the vicinity of the subject land.
A later parish plan dated to 1959 shows the town allotments immediately to the east of the subject land - 17 lots in all. The subject land is now CA3B and forms the land between the surveyed township and the Loddon River. This land is subject to inundation.
According to Webster (no date), an inn was built on the river in 1848 by Richard Beyes. In 1849, Edmund Hill opened the Bridge store nearby. By 1854, both the inn and store flourished in the hands of Thomas Farmer and Donald McInnes during the early gold rush years (Farmer and McInnes streets are gazetted roads in the Old township).
'By 1855 the settlement had begun to grow. Later A.D. Fraser opened a saddlery business there'.
In 1857, W.J.W. Patchell arrived in town, negotiating with Farmer to purchase an acre of land near the Loddon Inn. Not able to broker a deal, he settled upstream in what is now Nolan Street, Kerang in opposition to Farmer & co.
OLD KERANG TOWNSHIP ARTEFACT SCATTER - Interpretation of Site
It is likely that the artefact scatter relates to one of the inns. However, this would need to be verified by sub-surface testing.
OLD KERANG TOWNSHIP ARTEFACT SCATTER - Archaeological Significance
It is difficult to assess the archaeological significance of this place without some further investigation.
The integrity of the artefact scatter has been damaged by the borrow pit works and therefore the original extent and context of the site is unknown. Currently, the contents of the site includes a lot of bottle glass and in particular, bottle bases, but some other crockery fragments also exist.
The site has high research potential.
It likely represents one of the inn locations for the original Kerang township.
OLD KERANG TOWNSHIP ARTEFACT SCATTER - Historical Significance
The site is of historical significance as it relates to the original location of the Kerang township (Old Kerang) from around 1848 to ~late 1850s.
Heritage Inventory Description
OLD KERANG TOWNSHIP ARTEFACT SCATTER - Heritage Inventory Description
The artefact scatter of bottle glass, ceramic, pottery and red moulded bricks, is situated on the plain overlooking the Loddon River, immediately north of Old Kerang Rd bridge. The majority of the area has been scraped in preparation for a borrow pit. The scraped topsoil has been retained in spoil heaps on-site. There are no remnant above ground structures. The historic artefacts are located scattered across the scaped area in addition to the spoil heaps. A more concentrated scatter is located closer to the new bridge location.
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OLD KERANG TOWNSHIP ARTEFACT SCATTERVictorian Heritage Inventory
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