FYANS FORD AND BULLOCK TRACK
4 HAMILTON HIGHWAY AND 65 HYLAND STREET AND THOONA LANE FYANSFORD, GREATER GEELONG CITY
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Statement of Significance
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FYANS FORD AND BULLOCK TRACK - History
Fyans ford is shown on plans as early as 1837, when Foster Fyans, Police Magistrate, first camped in the area (Sydney G7 Gheringhap-Fyansford section). An 1846 water colour by Charles Norton shows the ford constructed of uncut rocks and earth. A wooden post and rail fence abuts the ford on either side of its approach (State Library of Victoria Image no. H91.315/12).
The ford was critical in providing access to the south west coast region in the first 15-20 years of European settlement in Victoria. Bullock wagons regularly used the ford as a watering hole for stock as they continued on their travels across the western district (Geelong Advertiser 26/09/1844). The importance of the ford crossing for the western district wool market is evident in the following article in the Geelong Advertiser in 1842: "Unless something be speedily done towards the repair of this, the principal crossing place on the Great Western Road, a serious difficulty will be found to exist in bringing down the present clip of wool to market". John Atkins, who built the Swan Inn several hundred metres west of the ford in 1842, took it upon himself to upgrade the ford. This upgrade is evident in the 1846 impression of the ford by Charles Norton which shows an earth roadway with boulders at the margins. As the stream is shown flowing beneath the surface of the roadway, it could be safely assumed that the earth was laid over a bed of boulders allowing the water to flow through the interstices.
The ford continued to sustain heavy use during the gold rush in the early 1850s until the wooden bridge was built several hundred metres downstream in 1854 (Rowe & Huddle 2000: 192; Fyansford Rural Training School Pupils 1934).
The bullock track leading to the ford was the route from Geelong. After crossing the ford it continued past the Swan Inn in a southerly direction and then onto the Inverleigh Road. This route is mapped from 1847 (D'Arcy's Murray 421 1854; and continued to be the only route until 1854 when the new timber bridge was built crossing the Moorabool River.
FYANS FORD AND BULLOCK TRACK - Interpretation of Site
It is possible that the ford represents an opportunistic use of an existing Aboriginal eel trap.
The stone ford is shown in plans from 1837 and was critical in providing access to the south west coast region in the first 15-20 years of European settlement in Victoria.
Bullock wagons regularly used the ford as a watering hole for stock as they continued on their travels across the western district. The ford crossing and associated bullock track was also important for local commercial trade for linking agricultural centres to markets.Evidence of in situ archaeological remains of the ford in the Moorabool River are visible when the water is low. Placed stones are also visible in a subsurface context on the river bank and extend away from the river.
FYANS FORD AND BULLOCK TRACK - Historical Significance
The site is historically significant for its associations to Captain Foster Fyans and the early settlement of Fyansford and Geelong. The ford and bullock track have significant links to early transportation in Victoria, establishing pathways to the Western District. Early maps and plans of this ford by well known surveyors and artists add to its historical values.
FYANS FORD AND BULLOCK TRACK - Archaeological Significance
The archaeological significance of the ford is currently unknown. The place has been identified as having high archaeological sensitivity (Hewitt et.al 2014: 176). Further archaeological investigation, including a detailed archaeological survey and recording of features would be required to determine the integrity and nature of associated features and deposits and thus an assessment of the archaeological significance.
Heritage Inventory Description
FYANS FORD AND BULLOCK TRACK - Heritage Inventory Description
Evidence of in situ remains pertaining to c 1837 stone ford in the Moorabool River, in the bank and in a subsurface context extending away from the river. Evidence of former bullock track on the west side of the Moorabool extending from the ford. Sites are referred to as FF_SWS_7 and FF_SWS_25 in Hewitt et.al 2014.
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OLD SWAN INNVictorian Heritage Register H0267
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BRIDGEVictorian Heritage Register H1108
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FYANSFORD HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0744
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