STOCKYARD CREEK LANDING PRECINCT
LANDING ROAD FOSTER, SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
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STOCKYARD CREEK LANDING PRECINCT - History
George Bass was the first to sail into Corner Inlet in his whaleboat in 1798 and a report indicates that the area remained untouched until 1841. It was not long until the settlement was established and developed into a major port and commercial centre for the area. Soon drovers moved cattle between Port Albert and Westernport and a stock route was established which linked the two settlements. One of these creeks in particular provided a good supply of fresh water and soon a camp was formed and stockyards were built on the west banks of the creek in order to facilitate overnight stops.
The Stockyard Creek area was heavily timbered with large quantities of black-wood ideal for palings.
News of gold spread through the colony and prospectors rushed to the new field. Early settlers lived in tents which did not last long and when families began arriving log huts were constructed. By June 1871, the town is said to have numbered 700 people, with stores, houses and nineteen hotels built or under construction. During the major growth in the area, the Police Magistrate, Henry Foster was sent to the area to officially name the township. Originally he proclaimed the name Stockyard Creek Diggings for the gold fields which has caused some confusion in historical research. Virtually the same day William Foster declared the name Stockyard Creek Diggings, the town's people voted to rename the city Foster.
In the 1880's an exodus occurred as the gold fields were being exhausted. Many of the prospectors left to seek fortunes elsewhere. Stockyard Creek was experiencing a period of desertion and stagnation. Some returned in hopes of finding missed gold veins but many looked towards the farming and dairy industries. Stockyard Creek was turned into a wharfing system and was maintained and rebuilt by the local community. (This summaryof the historical background comesfrom the "Port Albert Archaeological Project, Report of Investigations, October 2006". Maritime Heritage Unit, Heritage Victoria by Brian Williams, Karson Winslow, Agnes Milowka & Jason Raupp).
STOCKYARD CREEK LANDING PRECINCT - Interpretation of Site
The piles of many of these features were greatly eroded at the base, suggesting that they were at least over 50 years old.
Heritage Inventory Description
STOCKYARD CREEK LANDING PRECINCT - Heritage Inventory Description
Stockyard Creek Slipway/Leeway, Cradle & Winch/Boat Ramp & Hard
A vernacular slipway/leeway and cradle are located between two clusters of wharf and pier structures along Stockyard Creek. The leeway is constructed of small gauge iron rails laid on timber sleepers, and is cut through the creek back to reach into the creeks deepest point. The cradle is constructed of parallel timber beams secured together with large iron bolts on both ends and another beam at the seaward end scarfed perpendicular to the main structure. A keel support beam was placed over the above structure and held in place by a smaller timber beam placed perpendicular to the main frame. The whole mechanism was transported over the rails on iron tram wheels.The cradle iS approximately 2.5 m long by 0.75 m wide. An iron winch was located at the top of this embankment and was presumably used to haul the cradle from the creek. To the north approx 2 m away lay a boatramp/hard constructed of concrete over compacted limestone/shells, with two circular galvanised iron marker posts on either side at the creek entrance. This feature appears to be modern, but may be constructed over an earlier structure.
Stockyard Creek Piers North #1-5
Adjacent to this feature is the first of five timber finger pier walkways, which extend north to the jusnction of the creek. Each pier is constructed of two parallel beams resting on the river bank inshore and supported either by two large circular or rectangular piles (aprox. 20-25 cm diameter) at their extremities, along with smaller reinforcing piles along the planked timber walkway. The structure is further reinforced by scarfed rectangular beams along the piles.
Stockard Creek Wharf North
At the Junction of the Creek on the eastern bank opposite the piers, were the remains of ten timber wharf piers. Nearby a large scatter of broken and intact black glass bottles were located on the mud just below the river bank amongst the mangroves. Various broken bases of case, beer, whiskey and wine bottles were evidentand probably date to the period from 1870-1880's.
Stockyard Creek North Pier Piles
Further north of the creek junction remains of four pier piles are evident on the eastern creek bank, but were not further investigated due to access restrictions along the creek bank. The piles are of a lighter construction than those mentioned above, are arranged in two parallel rows, and extend up to 2 m offshore.
Stockyard Creek Piers South #1-7
Approximately 50 m to the south of the slipway are remains of a dilapidated pier consisting of two rows of timber piles parallel to the shore (3 piles inshore and 5 piles offshore) ranging from 20 cm to 2.5 m high, and 25 cm wide. The majority of these piles demonstrate evidence of scarfed joints on the shoreward side approximately 1-1.5 m above the riverbed, suggesting the former pier was of a similar construction to those piers on the northern side of the slipway.
Stockyard Creek slipway/leeway cradle and boat ramp, piers (north no.'s 1-5 and south no.'s 1-7).
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STOCKYARD CREEK LANDING PRECINCTVictorian Heritage Inventory
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