Marysville, Victoria

Last updated

Marysville
Victoria
MarysvilleMainStreet.JPG
The main street of Marysville in winter, before the fires of February 2009.
Australia Victoria Murrindindi Shire location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Marysville
Coordinates 37°30′0″S145°44′0″E / 37.50000°S 145.73333°E / -37.50000; 145.73333
Population394 (2016 census) [1]
Postcode(s) 3779
Elevation430 m (1,411 ft)
Location
LGA(s) Shire of Murrindindi
State electorate(s) Eildon
Federal division(s) Indi
Mean max tempMean min tempAnnual rainfall
17.5 °C
64 °F		8.0 °C
46 °F		725 mm
28.5 in

Marysville is a town in the Shire of Murrindindi in Victoria, Australia, about 34 kilometres north-east of Healesville and 41 kilometres south of Alexandra. The town, which previously had a population of over 500 people, [2] was devastated by the Murrindindi Mill bushfire on 7 February 2009. On 19 February 2009 the official death toll was 45. Around 90% of the town's buildings were destroyed. [3] Prior to the Black Saturday fire the population in 2006 was 519. [4] At the 2011 Census, the population had reduced to 226, [5] by the 2016 census it had risen to 394. [1]

Contents

History

The city was established as a stopping point on the Yarra Track, the route to the Woods Point and Upper Goulburn goldfields, with a butcher's shop and store in existence by the time the town was surveyed in 1864. [6] It prospered following the reconstruction of the Yarra Track as an all weather dray and coach road under engineer Clement Wilks in the 1870s. It was named after Mary Steavenson, the wife of Assistant Commissioner of Roads and Bridges John Steavenson after whom the popular Steavenson Falls are named. The Marysville Post Office opened on 1 March 1865 followed by a school in 1870, and a public hall, library and mechanics institute in 1890. [6] By the 1920s, Marysville had become a tourist destination, with the Marysville Tourist and Progress Association formed in 1924. [6] [7] Attractions promoted at the time were fern gullies, views, and walking tracks to Steavenson Falls. [6] Twelve guest houses had been established by 1920, one of the best known of these being the Cumberland Guest House. [6] At this time a rail service operated between Melbourne and nearby Healesville, [6] and the town became a popular destination for couples on their honeymoon. [8]

In 2004 a telemovie, Little Oberon starring Sigrid Thornton, was filmed in and around Marysville.

The town came under serious threat during the Black Friday bushfires in 1939, residents saw the fire cross from Mt Gorden to Mount Margaret. At that time only one house in Marysville belonging to Stan Postlethwaite was destroyed. The No.1 Mill 5 miles from Marysville was destroyed and the town of Narbethong was wiped out. The Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983 also came close to Marysville but burnt around the town and caused no damage to property. [9]

Black Saturday bushfires

On 7 February 2009, a bushfire destroyed most of the town, including the primary school, [10] police station, [11] The Cumberland, [12] and almost all of its houses.

Residents able to leave the town just prior to the fire were directed to a temporary relief centre at Alexandra High School. Others sheltered overnight in Gallipoli Park before being evacuated to Alexandra. [13]

The entire town was declared a crime scene and was effectively closed off while Victorian and Federal police recovered bodies and conducted investigations. It was reopened to the public on 23 March. [14]

In February 2014 a class action trial against electricity company SP AusNet was due to begin in the Victorian Supreme Court. It was alleged that the fire was caused by a "break in an electrical conductor on a power pole near the Murrindindi Saw Mill." An A$300 million settlement was announced before the trial began. [15] [16]

The town before the fire is viewable in Google Maps Street View which provides a virtual time-capsule tour of the area. Public Relations manager for Google Australia, Annie Baxter said: "We've received a number of requests to consider retaining the Street View imagery for fire-affected areas, and it's something we're looking into... As of June 2014 the imagery has been updated to images from March 2013, the old imagery still available through the time machine feature." [17]

Industry and employment

Marysville's primary industry is tourism. Prior to the fire, it contained numerous cafes, art galleries, restaurants, and craft shops. It has been used as a base for the Lake Mountain ski resort. During the snow season, the population of the town has been known to double or even triple, due to the influx of other hospitality and tourism caterers, such as ski hire, toboggan hire, chain hire, and many other profitable ventures associated with snowplay and skiing. During summer Marysville is frequented by many bikers, particularly on weekends. Marysville is cradled between two of Victoria's best motorcycling roads, the Black Spur & The Reefton Spur. It is also popular with recreational cyclists. There are many tourist attractions throughout the area, such as Bruno's Sculpture Garden (which was badly damaged in the 2009 fires but mostly restored since), and Steavenson Falls. The town is also used as an access point to Yarra Ranges National Park and Upper Yarra Reservoir Park. [18]

The local water treatment plant run by Goulburn Valley Water claimed the 2015 title of best drinking water in state and national titles and later second best in the world. It now boasts about its water in a road sign and on a special water fountain in the town.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire of Murrindindi</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The Shire of Murrindindi is a local government area in the Hume region of Victoria, Australia, located in the north-east part of the state. It covers an area of 3,880 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi) and, in August 2021, had a population of 15,197. It includes the towns of Alexandra, Buxton, Eildon, Flowerdale, Kinglake, Marysville, Molesworth, Strath Creek, Taggerty, Yarck and Yea. It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Alexandra, Shire of Yea, and parts of the Shire of Broadford, Shire of Eltham, Shire of Euroa, Shire of Healesville and City of Whittlesea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Healesville</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Healesville is a town in Victoria, Australia, 52 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges local government area. Healesville recorded a population of 7,589 in the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Friday bushfires</span> Series of bushfires in Australia in 1939

The Black Friday bushfires of 13 January 1939, in Victoria, Australia, were part of the devastating 1938–1939 bushfire season in Australia, which saw bushfires burning for the whole summer, and ash falling as far away as New Zealand. It was calculated that three-quarters of the State of Victoria was directly or indirectly affected by the disaster, while other Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory were also badly hit by fires and extreme heat. This was the third-deadliest bushfire event in Australian history, only behind the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires and the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinglake, Victoria</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Kinglake is a town in Victoria, Australia, 56 km (35 mi) north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shires of Murrindindi and Nillumbik local government areas. Kinglake recorded a population of 1,662 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandra, Victoria</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Alexandra is a town in north-east Victoria, Australia, 130 kilometres north-east of the State Capital, Melbourne. It is located at the junction of the Goulburn Valley Highway (B340) and Maroondah Highway (B360), in the Shire of Murrindindi local government area. At the 2016 census, the town had a population of 2,695 and the broader area a population of 6420.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buxton, Victoria</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Buxton is a town 104 kilometres (65 mi) north-east of Melbourne in the Australian state of Victoria. At the 2016 census, Buxton had a population of 233.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Mountain (Victoria)</span> Mountain in Victoria, Australia

Lake Mountain is a 1,433-metre-high (4,701 ft) mountain peak on a plateau that hosts a cross-country ski resort that is known by the same name. It is located in Victoria, Australia, approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) north-east of Melbourne. The 1,483-metre-high (4,865 ft) Mount Bullfight, which is within the Mount Bullfight Nature Conservation Reserve, is the highest peak that can be reached by a cross-country ski trail from Lake Mountain. Access to Lake Mountain's summit is restricted to a snow shoe track in winter. The Lake Mountain Alpine Resort, located near Lake Mountain, is the most popular ski resort in Australia when measured in terms of total visitor numbers, including sightseers, due to its proximity to Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Spur</span>

The Black Spur is a road between the towns of Healesville and Narbethong in Victoria, Australia. It is also known as Black Spur Drive and is part of the Maroondah Highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steavenson Falls</span> Waterfall in Australia

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AusNet Services</span> Australian energy company

AusNet Services is an Australian energy delivery services business, owning and operating more than $11 billion of electricity and gas network assets. It is a privately held, and was formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and the Singapore Exchange (SGX). AusNet is currently owned by Australian Energy Holdings No 4 Pty Limited, a company controlled by Brookfield Asset Management. The co-investors include pension funds in Australia and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008–09 Australian bushfire season</span>

The Australian bushfire season ran from late December 2008 to April/May 2009. Above average rainfalls in December, particularly in Victoria, delayed the start of the season, but by January 2009, conditions throughout South eastern Australia worsened with the onset of one of the region's worst heat waves. On 7 February, extreme bushfire conditions precipitated major bushfires throughout Victoria, involving several large fire complexes, which continued to burn across the state for around one month. 173 people lost their lives in these fires and 414 were injured. 3,500+ buildings were destroyed, including 2,029 houses, and 7,562 people displaced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Saturday bushfires</span> Series of deadly bushfires throughout Victoria State, Australia in early 2009

The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that either ignited or were already burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009, and were one of Australia's all-time worst bushfire disasters. The fires occurred during extreme bushfire weather conditions and resulted in Australia's highest-ever loss of human life from a bushfire, with 173 fatalities. Many people were left homeless as a result.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narbethong, Victoria</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinglake West, Victoria</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Kinglake West is a town in Victoria, Australia, 45 km (28 mi) north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Whittlesea and the Shires of Murrindindi and Nillumbik local government areas. Kinglake West recorded a population of 1,305 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambarville, Victoria</span> Town in Victoria, Australia

Cambarville is a bounded rural locality in Victoria, Australia, located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges Local government area. Much of its area is part of the Yarra Ranges National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarra Track</span> Road in Victoria, Australia

The Yarra Track is the former name of the gold fields road from Healesville to the Woods Point and Jordan Goldfields, in Victoria, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yarra Valley (wine)</span> Australian wine region

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Eildon</span>

The electoral district of Eildon is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly in Australia. It was created in the redistribution of electoral boundaries in 2013, which came into effect at the 2014 state election and is a member of the Northern Victoria Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steavenson River</span> River in Victoria, Australia

The Steavenson River, sometimes incorrectly referred to as Steavensons River, a minor inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the lower South Eastern Highlands bioregion and Northern Country/North Central regions of the Australian state of Victoria. The headwaters of the Steavenson River rise on the north–western slopes of the Yarra Ranges, below Mount Edgar and descend to flow into the Acheron River near Buxton.

The Taggerty River, a minor inland perennial river of the Goulburn Broken catchment, part of the Murray-Darling basin, is located in the lower South Eastern Highlands bioregion and Northern Country/North Central regions of the Australian state of Victoria. The headwaters of the Taggerty River rise on the north–western slopes of the Yarra Ranges, below Lake Mountain and descend to flow into the Steavenson River near Marysville.

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Marysville (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 July 2018. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Marysville (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  3. ↑ Marysville destroyed by Victorian bushfires Archived 11 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
    —Fires destroy Marysville [ permanent dead link ]
    —Marysville wiped from the map as inferno shows no mercy Archived 11 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
    —Township of Marysville destroyed
    —Marysville just wiped out
    —Marysville completely destroyed by fires
    —Marysville destroyed
    —Victoria bushfire destroys township of Marysville
    —Marysville 'wiped off the map'
    — "25 confirmed dead in Victorian fires". ABC News. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
    — "Wiped out: Towns destroyed by killer fires". ABC News. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  4. ↑ "2006 Census QuickStats: Marysville (L)".
  5. ↑ "2011 Census QuickStats: 3779, Vic".
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Marysville, Victoria". Australian Places (archived). Archived from the original on 24 August 2006. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  7. ↑ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List" . Retrieved 11 April 2008.
  8. ↑ Blair, Suzanne J. (1987). Blair's guide : travel guide to Victoria and Melbourne. Blair's Guides. ISBN   0-7316-0506-3.
  9. ↑ "Triangle News Article: Diary written by resident of Marysville in 1939". Triangle News. 2009.
  10. ↑ "Fires close, burn down schools". heraldsun.com.au. 10 February 2009. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  11. ↑ "Two police stations lost in Vic fires". The Age. Australia. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  12. ↑ "The Cumberland Marysville and Villa Day Spa" . Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  13. ↑ "Wiped out: Towns destroyed by killer fires". ABC News. 8 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  14. ↑ "Marysville declared a crime scene". – Weekly Times Now. – 9 February 2009. – Retrieved: 11 February 2009
  15. ↑ Ferrier, Steph (6 February 2015). "Marysville bushfire class action: Black Saturday bushfire victims to get $300 million payout". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2015. Electricity company AusNet has announced a $300 million settlement with the Marysville victims of the Black Saturday bushfires.
  16. ↑ "Victims of Black Saturday fire launch class action". ABC News. Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2015. A class action will be launched in the Supreme Court today on behalf of victims of the Murrindindi bushfire on Black Saturday in 2009.
  17. ↑ "Google preserving Victoria's bushfire towns, for now". governmentnews.com.au. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  18. ↑ "Marysville". Tourism Victoria. Retrieved 21 July 2011.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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