Settling in South Gippsland
Long after the western and central areas of Victoria were settled much of Gippsland remained unknown.
Early entry into Gippsland
The Strzelecki party had travelled through the area in 1840 and finished up at Western Port barely alive. The mountains of South Gippsland were covered with dense forest and the coast lined with mangrove and ti- tree. Entering the area was thus very hard. The drier eastern areas had been settled by graziers who followed the route found by Angus McMillan. They came from NSW to Omeo and on to Port Albert. Port Albert had been established in 1841 for the exporting of cattle to Tasmania and settlers came into the region via this entry point as well. The discovery of gold at Walhalla in 1863 had opened up a coach route from Dandenong and settlers had moved into the hilly country east of Dandenong as far as Drouin.
