2. Settlement Begins
The South Gippsland hills
Covered with dense forest and protected by swamp to the west and tortuous hills to the north, South Gippsland was one of the last regions of Victoria to be settled. This section mentions some of the difficulties and looks at some of the drivers to development, as well as the man who gave South Gippsland its shape.
Early entry into Gippsland
A sea route via Port Albert, and the relatively dry plains of East Gippsland provided early entry points. But the push to open South Gippsland really came with the Gold Rush …
They Came By Land & Sea
Settling in South Gippsland
Long after the western and central areas of Victoria were settled much of Gippsland remained unknown.
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.
Early map of Gippsland
Settling in South Gippsland
Long after the western and central areas of Victoria were settled much of Gippsland remained unknown.
A Map of Gippsland from Longmans Geography Series
The Lands Act
The Gold Rush had brought a great number of settlers to Victoria and by the late 1860’s people wanted land to be opened up for sale.
Surveying
South Gippsland has its shape due to the work of surveyor Lardner, who is buried in the cemetery at Leongatha. Many places in Gippsland carry the name of the great surveyor, who was active in the region between 1873-1890.
Image of Lardner’s camp
Early Image of surveyor
Lardner’s surveying camp.
From the Leongatha and District Historical Society