Toombon One of our Legendary Gold Settlements VFWDC - Lone Graves Trip Report

Vic Four Wheel Drive Club Grave Site Marking (Season 2 - Episode 8)

Few residents in the Latrobe Valley would be completely unaware of Gippsland's rich gold heritage to the north of the Latrobe Valley. In fact most Latrobe residents have no doubt travelled at some stage to Walhalla, and once there, many will have donned a hard hat and taken an exciting tour of the Long Tunnel Mine - one of the regions best attractions. For many, their knowledge of Gippsland's gold heritage starts and ends with Walhalla; but to the north of Walhalla, to the west and to the east, and even to the south beyond the Latrobe Valley there are the sites of numerous former townships which once echoed to the sounds of miners voices and the ever pounding quartz crushers. These townships were not tiny settlements either, but had numerous streets which yielded schools, butchers, fancy goods stores, wine bars, public halls, churches and banks. Donnelly Creek, Toombon, Fulton's Creek, Jericho and Red Jacket are but a few of the former mining township sites that lie to the North of Walhalla, and many require four-wheel-drive access. However, Toombon is relatively easy to access and can be reached by conventional vehicle. Beyond Walhalla, the road to Jamieson is admittedly tortuous, but an alternative road, constructed to service the development of the Thomson Dam, extends beyond Rawson and by-passing Walhalla, and is an excellent drive. The sealed surface continues across the reservoir's retaining wall and climbs to where it meets the Walhalla - Jamieson Road en route to Aberfeldy. From this point the road is unsealed, but still a comfortable drive if you take it easy and keep an eye out for oncoming traffic. The turn off to Toombon (Donnelly Creek Road) is about three kilometres short of Aberfeldy. Whilst it's accessible by conventional vehicle, this could not be recommended in wet conditions. Drivers should also be aware that it is very narrow in sections and when two cars meet, one may have to reverse several hundred metres before a suitable spot for two vehicles to pass is found. Donnelly Creek Road descends to and crosses the Aberfeldy River before climbing via the Toombon cemetery to the Toombon mine site. The mine site is quite identifiable by the large mountain of grey mine waste that abuts the road. Clambering to the top of this waste is not recommended, there is a more sedate path on the northern side which will achieve the same purpose via a safer route. Many of these mine sites harbour relics and those visiting Toombon won't be disappointed. Other than the vertical shaft which fortunately is adequately fenced, there is a chimney, steam boiler, fire box, engine mountings and building ruins obvious to the eye in just a few seconds. For the intrepid there is a walk signposted from the foot of the mine waste which leads to numerous relics at the site of workings near the Aberfeldy River. In January this year (2009) it was quite overgrown and difficult to follow and therefore at this stage in time can be recommended only to the dedicated. Pause at the Toombon cemetery on your return journey. While there are no headstones, the site of numerous graves have been marked with quartz rocks. They are testament to a time when the township boasted a plethora of stores, the Apollo Hall, recreation ground, hotel, police station, school and a branch of the Bank of Australasia. Pause also as you return on the road from Aberfeldy to the Thomson Reservoir, at the site of Kitty Cane's grave. By all accounts Kitty was a bountiful lady, but I'll leave you to discover in what way, from the interpretive board that stands next to her grave. How to get to Toombon

Toombon is approximately 80 kilometres from Moe via the C466 / C481 or Traralgon via the C481. There are no picnic facilities at Toombon but excellent facilities at the Silvertop picnic ground at the Thomson Reservoir.

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