Historical Notes Linton

- July 20, 2020

The monument commemorates five volunteer Geelong West firefighters who lost their lives in the December 1998 bushfire. It is erected at the site of the tragedy.

On 2 December 1998, a bushfire burned through private land and state forest near the township of Linton and fire fighters from the Department of Natural Resources and Country Fire Authority (CFA) were deployed to fight the fire.

At approximately 8:45 p.m., two CFA tankers and their crews were trapped and engulfed in fire following an unexpected wind change. The crew of one of those trucks, five men from Geelong, all volunteers from the Geelong West Brigade were killed. The coronial inquest examining the fire and the deaths was one of the longest-running inquests in the history of the state. This inquest led to changes in safety operating procedures in the CFA.

GOLDFIELDS OF THE LINTON AREA

Gold was discovered in the gullies about 2km north of the present-day town of Linton, in the area around what is now the cemetery, in 1855, so this newspaper report is about a year after that. There was no official town of Linton at that time, but rather an area of gold diggings called Linton’s Diggings, or just Linton’s for short, which referred to the fact that gold was found on what was the Lintons’ pastoral run. Wet Flat was an area further north again. Nuggety Gully had been the site of some of the original finds in 1855. And gold had first been discovered at Happy Valley in 1852. The whole district at this time was referred to as Wardy Yallock after the name of the river flowing through it (later to be called Woady Yaloak). (Linton and District Historical Society Inc February 2017)

Bendigo Advertiser (Vic.: 1855 - 1918), Monday 21 July 1856, page 2

LINTON'S, WARDY YALLOCK.

Mining matters still continue brisk in this neighbourhood, and our population seems really to be settled down. The shallow sinking in Bloomer's Gully is still yielding very well; to-day a nugget weighing six and a half ounces was obtained there, and all the gold found upon the surface is of a very coarse nature. A new rush has set in to Nuggety Gully, which I believe is paying well. It is a continuance of the old lead, which was lost last year. Springdallah is in great favour again, two more shafts having been bottomed in paying ground; this has caused considerable excitement, and claim jumping is the order of the day. It is anticipated that this lead will form a connection with Brown's rush; the sinking has now reached 105 feet, and is getting deeper, with bad drifts and black clay. It would be well worth the while of some of the Ballarat folks to pay this spot a visit.

The population of Brown's rush may now be about 10,000. I am informed that on Saturday an Irishman was killed by a New Zealander, in an affray over a claim. I believe the poor fellow met his death by a blow from a spade which penetrated his skull. Upon the same day a miner was accidentally killed by a bucket falling upon him while working in the shaft; his neck was broken by the force of the blow. The weather still continues to be very inclement, and almost puts a stop to ordinary business, the roads are almost impassable, and in many places the torrents of water render travelling anything but safe or pleasant. —

Ballarat Star (Ballarat, Vic: 1855 - 1864), Thursday 9 October 1856, page 2 LINTONS, WARDY YALLOCK. (From our own Correspondent.)

Mining affairs arc still improving, - and a great deal more gold than usual has been offered for sale during this week. The rush that I mentioned in my last as having taken place to the Wet Flat, is turning out very well, the gold very much resembling Nuggety Gully gold in appearance; the sinking is about forty feet. Another rush has taken place to some surfacing which is paying moderately. The weather still presents obstacles in the way of working the low ground; many are anxiously looking forward to fine weather setting in. I believe some large company has sent in a petition to be allowed to work four acres of the Wet Flat. I don't think the diggers here will relish that, for rich ground is known to exist there, but the flooded state of the gully prevents it being worked at present. Many parties are doing a quiet stroke in Happy Valley ; very few know that there is anyone in that locality, but I am assured that several parties are doing first-rate there; it cannot be hidden long, and I have no hesitation in saying that there is no other place in Victoria that holds out so many inducements to prospecting parties.