The popularity of Warrandyte to the holiday maker was mentioned in the Melbourne Argus as far back as 1858, and probably never a year has passed since then, that quite a number of people have not found their way to the pretty little wooded village at holiday times, but it was not until the coming of the motor car that the township really found its own in this regard; in the 1920s it probably had no equal in Victoria.
The revival of gold mining in 1905 did much to focus attention and establish the town generally, and several of the sporting and social bodies that are still functioning were founded or re-organised during this era; among which we note the Cricket, Football and Tennis Clubs, The Progress League (now the Progress Association), the Masonic Lodge and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
The Warrandyte Football Club was founded in the year 1906 and played its first match against Diamond Creek on the 7th July that year; they were unlucky to be beaten 4 Goals 9 Points - 33 Points to 4 Goals 7 Points - 27 Points. A second match was played against Yarra Glen on the 11th August when they again lost 20 Points to 5 Points. The club played only scratch matches for the first 3 or 4 seasons and then joined the Reporter Association.
The Cricket Club has played with outstanding success almost throughout its long history. The game was played at Warrandyte as early as the 1850s and there is evidence to suggest that a fairly strong club existed in the sixties and seventies, however there are few records in existence. The club was re-organised at a public meeting called by Mr. Edward Kruse on October 1[4th], 1905, owing largely to the fine efforts of their captain, Mr. John Till, they met with brilliant success during 1906 and 1907. In their first season in the Cameron Trophy Association, they were unlucky to lose a play off for the Runners-up Trophy, and in their second season they brought the Cameron Trophy home after remaining undefeated throughout the season. A tribute paid to the club in the Evelyn Observer of March 22nd, 1907, is worth recording :-
"There was a large attendance on the Warrandyte Ground on Saturday last to witness the conclusion of the match Warrandyte versus Yarra Glen. Great interest was centred in the match as it was Yarra Glen's only chance of having a say for first place in the Cameron Trophy. The Warrandyte team has been playing in consistent form and holds an unbroken record, but with the scores Warrandyte 110 and 7 for 65 v Yarra Glen 120, Yarra Glen seeming had the match won on paper, but the uncertainties of cricket were again manifest and after a hard tussle Warrandyte won by 7 runs - a truly meritorious performance; and in only their second year they have won the much coveted Cameron Trophy without a defeat. Strange to say in every match played in the association, excepting against Yarra Glen, Warrandyte has won with an innings to spare."
The Warrandyte Tennis Club was formed in the year 1907, and the courts adjacent to the bridge were built the same year with the aid of the Football Club. Mr. William Sloan organised several of the earliest tournaments and in 1910 they teamed up with Diamond Creek, Upper Diamond Creek and Summer Hill to form the Evelyn District Tennis Association.
The antiquity of the Warrandyte Progress League extends well back into the last century, but was rather inactive for some years previous to 1906, throughout its long history it has shown itself to be both practical and progressive and has introduced many improvements for the benefit of the town. One of the most interesting motions ever tabled before the association was the changing of the name of the town. On September 14th, 1906, Constable George Wyatt moved :- "That as the name Anderson's Creek and Warrandyte are both applied to the various public offices, the name Warrandyte be substituted in all cases." The motion was seconded by Mr. George Quick, the Head Teacher of the School, and carried unanimously. At a later meeting it was stated that replies had been received from the Crown Law Office, The Chief Secretary and the Education Department agreeing to the change.
The town had been known, both as Warrandyte and Anderson's Creek since the earliest days, though in the eighties and nineties it was almost exclusively known as Anderson's Creek. The word "Warrandyte", is aboriginal, Warran - "To Throw", Dyte - "object aimed at". Though the word Warrandyte is an aboriginal name of some merit, there is also much to be said in favour of Anderson's Creek, which commemorates the name of one of Victoria's earliest pioneers.
Another unusual motion discussed by the Progress League was moved by Mr. Frank Trezise in 1908; it read: "That a committee of 5 be appointed to consider the harnessing of the Yarra River, with the view of having it made navigable, and to approach the Minister on the subject." The idea was to place locks across the river at intervals between Warrandyte and Melbourne. The motion was carried. Still another unusual motion dealt with the establishment of a creamery in Warrandyte, which it was stated would be a great boom to the town.
By the year 1910, the dawn of modern times was evident; the motor car was already becoming a familiar sight in Warrandyte, the press of that year stated that there were no fewer than 1,500 in Victoria and that their mechanical progress over the past ten years had been truly astonishing. Warrandyte's first motor fatality was 7 year old Duke Emanuel Doyle, who ran from behind a hawker's wagon right under the wheel of a motor car driven by Mr. Arthur Holmes on the side of Melbourne Hill in 1908. Mr. Holmes raced him to St. Vincent's Hospital where he died half an hour after admission.
The year 1911 saw the throwing open of 240 acres of Crown Land in the Anderson's Creek and Harris Gully Areas, several large villas had been erected along the water front and numerous enquiries were being made for building allotments, the Christmas period, however, was not as enjoyable as could be wished. Thousands of campers came up from the city, but with them came an undesirable element, which proved a constant source of worry to the town for many years after. During the holiday period miscreants broke into the hall and plundered the refreshment stall that had been set up for the bazaar in aid of the Catholic Church Building Fund; gates were also lifted off their hinges and a picnicer's horse was cut loose and not recovered.
On March 23rd, 1912, a public meeting was called to form a branch of the Political Labour Council of Victoria (now the Australian Labour Party). The chair was occupied by the Hon. W. Evans M.L.C. Several distinguished people addressed the meeting on the labour cause. Mr. J. Hatten was elected foundation President, and Mr. Richard Schneider Secretary.
The Evelyn Observer for January 22nd, 1913, contained a small article which has since proved to have been of considerable importance to the town. It read: "Withers and Sons Char-a-banc Company Limited, which is now running between Doncaster and the City, intend on the 1st of August next to run a motor service between Warrandyte and the City." This probably represents the first motor bus communications between Warrandyte and the City.
The serious state of the Warrandyte Riding finances in the Templestowe Shire is evident in a letter from the Warrandyte State School Committee applying for financial assistance to build a dressing shed on the banks of the Yarra for the benefit of school children who were being taught to swim. Several Councillors spoke, regretting that, in face of the serious state of the Riding's finances, they were unable to assist even to the extent of ten bob, but Councillors agreed to contribute individually; they spoke strongly and contended that the Education Department should erect the shelter and not expect the parents to do everything.
1914 saw the outbreak of hostilities and Warrandyte people were active in holding dances and concerts in aid of the Red Cross. The Warrandyte Patriotic League was formed in 1915 for the purpose of entertaining returning soldiers who were wounded; the league did valuable work for the authorities as thousands of men were returning from the front and means had to be found of entertaining them. On one occasion in 1916 a party of 150 returning servicemen from New South Wales and Queensland arrived in Melbourne by transport one Saturday evening and word was sent that they were coming to Warrandyte on the Sunday under the charge of the Chief Medical Officer, Colonel Beckle. The local ladies proved quite equal to the occasion and by 9 a.m. the hall was turned into one vast refreshment room. Mr. William Sloan was Hon. Secretary of the league and among those who did valuable work were Mesdames Flynn, Higgins, J. Sloan, Misses D. and V. Hawkes, Messrs. G. Sloan, R. Hussey, Carl Schult and J. Blair.
But even amid the breathless activities of war, the passing of the Hon. H. H. Cameron M.L.A. caused an unprecedented gloom over the district. His political career is noted elsewhere but the tribute paid to him by the Evelyn Observer is worth recording :-
"A career that was unique and perhaps has no parallel in any other public man's life in Australia. It reads thus --- 53 years a member of the Castlemaine Mining Board, over 40 years a member of the Eltham Roads Board, subsequently the Eltham Shire Council, 40 years a member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria (to which he was elected in 1874 and from which he retired last year). All these positions he held without a break during the lengthy periods named; a truly phenomenal record. In addition he held many minor positions, among them secretary for a number of years to the Victoria Agricultural Society (Heidelberg). He also, in conjunction with the late Mr. Andrew Ross and other gentlemen, started and established this newspaper. He was also a consistent supporter and attendant at the local Presbyterian Church and also a great believer and contributor to sport, especially cricket."
The news of the passing of Mr. John Sloan, second son of Mr. James Sloan Snr. on the 1st of May, 1917, was equally received with much regret in Warrandyte, in fact it might well be doubted if any other man worked so hard for the public good or showed greater enterprise in developing the mineral resources of the town; he discovered the Young Colonial, which was later the Victory Mine and the Carters Line of Reef, where the Caledonia was later situated. To everyone in Warrandyte he was known as "Happy-go-lucky-Jack" and at the same time playing a valued roll in the local affairs of the town. He was a Councillor of the Templestowe Shire for some years, and trustee of the Recreation Ground, the Mechanics Institute, and the Government Battery. He was also a violinist of considerable merit and was always to the fore in assisting charitable objects. Speaking at the graveside, the Funeral Director, Mr. E. T. Apps of Heidelberg, said:- "We have seen the last of one of the whitest and best men Warrandyte has ever produced; he will be greatly and sadly missed." The funeral, which was attended by many of the older miners and residents of the district, stretched all the way from the top of Pig Tail Hill to the Warrandyte Cemetery.
Other old residents who passed on about this time were Messrs. Richard Porteous, brother to the Rev. David Porteous, who died in 1911 and Stephen Mullins who died on April 17th, 1910, aged 86. Mr. Mullins was a native of Galway, Ireland, and had been a resident of Warrandyte for nearly 50 years, first as a successful miner and later settling on an orchard in Jumping Creek Road.
During the war years little maintenance was carried out in Warrandyte Riding and by 1919 the condition of the bridge was causing much concern, at least one minister had inspected it and promised Government assistance but it had all come to nothing and a correspondent writing in the Box Hill Reporter in June, 1919, said:- "The Warrandyte Bridge is in a very dangerous condition and those of highly strung and inclined nervous temperament refrain from excursions to cross to the township these dark nights from motives of self-preservation. Recently a woodcarter's horse slipped its leg down between the planks and a serious accident was narrowly averted."
After much discussion and passing the buck the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic on the 1st November, 1919, and not reopened until the 1st January, 1920. This caused much inconvenience to the residents of North Warrandyte, particularly as there was much criticism of the manner in which the repairs were carried out. The bridge had to be closed for repairs again in 1928.
The early 1920s can best be described as a period of transition for Warrandyte, no longer was she a sleepy country town, but a holiday resort packed by thousands of visitors every weekend; the hillsides were covered with wild flowers, boronias and acacias, there was also a certain elegance about the township, which probably no other place in Victoria possessed. The murmuring river, the old court house, the old rustic water wheel and the bridge, blended somehow to give a quaint setting which had an irresistable appeal to the visitor. A correspondent writing in the press of 1919 may have had this in mind when he wrote :-
"There is a general atmosphere about things in general here, not a month passes but a little knot of men resort to the bridge over the Yarra; they stand in convivial fashion at one end, then incidentally to the centre, where their attitude is one of deep meditation, by the time they have reached the extreme end all illusions have vanished and things have been reduced to plain facts, but forbearance is the edict of the age of armistices, strikes, etc. and some day perhaps the old bridge will be missed by those who are not missing."
The Warrandyte branch of the R.S.S.I.L.A. was formed in 1919, with Penleigh Boyd, the noted artist as foundation President. In 1920-21 efforts were made to build a memorial hall on the south side of the bridge, the site now occupied by the soldiers' memorial tablet. Some hundreds of pounds were raised and a considerable amount of work done in excavations etc. but the project was not proceeded with after the death of Boyd in 1923.
In 1920 the Postal Department declined to extend telephone communications between Warrandyte and Ringwood, stating that the Department was already working under a big deficit in the district. Ten residents had signified their intentions of subscribing on the line. In 1922 South Warrandyte people beat Warrandyte to the punch when their memorial hall was opened by Mr. W. H. Everard in August.
The New Year's Day Celebrations of 1923 took an unusual twist, when an open air concert was held on the bridge, and a mock wedding took place, the community singing was much enjoyed. Artists included Queenie Robinson and her mother, and Mr. Bishop who gave a recitation. A collection in aid of the Womens' Hospital realized 17/8.
In 1924 the Warrandyte School Committee held a highly successful "Back to Warrandyte Celebrations" in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the School and at the same time a branch of the Junior Red Cross Society was formed at the school to assist the young patients at Austin Hospital, Heidelberg. The same year the police headquarters were transferred to Mr. Stiggants' residence next to St. John's Church of England. This was its fourth home. First adjacent to the recreation ground, and later to the river flat below the state school and then to the residence occupied by Mr. Nankivel for some years opposite the main shopping block.
Among the old residents who passed on about this time we note that of Mr. Frank Trezise who died at his residence "The Oaks" on November 8th, 1920. He came to Warrandyte about the year 1886 as proprietor of the Warrandyte Hotel and later conducted the Grand Hotel - which his family still conducts. He also identified himself with the various public bodies in the town particularly the Progress League. The death of Mr. William Sloan on May 20th, 1921, also removed a colourful figure who did much to further the interests of the town. He showed unusual ability as poet and his material was often published in the local press. Henry Kruse was another old timer who passed on in 1924, he was Licensee of the Research Hotel in the eighties and for several years conducted a wine saloon at the southern approach of the bridge - now Mrs. G. Robertson's milk bar.
In response to many requests, the Railways Standing Committee paid a visit to Warrandyte to collect evidence as to the possibility of laying a railway through the Shire. Crs. Ireland, Hillhouse and Sell appeared before the Committee and did their best to convince them that the railway would be a payable proposition. The Committee, however, shelved the proposals and finally passed it over to the Tramways Board who, in turn, stated it would not be a payable proposition.
The cost of the various routes investigated were estimated as follows :- Fairfield to Doncaster - £238,500, Fairfield to Warrandyte - £465,000, Kew to Doncaster - £406,000, to Warrandyte - £634,000, Heidelberg to Templestowe - £130,000 and to Warrandyte - £348,000. The committee also took evidence at Templestowe, Doncaster, Kangaroo Grounds and Christmas Hills.
The destruction by fire of the picturesque Warrandyte Hotel at midnight on the 26th April, 1925, came as a big shock to the town. The Licensees, Mr. & Mrs. Connelly and guests had just time to make their escape in their night attire; "it was an appalling scene" wrote one correspondent, "from a distance it looked as if the whole of the centre of the town was afire. Both the Box Hill and the Surrey Hills brigades were summoned but the hotel was almost gutted before they arrived."
Among the many distinguished people who were in the habit of visiting this hotel was the Prime Minister of the day, the Right Hon. W. M. Hughes. On October 19th, 1919, he made a special trip to Warrandyte to see the new licensee, Mr. W. M. Tomkinson, late A.I.F., whom he had met on the field in France. There is some doubt as to whether the Warrandyte Hotel was the original Union Hotel built by Patrick Geraghty in 1856 or whether it was the Temple Bar which is opposite in the main shopping block. The rebuilding of the Warrandyte Hotel was opposed by the police and a section of the residents in Warrandyte.
In 1925 it was announced that the picturesque old State Battery was to be removed from its site above the bridge. Many protests were voiced by local residents who thought it a pity that such a fine old landmark should be removed and, after representations were made by a Mr. P. Mackie, a local resident, it was agreed that the water wheel should be allowed to remain, though it was removed a few years later.
Repeated agitation on the part of the Progress Association to obtain a continuous telephone service was brought a step closer in 1927 when the Post-Master General's Department stated that the phone revenue was £42 short of the necessary £250 a year for a continuous service, but they would connect the public phone outside the Post Office to the trunk line so as urgent calls could be made after hours.
By the year 1926 the depression was beginning to make itself felt and dances were being held in the hall in aid of the Lord Mayor's Unemployment Fund; locally the situation had not reached the serious proportions of the early 1930s, but nevertheless was beginning to be serious. In 1927 a Government grant of £300 was obtained by the Doncaster and Templestowe Council and, as there was little unemployed in other parts of the Shire, the whole of the money was spent in the Warrandyte Riding.
It was used to put through the cutting between the bridge and the hall under Mr. C. F. Blair. It was stated that the Warrandyte people were pleased that every unemployed man - both married and single - had been found work on the project. On another occasion there were 25 applicants for positions of pianist and violinist at the local hall.
The opening of the Mechanics Institute on April 7th, 1928, was hailed as the greatest advancement Warrandyte had made for more than 20 years. The ceremony was performed by Mr. W. H. Everard M.L.A. who had to cut short his visit to the "Back to Rushworth" celebrations in order to be present. The struggle to raise the necessary funds for the building was a hard one, and was only achieved after more than 5 years patient work in running dances etc. in the old hall and in an other small hall owned by Mr. Aird.
In 1926 the Committee tried to expedite the erection and Messrs. R. H. Paul and R. P. Johnston led a deputation to the Doncaster Council requesting them to raise a Government loan of £1,000 for the purpose, but the Council declined to assist until a freehold title was held for the land and enthusiasm for the cause appears to have been dampened. However, early in 1927 Mr. Paul Sloan, acting in his capacity as Secretary of the Warrandyte branch of the Australian Labour Party wrote to the Progress League requesting them to call a public meeting to form a working committee to get the project properly in hand; the outcome was the appointment of a committee to investigate the various sites around the township and on November 1st, 1927, the contract for the building was let to Messrs. Sheehan and Van.
Speaking at the opening, Professor W. A. Osborne, said: "Warrandyte has two great assets, its natural beauty and its nearness to Melbourne. If the place were in the United States it would be one of the loveliest spots on God's earth, they would put capital and organisation into it, but these things would come to Warrandyte in due course" he said.
The ladies' committee held a bazaar in conjunction with the opening and Mr. W. Moore's refreshment rooms opposite were opened on the same day. The overdraft owing to the Primary Producers Bank was approximately £500. The first trustees were Messrs. Hemsworth, Scarborough, Topping and Hogan, and the Working Committee comprised Mesdames C. Hemsworth, T. Jones and Hornidge and Messrs. E. Houghton, H. Kiley and H. Robinson, with Mrs. M. May as first secretary. The action of Mr. Topping in donating £25 towards the cost of the curtains was much appreciated.
It is interesting to note that the first motion pictures were screened at the hall on April 16th, 1928, by Mr. Campbell who had just previously commenced a bus service to Melbourne with a fleet of Hudson cars. The first program was a double feature - "Devils Island" with Pauline Frederick and Louise Fazenda in "Millionaires". Neither the pictures nor the bus service survived for long but they are good examples of the enterprise shown during the depression years.
Source: We believe from handwritten notes in records that the following text is an unpublished manuscript in 2 volumes (Ch1-11 and Ch12-21) written by Louis Radnor Cranfield (1927- 14 Oct 1992) F.R.HIST.S. (Fellow of the Royal Historical Society). Find a Grave Record. National Library of Australia Record.
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