In February 1980 The Age newspaper launched a major campaign, Give the Yarra A Go. An Englishman, Michael Davies came to Melbourne, as editor of the Age, in the 1970s. Davie not only saw the Yarra but admired and was impressed by it. He was also shocked by the attitude of the Melbourne people who did not appreciate the river but also seemed to dislike it.
Davie planned a campaign, ”Give The Yarra A Go”. He selected a team, executives, reporters and photographers, then gave tem two months to study the river, its history and environment.
The timing was right for such a campaign. During the 1970s, there were many interested in the Yarra. Painters still used the river as a subject and Neil Douglas held an exhibition of his Yarra Oaintings. One group had asked photographers to contribute to and exhibition of the Yarra. Most of those who centribute concentrated on the polution in and arround the river. One photographer was excited because as she walked along the river looking forshots a truck gave her a splendid shot as it tipped a load of rubbish right in front of her. At Bulleen a school class went on an excursion to see how much rubbish and polution they could find along the river. They were most dissapointed when they were bot able to find any.
The Give the Yarrra A Go campain commenced on Saturday 23 February 1980. A hard hitting article with a striking half page photograph by Bruce Postle of Dight’s Falls on the front page. The writer said:
“A vast lethargy has somehow come between the people of Melbourne and its greatest, indeed its only natural asset.
“It is an extraordinary fact , that whereas anyone who goes up the river in a boat can at once see that the river could become as important to the life of Melbourne as the Seine is to Paris, the great majority of Melbourne people regard the river almost as something to be ashamed of.” There were more articles through the paper and the campaign continued each day that week.
The Age laid down six aims:
1. Turn Batman car park into a proper park.
2. Push a bicycle and walking track through to Dight’s Falls.
3. Bring back boats to the river.
4. Clean up the river.
5. Turn the river and its banks into a river park under a single authority. (Source: The Age, 23 Feb 1880)
Davie said that the seeds of the campaign were sown in his mind when the car park was pointed out to him. To him, the irony that the name of Melbourne’s founder was attached to a bleak riverside car park was “Symbolic of the way the Melbourne had let slip its opportunities”. (Source: Mr.Peter Cole Adams, Yarra River Conference, 1991)
Reaction to the campaign was fast to come about. The next week the Lord Mayor that the City needed State funding to transform Batman’s Park into a landscaped garden. Ever since the 60s there had been requests for this but councillors had always insisted that it be a car park. In further issues of the paper, the car lobby still insisted.
Since the first people settled on the banks of the Yarra, boats have constantly plyed along the river. But in the 60s and 70s, except for racing skiffs, any type of small boat has not been seen. This has been partly due to the low level of the Queen’s and Kings bridges where there is often less than a metre at high tide. Also the Board of works discouraged small boats. There were no launching ramps or moorings available.
The National Trust moored Polly Woodside in the old Dry dock with tourist attractions. On either side were neglected old wharves. Here was an obvious place for improvement.
The Board of works had been improving the quality of the river water. Installation of sewage along the river and its tributaries had made a large difference but the creeks and drains constantly carried rubbish, from the streets in the eastern suburbs, into the river.
The only path to run alongside the river ran from Princes Bridge to Grange Road. This was mainly for the use of rowing coaches to follow their crews on bicycles.
During the following years, these objectives were being carried out. The Age campaign was not directly responsible for all that was done. What the campaign did was to change the attitude of the majority of Melbourne people.
On other rivers in other places, the boat tied up to the jetty led to the rest of the World, but on the Yarra where a house had access to the river the car in the driver led through the front gate to the World. The boat in the boat shed led to recreation and relaxation on the river
Chelsworth Park is now part of Wilson reserve. Here in 1908, when boy scouts were new in Melbourne, the 1st. Ivanhoe Sea Scout troop was formed at a sharp bend of the Yarra and the troop built a scout hall. Two years later the first training camp for Scout Leaders was held on the site. On summer weekends, the river bank came alive with boys swimming and paddling canoes in the river and boys in scout uniform running about on the river banks busy with activities and exercises. The founder of the group, Skipper Wilson remained as Scoutmaster until his death forty years later. Wilson Reserve was named after him. Swimming is not allowed now for there are fast currents around the bend and the riverbanks are slippery. (Source: Australia in World Rowing, Alan N.Jacobsen, p95)
Between Heidelberg and Kew, the Yarra ran between reserves and parks. Open land that can be enjoyed by the people of Melbourne. From Kew to Burnley as well as parks many private home have a river frontage. The front of these houses have their entrance from a street with a drive and garage for their car. On the river, most have a small jetty and boat shed for their boat. In the 1930s, a boulevard was built giving the wonderful opportunity of being able to drive through a delightful river valley. Now Melbourne Water have laid down a walking and bicycle track providing greater access to the Yarra
In 1985, Paul van der Sluys restored the buildings as the Fairfield Park Boat House and Tea Garden.
The Upper Yarra River Course in Melbourne is better than the wind-plagued Albert Park Lake, but the same elements of chance are there, plus other hazards of tides , floods, and S bends. The Yarra River, love it or leave it, is truly Melbourne - historic, picturesque, nostalgic, convenient and excellent in every way for rowing training. But it is not suitable for boat racing. The Yarra courses are not up to modern standards. A new course has now been made for Water Sports at Carrum.
Source: Tales of the Yarra River - Irvine Green. Download pdf version of the above draft:
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