January 19, 2017 Published by Tegan Dawson

Here is a history of Turton’s Creek a beautiful location in Gippsland.

Gold was discovered in 1872 by the 27th of December the miners had convened a meeting and outlined a gentleman’s agreement. The 60,000 ounces of gold was largely gone by 1873. It was one of the most peaceful and organised goldfields in Australia. There was one disagreement between miners. All of the miners were offended when a platoon of five police sent to oversee their operation. At that time there were 150 people searching for gold.

The gold was alluvial and found in the sediments of the creek.

Osmiridum was also mined at Turton’s Creek however the portions were much smaller than those obtained in Tasmania and further west.

The history industry at  Turton’s Creek became forestry, diary and fishing:

In the 1920’s Turton’s Creek was too thickly wooded to farm, so farmers arrived to clear the land. In the late 1920’s the Turton’s Creek school had 25 children. A trip to Foster was a rare occasion and by horse and cart for most residents until the late 1930s.

In 1933 the first-ever restrictions were placed on Turton’s creek and it’s parent tributary the Tarwin River.  The restrictions were placed on the Blackfish, as anglers preferred it to the trout in the river and they were fishing it them to extinction.

The State School at Turton’s Creek:

The State School at Turton’s Creek was operating since at least 1914 and it was destroyed by fire in July 1936 at about 10pm a prospector noticed it. They moved into a temporary building after that, until insurance came through with the new building. Mr Clemenson the Turton’s Creek teacher, in 1936 with 2 other teachers was in a car that dropped 50 m near Mirboo North, he cracked three ribs.  Teachers continued to teach in Turton’s creek, and the last teacher was assigned to “West Turton’s Creek”  a place that today doesn’t exist, yet appears to in December 1937.

1936 Bush Fire at Turton’s Creek :

This bushfire also affected other parts of Gippsland and the blaze from Dandenong was seen from Melbourne.

The Bush Fire that ravaged Turton’s Creek in April 1936, raged between McCartins Road and Turton’s Creek road.  It had been 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34.44 degrees celsius) the day before the bushfire. Temperatures didn’t drop below 20 degrees celsius the night before. This fire destroyed the ferns around the waterfall making it less attractive to the tour group from Melbourne. Fire fighters were able to save the McMasters and Shellcott’s properties.

A strange death:

In February 1936 while riding with his friends from Dumblak North through Turton’s Creek. The party of boys saw a snake crossing the road. Ken Webb took a stick and attacked the snake until it died. Shortly after finishing the snake his heart failed and he died. They say he died of exertion and the excitement of the kill.

Turton’s Creek Reserve:

Turton’s Creek was made a reserve in 1984 the size of 161.3 hectaers.

Turton’s Creek Post Office

Turton’s Creek had a post office in 1917, the 97 acres of Post Office was sold in 1950, and it was considered an old village in 1946. If we’ve learned anything from history, you’re a town when you have a post office (See our piece on Yallourn North.) We wonder what happens when a town’s post office is sold off.

Visit Turton’s Creek for yourself.