“Bugger it, this will do!” That is what Joseph Bowden supposedly said. He supposedly dumped his pub at McMahons Creek. Welcome to McMahons Creek. It is a place rich in history. Gold mining and timber logging define its past.
In 1858 gold mining began in the Upper Yarra at McMahons Creek. By 1879 gold was discovered in quartz reefs. This was at the junction of McMahons Creek and the Yarra River.
Let’s talk about the post office. It first opened in 1865. Then it closed in 1870. It reopened in 1901. Eventually, it closed for good in 1968.
Alf Armstrong was a surveyor. He was also Registrar for the St Andrews Division. Armstrong Creek was named after him. In 1879, Armstrong reported many residents. 1722 people with families lived in the McMahons Creek area. They earned a good living.
McMahons Creek once had its own school. S.S No 3125 Brinmonga School opened in 1891. It started as a log hut with a bark roof. Later, they built a weatherboard building. Sadly, the school closed in 1943. The reason was declining student numbers.
From the 1920s timber was logged from McMahons Creek. This was because supplies ran out around Warburton. Wildfires have impacted McMahons Creek. Fires between 1898 and 2009 damaged many old trees.
The Reefton Hotel has a colorful story. It was first licensed in 1886 to Joseph Bowden. The hotel was originally in Reefton. The story says gold petered out. Bowden decided to move the pub. He wanted to go to east Warburton. There were sawmills and thirsty saw millers there. He packed the pub onto a bullock dray. But he couldn’t fit it across the river at McMahons Creek. So he supposedly said, “Bugger it, this will do!”. He dumped it there. There is no real proof of this story before the 1980s. Some residents say the original building burnt down. Joseph Bowden salvaged what he could. He reopened in the existing building. It is next to the McMahons Creek Bridge.
Take a short drive along Woods Point Road. You will find the Little Peninsula Tunnel Picnic Ground. The Little Peninsula Tunnel was created in the late 1860s. Miners used dynamite to blast through rock. This altered the water course. Prospectors could then search the exposed river bed for gold. The Big Peninsula Tunnel is a bit further down the road.
The tunnels played a role in the Gold Rush. The Yarra River was diverted. This made it easier for miners to find gold. Rich discoveries occurred throughout the Upper Yarra Valley. The Little Peninsula Tunnel is 30m long. Miners likely used dynamite. They removed the rubble with horses and carts. This lowered the water level. It allowed miners to sluice gold-bearing sediments. The exact value of gold recovered from Little Peninsula is unknown.
You can reach the tunnel from the upper car park. A short track connects it to the picnic ground. Another tunnel awaits at the Big Peninsula. Tracks lead down from the car park. They go to either side of the Tunnel. A small picnic area sits at the bottom of the stairway.
In summer, you can enjoy paddling or swimming at the tunnels. There is a small paddling area at the Little Peninsula tunnel inlet. More experienced swimmers can swim at the Big Peninsula Tunnel outlet.
McMahons Creek is more than just a place. It is a testament to the dreams of those who sought fortune. It also highlights the resilience of a community.