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June 2001
Speaker: John Lawson
Report by: Margaret Fullard
Our speaker, Mr. John Lawson, dedicated this address to his friend, the late Bert
Deane, who passed away recently. His vision and tenacity helped to save the reserve
from development and he steered processes to conserve the area and retum it to
bushland.
The reserve is 29.5 hectares with Hickox Street on the east boundary, and with an
entrance in Rose Street. It is just east of the former Hobson's Park Hospital. It has
survived as a fragment of natural bushland and is part of the significant vegetation
communities Gippsland Plains Grassland and Gippsland Plains Grassy Woodland
with a conservation status of endangered under the Draft Regional Vegetation Plan.
This vegetation once stretched from the Haunted llills to Lakes Entrance. There were
extensive grassy woodlands, gravelly soil, kangaroo grasses, spear grasses, wallaby
grasses, tussock grasses and sedges. The soil is much as it was hundreds of years ago.
In 1844 this reserve was part of Hobson's Run, the Run was subdivided and sold in
1853. In 1880 the land was purchased by the Victorian Railways and they built the
reservoir to provide water for their steam trains. Five to seven thousand gallons were
used on the Melboume to Sale run.
The year 1908 was very wet and the reservoir over-flowed and an enormous quantity
of water caused the wooden weir to rupture. This resulted in great erosion which
formed the canyon known by the local children as Kick Horse Canyon. Generations of
children played cowboys and hidey and they shot arrows from bows and played in the
caves. They also collected white clay (pipe clay) to clean the fire place and their
tennis shoes. In the 1930's there was a 9 hole golf course on the reserve, and there
was a rubbish tip in the north eastem comer. Both closed in 1939.
In 1990 the late Bert Deane and others petitioned the Traralgon City Council to
preserve the reserve as a bush park with a recreational element, but conservation was
to be paramount. Four years later the reserve was named the Traralgon Railway
Reservoir Conservation Reserve.
The enthusiastic Friends of the TRRCR hold working bees with tree plantings and
they help with improvements, with bridge building, walking tracks and seating. They
publish newsletters and they apply for funds.
Steve Kurec, a Council employee, gave advice on management and plantings. Seeds
were collected from trees on the reserve and these were propagated. There were black
wattle, forest red gum, and peppermint gum. About 3000 to 4000 trees of these
species were planted. Kangaroo grass, orchids and poa grass were introduced. Alan
Chambers listed the birds, there were 80 -100 species, although some just pass
through. There were ducks, swamp hens, swans and even Needle Tail Swifts that
migrate from Siberia. Frog surveys by Rob de Souza-Daw found that 8 of the 16
Gippsland species of frog live there permanently. At night common brush tail
possums and ring tail possums can be seen by torchlight. Marsupial surveys were
carried out by Cheryl Edwards, Flora and Fauna Officer at Department of Natural
Resources and Environment.
In 1996 students from Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE produced and published
"Reflection in the Reservoir " which is oral historical recollections of local people.
This costs $2 at Latrobe City Offices in Traralgon. Andrew Paget carried out a
detailed botanical survey and his recommendations have been incorporated in the
Management Plan.
The Reserve is a magical place, a place of contrasting vistas, of
tranquility, where you can walk your dog on a lead, where you can take your children and your
grandchildren, and enjoy it. There has now been a partial return to a Gippsland Plains
Grassland and Gippsland Plains Grassy Woodland communities, as it was for millenniums.
Excursion to Traralgon Railway Reservoir Conservation Reserve
By Margaret Fullard
The 18th of June, 2001, was cool and showery as fourteen of our members walked around the
Reserve. We noted the poa tussock grasses on the verge, which were planted by Malcolm Grant
at the Rose Street Entrance. At the Car Park Entrance, Otto Paulsen has built a substantial and magnificent stone wall and gate. If you look carefully you
can see butterfly pattems in the cream and brown stones.
It is obvious that there has been great community enthusiasm and corporate input.
Some of the sponsors and advisors are Edison Mission, Latrobe City, Monash
University, Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists, West Gippsland Catchment Management
Authority, Water Watch and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Membership of the Traralgon Railway Reservoir Conservation Reserve is $10 a year.
Contact: Treasurer Rob McKinnon, - P.O. Box 884, Traralgon 3844.
CLICK HERE to visit the Railway Reserve Recollections Page on this website
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