This booklet is an incomplete collection of family histories of the early days of Lavers Hill and District. A short history of the Lavers Hill Hall building is also provived.Early Otway residents. Lavers Hill Hall Committee. Lavers Hill Hall Committee; Lavers Hill (Vic); 1989. ii, 36 p. Soft cover.

Forming the headwaters of the Johanna River and noted for its majestic Myrtle Beech and Blackwood trees, in 1921 the property came into the possession of Mrs Jessie Fry, wife of Mr Thomas Fry, a well-known and respected local bushman and timber getter. Here the family lived and it was Mrs Fry who named the place 'Melba Gully'. Sometime in the late 1920s Mrs Fry was approached by Pioneer Tours, the bus company, to see if she would provide lunches and afternoon teas for their passengers travelling between Apollo Bay and Port Campbell. Mrs Fry rose to the challenge; the Melba Gully Luncheon Rooms were built adjoining the Fry home and she was in business. Mrs Fry was unfailing in her courtesy and kindness. She was also a splendid cook, known for her feather-light scones and sponges. Home-produced strawberries and cream were a special treat. Visitors were also taken on a tour of 'The Gully', often guided by one of her young sons. Melba Gully Visitors Book, running from November 1937 until the end of 1958, is testimony to her many satisfied customers. Tom and Jessie Fry sold the property on her retirement in 1947 although the tearooms continued to operate. It again changed hands in 1958 to Otway residents Mr and Mrs Axel Madsen, when it finally closed, and in 1975 they made the magnificent gesture of gifting the 48 hectare Melba Gully to the people of Victoria..Melba Gully Visitors Book. Foolscap, leather-bound, lined pages with margin approximately 30mm from left. Added, 24 p. unlined quarto.Full of inscriptions, cover to coverlavers hill, melba gully, jessie fry, thomas fry, axel madsen

The terminus of the railway, and the southern-most station on the Australian mainland, was Crowes, approximately 2 kilometres from Lavers Hill. The line ended at "The Black Stump". Crowes was designed as a fully functioning terminus and received a complete instalment of facilities. The site was laid out with three roads plus a dead end siding for a locomotive shed and ash pit. Goods sheds, a platform and livestock ramps catered for freight loadings, while on the north side was a station office, waiting room, parcels shed and passenger shelter. Three departmental residences were also provided. The resident Station Master was withdrawn in November 1916 and the station closed with the line on 10 December 1954.Photograph. Terminus of the Colac-Crowes at Crowes.crowes; terminus; "the black stump";

In 1902 a ballast siding was opened 4km south of Gellibrand to provide materials for track construction. A spur siding, with points facing Beech Forest and a capacity for six trucks, was cut into the side of a slope. Above this was erected a loading bin and chute. The stone proved to be of durable quality so the siding continued in commission after 1902 for track re-ballasting work. By the mid-1920s Victorian Railways found it more economic to use ballast from Penshurst, so the siding was closed by 1925 and the rails lifted.Photograph; B/W. Gellibrand Ballast Loading Sitegellibrand; ballast; railways; siding;

Photograph, B/W. Locomotive G41 derailed at the "Black Stump" at Crowes on 7 August 1942. Actual photo: 169mm x 276mmcrowes; garratt; g41; derailment; "black stump";

In 1903, before the extension to Crowes, Beech Forest Railway Station was the terminus, already 3 roads wide with Station building, outshed, Goods Shed, and three small departmental residences. An NQR wagon near the Goods Shed is loading timber while a further NQR wagon sits outside the station building.Photograph, B/W, 174mm x 267mm. Beech Forest Railway Station, 1903.beech forest; railways; station;

Six surveyors and a horse posing outside five tents somewhere on the Beech Forest line in approximately 1901.Photograph, B/W. Railway survey camp, Beech Forest line.survey camp; beech forest; railways;

Photograph, B/W, A4. Railway bridge over the Gellibrand River with people standing at the right-hand end, a railway water tank nearby on the left, and a tent underneath on the left.gellibrand, gellibrand river;railways; bridge;

Photograph, B/W, A4. Near the Weeaproinah railway station (later known as Dinmont railway station) in 1907. Note the trolley with two men aboard following the line on the left-hand side.weeaproinah; dinmont; railways;

William Evans, being born in Anglesea, Wales, in 1829, migrated to Australia in 1857. He was appointed Assistant Lighthouse Keeper at Cape Otway Lighthouse in 1858, and married Catherine Carmody on the 14 May,1860. William and Catherine spent 22 years at Cape Otway. From this union, until August 1998, eight generations of children were recorded. The book explores the lives of these children.William Evans (1829-19 Jun 1885) and Catherine Carmody (1833- 14 Jan 1909), Doris Robbins. Self published; Colac (Vic); c.1998. 238 p.; illus, maps. Soft cover.william evans, catherine carmody, cape otway, lighthouse

James Robbins and Mary Jane Ellery were married on 23 April, 1829, in Stoke Lane, St Michael, Somerset, and had six children. James died aged 51 on 7 December, 1845. Mary married again to John Boyce less than twelve months later, and they had a further three children. John and Mary Boyce (Robbins nee Ellery) came to Port Adelaide, South Australia, on the "Flora Kerr" on the 4 March, 1855, with eight of their nine children. Hannah Robbins stayed in England, probably married. On the same ship another daughter, Ann Robbins, came out with her husband, John Treasure, who had already been to Australia searching for gold. From these unions, several generations of children were recorded, the book exploring their lives. James Robbins, 26 November 1794-7 December 1845, and Mary Jane Ellery, 1810-5 September 1889. Doris Robbins. Self published; Colac (Vic); February 1998. 560 p.; illus. Soft cover.stoke lane; st michael; somerset; port adelaide; victoria; tatura; castlemaine;

James Robbins was born on 9 February, 1869. He married Martha Owen (nee Burch) on 9 October, 1889, in Adelaide, South Australia. After having two children by her first marriage James and Martha went on to have seven children of their own, all except one surviving. James settled in Beech Forest in 1887, travelling to and from Tatura for two years before finally settling in Beech Forest. He had a number of jobs including Director of the Beech Forest Butter Factory, farmer, bullock wagon driver, and butcher. He died in Colac. James' predecessors and his successors are spelt out.Ancestors and descendants of the family of James and Martha Robbins, 1760-1990. Doris Robbins. Self published; Colac (Vic); 1990. 67 p.; illus. Soft cover.james robbins; martha owen; beech forest; tatura; colac; rushworth;

ISBN 064623241 Cliff's story of his racing career in his own words.Zappelli "Best Wishes, Cliff Young"

This is a video of the Beech Forest Centenary Clebrations in 1984Video of parade through town

Lake Elizabeth was formed when a landslide slid into the valley damming the East Barwon River.Interviews with people who remember the formation of the Lake.30 Minute video of the creation of the lake in 1952lake elizabeth forrest east barwon

Beech Forest and Lavers Hill Events / Beech Forest Farming / Colac Kanyana / Otway FootballHome videos of People and Events in the Otway Ranges. Taken between the late 1950's and early 1970s. Original footage taken by Mary Dow.beech forest / lavers hill / otway football

Old film of Beechy Line shot from Train and from near the line.History of Narrow Gauge Lines in Australia during the 1950s and 1960s. They include the Colac and Beech Forest lines. Shot in the 1960s.beechy line

Shows footage of G42 at work in the Otways.Brief history of Australian narrow gauge lines including G42. Film of G42 at work through the Otways.g41 narrow guage railway

Video covers excursions on the Beech Forest Line. It covers the period 1956 to 1962.Film showing the Beechy Line and activitiesVideo covers excursions on the Beech Forest Line. It covers the period 1956 to 1962.railway narrow gauge

Wendy Barrie's memories of Apollo Bay The camping trips were a yearly event after the harvest had finished. The trip down to the beach was a much-anticipated event heading out through Parwan and to Geelong leaving behind the hot and dusty plains and our parents relieved to have the hard work of harvesting left behind. The Otways in the distance were reached with great anticipation, Mum in the car and Dad in the Truck ahead of us anxiously winding through the narrow roads and negotiating the hairpin bends and breathing in the cool fresh air of the forest, and keeping an eye out of the log trucks that might come sweeping the corner. The tree ferns with their dripping moisture and the giant trees and the unmistakeable small of the eucalypts. Great excitement was when we caught our first view of the sea from the highest point of the road and then is was the cautious drive the sea level to the sight of the blue ocean with the white of the waves crashing on the rocks and the pristine sand. The water from the Wild Dog and Skenes creek trickling onto the ocean. The tree ferns with their dripping moisture and the giant trees and the unmistakeable smell of the eucalypts. The return journey was usually taken on the Great Ocean Road, it was considered safer to be on the inside of the road. In the early days it was very narrow and passing oncoming cars was taken very cautiously. Landslides and floods sometimes meant we would take the inland route. One year the bridges were washed away and bailey bridges were erected to keep the road open. Rock falls off the cliffs were common Stops on the way home gave us our last chance for our feet in the sand and a swim in the ocean. By the time we reached the hill at Angle Sea the vast blue ocean was behind us and we trekked back through Geelong- Bacchus road and the plains of stubble and the dry grass, and sometimes evidence of burnt patches from a bush fire. The closest we came to a pool at home was the concrete sheep trough at the gate to the work sheds. It was filled with bore water pumped from the nearby windmill. Edna, Bon and their family members at their camp site in Apollo Baylocal identities

ill, maps, p.51.non-fictionA history of the narrow gauge 2'6" branch line of the Victorian Railways from Colac to Beech Forest and Crowes and it s connecting tramways.puffing billy - victoria - history, vr narrow gauge railways - victoria - history

ill, maps, p.20.non-fictionA tour program for a trip to the narrow gauge timber tramways of Wyelangta on the Beech Forest railway in the Otways of Victoria, on the 21 & 22-11-92.timber tramways - australia - history, narrow gauge railroads - australia - history

ill, maps, p.16.non-fictionA brief history of the Otway Ridge in Victoria including its railways.railroad construction - victoria - history, logging railroads - victoria - otway range - history