Historical information

An account of the life of William Cavanagh Farrell.

Significance

An account of the life of William Cavanagh Farrell who was important to Marysville as his review in 1863 of the routes to Wood's Point led to the Yarra Track ascending the Black Spur and going on to what became the resort town of Marysville on the Steavenson River.
The Yarra Track is the former name of the gold fields road from Healesville to the Woods Point and Jordan Goldfields, in Victoria, Australia.
A direct route via the Yarra River and the Great Divide was discovered by Reick in September 1862 and became known as the Yarra Track. Early in 1863, the Victorian Government decided to construct a 193-kilometre (120 mile) road along the route. Its original width varied between 4 and 6 metres (12 and 20 feet), and was designed to accommodate horse-drawn vehicles. The Track involved the climbing of the Black Spur, descent into the Acheron Valley, and then through Marysville to the Cumberland where it followed the existing route.