Mansfield Historical Society

Mansfield Historical Society The Mansfield Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of Mansfield and surrounding

OUR HISTORY: Early Mansfield, Victoria, Australia Circa 1928 Donated by Margaret Forrest. Photographer unknown....
30/08/2026

OUR HISTORY:
Early Mansfield, Victoria, Australia Circa 1928
Donated by Margaret Forrest. Photographer unknown.

Information:

View of High Street, showing McKay's Shoe Store, E. Tulloch Solicitor, Watts and Turnbull Estate Agents, Kelson's Garage and Auction Mart, National Bank of Australia.

Annie Lamb (McKay) turned her Ladies & Children’s Wear shop into a boot shop. She ran her business from 1925 to 1956. Prior to this John Llewellyn had his chemist shop here.

Barrister & Solicitor, Eric W. Tulloch, bought his business from Mr Stodart in 1925. In 1923 a fire had started in the business next door and the front of Mr Stodart’s office was “considerably damaged, the wall having to be chopped away to get the massive safe out.” Reference: ‘High Street Traders of Mansfield 1854-2000’, Mansfield Historical Society.

Kelson’s premises was also damaged, and in the chaos, someone stole a r***e from the broken front window. Vincent Kelson owned one of the first cars in Mansfield and was a keen member of the Cycling Club. His business, which his father, Isaac Kelson, began in 1892, included a Motor Car and Cycle Warehouse, Insurance, Furniture and Linoleums, a Petrol & Benzine Depot and he was an Acetylene Gas Expert. He also had a Farm Implements Agency and sold Sheep Dip, besides being a Financial Agent, Auctioneer, Valuator and an Agent for G. Dawe, Monumental Sculptor.

The National Bank of Australia building was erected in 1923. G.H.D Tait, manager of the Bank, moved across the road into the new premises. The National Bank had previously purchased the Colonial Bank in 1918, which was operating in Cahn’s building almost opposite the new site.

OUR HISTORY: Locals on Bracks Bridge, Goughs Bay, Victoria, Australia Circa 1928 Donated by Harry & Lorri Camer...
22/08/2026

OUR HISTORY:

Locals on Bracks Bridge, Goughs Bay, Victoria, Australia
Circa 1928 Donated by Harry & Lorri Cameron & photographer George Maud.

Information:

L-R: Florrie (nee Fry) Gough, Girlie Lyle, Eddie Gough and Jack Maud.

Julie ‘Girlie’ Lyle was the daughter of James and Mary (nee Arbuthnot) Lyle. The Lyle’s property ‘Emery Vale’ was on the Delatite River near Bracks Bridge. Girlie became matron of the Mansfield Hospital.

Eddie was the son of John and Mary Jane (nee Bulmer) Gough. Their home was 'Mossbank' at Howes Creek. Eddie married Isabella Christina Florence 'Florrie' Fry and they built their home 'Fernleigh' at Goughs Bay. The family's property extended down to where Lake Eildon is today and when the Lake became full in 1955 this arm of Lake Eildon was named after the Gough family, hence the naming Goughs Bay.

John Frederick ‘Jack’ was the son of Henry 'Harry' John and Eleanor 'Maggie' Margaret (nee Gough) Maud. The Maud family were early pioneers of Mansfield and lived in Howes Creek. Jack married Thelma May Pattison and they farmed at Barwite.

OUR HISTORY: Railway Survey Party - Tolmie-Whitfield Road, Victoria. Circa 1910. Photographer unknown. Information...
13/08/2026

OUR HISTORY: Railway Survey Party - Tolmie-Whitfield Road, Victoria. Circa 1910. Photographer unknown.
Information:
The Wangaratta to Whitfield line was built as narrow gauge to enable a future extension into mountainous terrain, where a broad-gauge railway with heavier engineering requirements would be unfeasible. In 1898, after construction of the original line had begun, a survey was undertaken to extend the alignment from Whitfield to Mansfield, though nothing eventuated. In October 1899 the Tolmie Railway League stated that the lack of extension of the line had meant 5,000 long tons of potatoes could not be brought to market for sale.
The original proposal to extend the narrow-gauge line from Whitfield to Tolmie was rejected in 1901, though several later attempts were made to reinvigorate the idea. As required by the Tolmie Railway Act of 1897, a permanent survey was made for a route from Whitfield to Mahaikah via Glenmore and McDonald's Gap in 1912-1913. This proposal was rejected in 1914, as the cost of construction through the rocky and steep terrain was considered prohibitive and the revenue generated through the transportation of crops and timber would not be sufficient to make the line profitable, so would need to be heavily subsided by the government. Also, the potential for growth of settlements along the line was not considered sufficient to warrant the establishment, or the ongoing maintenance costs, of the line. A Parliamentary Committee recommended against extension of the Whitfield line in the final report of 1923.

OUR HISTORY Bert Walker riding his motorbike while running his horse, High Street, Mansfield, Victoria, Australi...
07/08/2026

OUR HISTORY

Bert Walker riding his motorbike while running his horse, High Street, Mansfield, Victoria, Australia
Early 1920’s
PHOTO SUPPLIED: Keith Cleeland

Bert Walker used to train his horse by running it alongside his Douglas motorbike. His father Peter W. Walker was a Trustee of the Mansfield Racing Club.
Peter Walker bought a General Merchant business from J.C. Brown in 1876. 'It flourished to such an extent that P.W. Walker opened branch stores, firstly at Barwite and later at Tolmie. Bert Walker took over the business in 1923, and older members of the community would remember the bag of lollies Bert would produce every time he called at a house to collect the weekly grocery order.
Father and son were regarded solid citizens of the town. They were both actively involved in many of Mansfield's organizations. Peter Walker was the local Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for a number of years. He was one of the townsfolk who assisted when the bodies of the policemen shot by the Kelly Gang at Stringybark Creek were conveyed into Mansfield in 1878.
Bert Walker was a prominent member of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church and the Agricultural and Pastoral Society. He had the distinction of being the youngest member of the Masonic Lodge in Victoria to be appointed a Worshipful Master. A keen skier, Bert encouraged members of the Melbourne Walking Club to walk up to Mount Buller in the winter of 1923. He saw the potential of the mountain and instigated the formation of the Mansfield Progress Association, which built a corrugated iron hut there for skiers (the first of many buildings on the mountain). Both Peter and Bert were also keen photographers, recording life in the Mansfield District during their time.

OUR HISTORYBonnie Doon footballers, Victoria, Australia 1891 PHOTO SUPPLIED: Adrian RedfernPictured ar...
23/07/2026

OUR HISTORY

Bonnie Doon footballers, Victoria, Australia
1891
PHOTO SUPPLIED: Adrian Redfern

Pictured are the team with the identity of a few players in question. If you can provide any additional details or confirmation the Mansfield Historical Society would love to hear from you.
Berryman, Dolling, Owen (?), Heaves, Hutchinson, Bowman, Anderson, Redfern, Woolf, Mathieson, Young, Wye, Eldon (?), Purcell, Lyons, Arbuthnot (2), Handcock (?), Kiernan, Lewis, Clancy, Wadsworth and Lavater.

OUR HISTORYBridge collapse, Jamieson, Victoria, Australia 1912 PHOTO SUPPLIED: Frank Bussat River...
16/07/2026

OUR HISTORY
Bridge collapse, Jamieson, Victoria, Australia
1912
PHOTO SUPPLIED: Frank Bussat

River crossing at Jamieson, showing Foots Bridge after it collapsed due to floods.
J Ross’ horse team is going through the river crossing en route to the goldfields, at Gaffney's Creek and Woods Point, while people can be seen crossing the foot swing bridge.

OUR HISTORYBridge Creek State School 3714 picnic, Mansfield Shire, Victoria, Australia Circa 1930s PHOTO ...
09/07/2026

OUR HISTORY
Bridge Creek State School 3714 picnic, Mansfield Shire, Victoria, Australia
Circa 1930s
PHOTO SUPPLIED: Dawn Friday

Bridge Creek School picnic at the Broken River.

OUR VOLUNTEERSThe Mansfield Men’s Shed and Mansfield Historical Society have teamed up to restore a historic log jinker....
09/07/2026

OUR VOLUNTEERS
The Mansfield Men’s Shed and Mansfield Historical Society have teamed up to restore a historic log jinker.

The historic object which has unique solid red gum wheels was used by several local sawmills in the very early days of timber harvesting around Mansfield.

The jinker will be displayed in the carpark of the new Mansfield Heritage Museum when it opens at the end of the year.

Pictured from left are restorers Fred Meier, Rob Baldock and Doug Tarrant from the Mansfield Men's Shed.

OUR HISTORYEarly Transport in Mansfield, Victoria, Australia Circa 1920 PHOTO SUPPLIED: Ann and Peter ...
02/07/2026

OUR HISTORY
Early Transport in Mansfield, Victoria, Australia
Circa 1920
PHOTO SUPPLIED: Ann and Peter Wade
PHOTOGRAPHER: Vallan Studio

“Ancient and modern Mansfield” - boys and men unknown.

Address

173 High Street
Mansfield, VIC
3722

Opening Hours

Friday 10am - 3pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

0357791094

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