Sebastopol

location

Woolshed Valley

Beginnings

Sebastopol was one of the settlements in the Woolshed valley that grew up after the discovery of gold in about 1853. Sebastopol was named after the site of the battle in the Crimean War that was fought between the British and the Russians. The Napoleon was an other community in the area and Eldorado was a bit further down Reedy Creek.

Evans Gap

Importance of Sebastopol

Photograph

Map The Byrne family and Aaron Sherritt lived at Sebastopol. It was on the right bank down stream from the Devil's Elbow. The settlement, on the bank of Reedy Creek, was the site of gold mining area. (Argus15/8/64)

In the 1870s it was being worked over again by Chinese miners.

What was Sebastopol like in the late 1870s

See below the list of businesses at Sebastopol Flat in 1857. Many of them had left the area by the 1870s and Sebastopol Flat and The Napoleon were considered as being a part of the Woolshed

Facilities in Sebastopol in the late 1870s

Population Hotels Mrs Batchelors hotel (OMA29/7/79) Schools Donoghue Other things of interest

Links to the KellyGang

In January 1877 Joe Byrne got 6 months for assaulting a Chinaman who tried to stop him swimming in the Woolshed dam.
On 6/11/1878 Sup Sadleir got news that the KellyGang had been at Sheep Station Creek near Sebastopol and that they were still there. This led to the famed Sebastopol cavalcade when a large number of mounted police turned up for a special KellyGang hunt. (RC11) (JJK)
On 13/11/1879 there was a plan for Jack Sherritt meet the KellyGang at Evans Gap and to go off and rob the bank at Yackandanda. (RC15284)
Aaron Sherritt lived at Sebastopol at the time of his death (Argus8/7/80)
The KellyGang were supplied with provisions by the Chinese storekeeper at Sebastopol. (RC5489) E Fang was the storekeeper (RC14973)(RC15298)
The Royal Commission found that in the autumn of 1880 the KellyGang were usually in the vicinity of the Greta Swamp, from which they would move back to the ranges, get across the Ovens River towards Sebastopol, and from thence to the Pilot Range, near Wodonga. (RC2nd reportXII )

Members of the Sebastopol community

families who lived in the area

Batchelor Barry	Chappell	(Duggan) E Fang	Weekes
Mrs Byrne	Donoghue Duckett Tom	Jones Aaron Sherritt	Weiner

Businesses at Sebastopol Flat in 1857 included:

Barber, Noael Lenies	Hotel ? Joseph Gallon	Restaurant, Wm Palmer
Baker, John Auld	Hotel ? John Heillbronn	Restaurant, Wm Poppelwell
Baker, Alex Cousen	Hotel ? Henry Johnson	Restaurant, Edmund Porter
Baker, Brown & McDonald	Hotel ? George Jolley	Restaurant, Sarah Shaw
Baker, Matthew Reardon	Hotel ? Thomas Mooney	Restaurant, Wm Styles
Baker, Scott & Morris	Jeweller, Charles Giles	Restaurant, Josephus Johannis de la Suie
Baker, James Wheeler	Police SConst David Hanahan	Restaurant, ? Thomson
Blacksmith, Wm Davidson	Const E Shoebridge	Restaurant, Patrick Tohey
Blacksmith, Thomas Evans	Const John Murphy	School C of E, Thomas M Barry
Blacksmith, Giles Thrower		Stationer, Blacklock Bros
Brewer, Charles Morrison	Refreshments, James Bullerd	Storekeeper, Israel Abraham
Brewer, Stephen Vince	Refreshments, Wm Carney	Storekeeper, M Amschel & Co
Butcher, Charles Cozens	Refreshments, Charles Daniels	Storekeeper, Bulfin & Jackson
Butcher, Joseph E Dixon	Refreshments, Catherine Douglas	Storekeeper, Bussel & Bligh
Butcher, George Hince	Refreshments, Ann Edwards	Storekeeper, Cole Bros
Butcher, Anthony McDermott	Refreshments, George Friend	Storekeeper, Crowther & Co
Butcher, Edward Mills	Refreshments, John Melrose	Storekeeper, John Duncan
Butcher, John Mooney	Refreshments, George Morris	Storekeeper, Henry Fitzmaurice
Butcher, Charles Potter	Refreshments, Wm Morrison	Storekeeper, Frank & Co
Carpenter, Job Howe	Refreshments, Morey Tucker	Storekeeper, Nicholas Ivers
Carpenter, Robt Davidson & Co	Restaurant, James Buttery	Storekeeper, Levy & Sander
Dairyman, Wm David	Restaurant, Wm Cameron	Storekeeper, John McConchie & Co
Dairyman, Thomas Roseborough	Restaurant, Wm Carney	Storekeeper, Thomas Miller
Dispensary, Arthur Smith	Restaurant, James Ferguson	Storekeeper, H & W Moffatt
Dressmaker, Isabella Blight	Restaurant, Chas Fieldhouse	Storekeeper, Henry Pemberton
Ginger Beer Factory, ? Earl	Restaurant, Michael Fontaineau	Storekeeper, George Robertson
Greengrocer, John De Graves	Restaurant, James Handforth	Storekeeper, Robert Steihl & Co
Greengrocer, John Haig	Restaurant, Wm Humley	Storekeeper, James Wheeler
Greengrocer, Chas Smith Wilmot	Restaurant, Samuel Lane	Storekeeper, Stephen Wise
Hotel ? Ward Brown	Restaurant, Wm Lane	Tobacconist, John Audley
Hotel ? Alex Brownlie	Restaurant, Alex McDonald	Watchmaker, Wm Turner
Hotel ? Joseph Couper	Restaurant, John McKercher

What happened at Sebastopol after the time of the KellyGang

Royal Commission
The Royal Commission into the KellyGang outbreak conducted hearings in Sebastopol in 1881.