location
In the southern part of north eastern Victoria, on the way to Mount Buller
Beginnings
Before European settlement the area around Mansfield is thought to have been occupied by the Youngillim or Wuywurrung Aborigines.
The name comes from the town of Mansfield, near Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire or after early European settler Edward Mansfield .
The town of Mansfield was started 1846 as a designated stock route camp. In 1851 it was a centre for a large area of mining towns in the mountains.The breadth of the main street was to enable bullock teams to do U-turns.
The first town blocks were sold in 1856
The town was formed on the corner of the Maindample, Preston, Loyola, and Mt Battery squatting runs.
Photograph
Map
Importance of Mansfield
The town was a centre for gold mining and timber getters.
People went to the Jamieson gold fields from Mansfield. See (Argus31/8/61)
What was Mansfield like in the late 1870s
the town was well established by 1868 (Alexandra27/10/1868) (Alexandra3/12/1869) (Alexandra17/12/1869)
Facilities in Mansfield in the late 1870s
'Population 385 ' (1871) Hotels Court House Hotel Donald McDonald
Delatite Hotel
Exchange Hotel (Argus15/5/79)
Kelson's Hotel Churches Anglican 1865 Samuel Sandiford
Catholic McGillicuddy (Alexandra3/11/1868)
Presbyterian 1866 Schools
Newspapers
Common school
Mr Hanslip'sschool (Alexandra3/11/1868)
Main Streets
East/West was named High Street, North/South was named Highett Street [[../../things/C_community/C_bankt.html|Bank]] Bank of New South wales Jas Tomkins president of council. see Monk
John Henry Adolphus Hageman, secretary of the shire council see Monk see also (Argus21/11/78) (Argus18/3/79) Local Government
Police Station
Police at Mansfield
Insp Pewtress '
Insp Toohey
Const Love (Argus17/5/79)
' Sgt Kennedy
' Const Orr (also at Gobur)
Const Potter (Argus17/5/79) Telegraph Office
'
George W Newland (Argus18/3/79)
George Collopy messenger at the Mansfield post and telegraph office (Argus18/3/79)
Postal route between Mansfield and Delatite
Mail route from Longwood to Mansfield via Merton, Doon, and Maindample - Robertson Wagner & Co
Other things of interest Mansfield had a wide range of shops, brick works, flour mll, timber mills and a building stone quarry.
Court
Nathaniel Joseph Maude (Mane), clerk of the police court, (Argus21/11/78) (Argus18/3/79)
Mr A Dundas, butcher (Argus10/5/79) (Argus17/5/79)
Edwin Moorey, J P -storekeeper (Argus18/3/79)
Peter Walker, storekeeper (Argus21/11/78) (Argus18/3/79) (Argus15/5/79)
Builder Kilgour (Alexandra3/11/1868)
Gold escort (Argus23/12/78)
Lawyer Windsor (Alexandra10/11/1868)
Lime Kilns Mr Knight
Newspapers Mansfield Independent started by Mr Goodall (Alexandra10/2/1871)
The Alexandra Times had a disagreement with the Mansfield Guardian (Alexandra2/6/1871)
Pound keeper - William Collopy,
Walker (Argus17/5/79)
Races (Argus7/3/79)
Saddlier
Charles Boles (Argus17/5/79)
Surveyor, Mr Nixon (Alexandra10/11/1868)
What was the area like (Argus9/5/79)
Please spend a few moments reading about the selectors in the area and how they lived. They were our sympathisers. (Argus27/4/80)
Links to the KellyGang
- Nearest towns
- == What happened at Mansfield after the time of the Kelly Gang ==
Graves thought that the Royal Commission should hold hearings in Mansfield because, 'I am positive if you go there you will get most material evidence as to how those men were supported, but I cannot say whether they will give you the information; they can give you astonishing information if they think fit.' (RC15555)
In 1891a branch railway line was opened from Tallarook to Mansfield
Members of the Mansfield community
Collopy (Age28/10/78)
David Hinds (Ensign4/10/1872)