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Number 18, December 2021

FDHS End of Year BBQ

When: 1pm Sunday December 5th, 2021
Where: Community Hub, 47 Grant St Forrest (back deck of Grasstrees building)
Some of us will be having a working bee beforehand from about 11am, please feel free to lend a hand!
(BYO Drink, plus food if you have dietary requirements)

See you there!
Forrest - Foundation and Name
 
The township of Forrest is where it is due to land spectaculars cashing in on the new railway that was about to arrive from Birregurra. The developers created a private sub-division called Yaugher Valley Township on the west side of the proposed railway station site.  This was in 1890.
 
The first land sale for the new township was held in Geelong on 10 July,1890. The township plan provided for three streets, these being Station Street fronting the railway yard, Barwon Street behind this and Main Road on the west.
Station Street became the main business area because everything came and went by rail in those days. The hotel in Station Street adopted a fitting name as the Terminus Hotel, being at the end of the line.
 
The township originally used the name of Yaugher, as in Yaugher Valley Township, and in the railway station name, which was originally called Yaugher.  The word Yaugher is pronounced Yaw-ger and is derived from the Land Parish for the locality. After a few months the railway station and township were renamed Forrest, after the local parliamentary member, Charles Forrest, who was largely responsible for getting the railway built.
Town Administration

The township of Forrest was formed in 1890 as a private subdivision within the Shire of Colac. Forrest was included in the relevant voting Ward and returned a member to the Shire from the earliest days. In 1919 the Otway Shire Council was formed and Forrest found itself administered from Beech Forest. The first and longest serving Councillors for Otway was Jim Hennigan, who had a dairy farm between Forrest and Yaugher. Hennigan was renowned for his dedication to Council matters. He rode his horse from Forrest to Beech Forest for Council meetings in the days before the roads permitted motor cars to be used.
 
Forrest was an unsophisticated town and initially sought little from Council apart from attention to roads, bridges and drains. But change did come about with the passage of time. The first lifestyle facility to be offered by the Shire was a pan sewage service in 1936 for the 63 tenements in and around town. A Fire Brigade came in the 1940s, mains electricity in 1955 and reticulated water in 1967.
Councillors involved in schemes for a new public hall and Infant Welfare Centre were Jim Mulgrew (above) and Jack Turner. Mulgrew is best remembered as the Councillor who had the dusty gravelled Station Street sealed with bitumen and thereby abated the noise and dust along the street from the timber and log trucks that motored into the two sawmills that operated in the railway yard. Forrest women were grateful for the absence of wafting dust on washing day!

The Mulgrews were early settlers at Barramunga and played a significant role in economic and social affairs there. James Mulgrew had sawmills at Barramunga and managed Sharp’s mill in Forrest in the 1950s.
The present Forrest Park is largely through the lobbying efforts of Councillor Jim Speirs, who backed the Progress Association in its efforts to secure the old railway station yard for public purposes. The Otway Shire bought the land from the Government and turned it over to local management, who erected a caravan park on the site as a tourist drawcard. Since those early days in the 1970s the Park amenities have been expanded to the fine facility that it is in the 21st century.

The Speirs family from Tanybryn had an active role in Forrest affairs from the 1950s to the 1990s. James Speirs worked for the Forestry and was a live wire with many groups in town, plus serving terms on the Otway Shire as local representative.
The streets in Forrest were originally named as per their roles and included labels such as Station, Bridge and Main streets.  Some imagination was subsequently applied and most streets renamed in later years to commemorate those individuals and families that have contributed the most over the years. Station Street refers to the adjoining railway station and reason for Forrest’s existence. 
Frizon Street is associated with the Frizon family who were involved with commerce, sawmilling, sport and community affairs at Forrest.  The Frizon family were notable contributors to the town from the 1920s to the 1980s. Queenie (above) was the matriarch of the family who ran the Post Office and Telephone Exchange from 1943 from her shop in Station Street.
Sanderson Lane commemorates the contributions of Alex Sanderson and family and brother George’s families in the timber industry and contribution to town life.
Hennigan Cres refers to one of the early settler families and Jim Hennigan (the Hennigan farm is shown above). Turner Drive is named after the family that was involved in the timber industry and Councillor Jack Turner.
Blundy Street is named after the Blundy family who pioneered Yaugher and farmed there for many decades.
Grant Street remembers Jim Grant and his family and their involvement in timber and the general community.
Forrest History Timeline - December
Year Day Place Event
1918 18 Barramunga Water Trust tender to build concrete weir
1918 18 Forrest Constable Caffyn replaced by Const Cooper
1921
 
21
 
Forrest
 
Forrest Cricket team = Brady, Williams, Beazley, Wawn, Arden, Miller, Wilson, Pyle, Doherty, McLaws, Muir.
1922 13 Forrest Debt on St. James Vicarage liquidated
1923
 
5
 
Forrest
 
A public picnic was held in Hurley's paddock last Sat. There was a good attendance of young and old.
1926 24 Forrest Hotel landlord is P. Hurley
1927 16 Forrest Becoming increasingly popular for anglers and tourists
1929 13 Forrest Ad for Foundation day sports. Special trains from Alvie, Glg and Colac'
1930 24 Forrest The roads about Forrest are in a lamentable condition, numerous cars on leaving the main road being held up in the mud. The single surfaceman, who makes a gallant attempt-to keep the roads without metal or gravel, has been called (away elsewhere by the shire). BD is cut off.
1931 9 Barramunga Sports Day Sat 2/1 at Barramunga. Dance at night.
1931
 
11
 
Forrest
 
Unemployment Relief Committee established 30/11. 32 unemployed registered at Forrest. Many in timber trade.
1931 16 Forrest School picnic will be held at The Willows.
1932
 
19
 
Forrest
 
The Committee of the Yaugher recreation ground have paid all their debts so the sports this year will be run for the benefit of a local charity.
1934


 
21


 
Barramunga


 
Over 40 years ago cheese from the country Forrest-Barramunga had a great reputation on the Geelong market and 30 years ago some excellent cheese from sources of Gelli River etc. But dairyin declined a/c access problems and settlers went into timber.
1935

 
2

 
Barwon Downs

 
Hall renovated. Lengthened by 19 ft, now 45 x 25, supper room now 32 x 14, ladies cloak now 14 x 8. Timber is K.D. hardwood from Haydens. Work by Sam Patman of Colac
1936 14 Forrest OSC tenders for BD-Forrest road.
1937 13 Barramunga Formation of road from B'ga to Stevenson's being done.
1950 15 Barramunga Progress Assoc Annual sports to be held at the Forrest Oval
1950 8 Forrest Bullen has run the hotel for two years. Leaving town
1950 8 Forrest Constable D. Bremmer broke his arm
1950

 
8

 
Forrest

 
Mothers Club completing tennis court at school. Has taken two years to complete due to shortages of materials but court now being laid by W. Ubergang.
1950 8 Forrest Mothers club pays for concrete tennis court at school
1955 12 Forrest Policeman is First Constable William Boyd
1956


 
14


 
Barramunga


 
Public Hall  opens with electricity switch on, Fri 7/12. Hall built by working bee and is 55x25ft. Saw millers gave the timber and W. Hamill the land. Pres of hall Committee is Cr. J. Mulgrew. Oldest residents cut the ribbon and these were Ivo Taylor and Wilson Stevenson
1956 7 Forrest Meeting to form an Angling Club
1957

 
11

 
Barwon Downs

 
Catholic Church jubilee from 1/12/1907. In 1907 a new parish formed at Birregurra for Barwon Downs, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Lavers Hill and Beech Forest. Fr McCarthy built churches at Birregurra and Barwon Downs.
1959 23 Barwon Downs BP Fuel/Oil agent is D. Pitkethly & Son
1959 2 Barramunga Barramunga Ball write-up. 200 attended. Pics of Belles etc
1959

 
21

 
Barramunga

 
Log chop held as a fundraiser for the hall. Otway versus Colac. Otway team = Rupe Day, B. Kendle, J. Hully, W. Harrington, K. Harrington, D. Whitehead
Have Material of interest for publication? Send it to forresthistory@gmail.com
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