Cassilis Victoria

The Cassilis area of Victoria has an interesting history and there are many stories, not only of old times but the things that are happening today.

Most of the material on this blog has been supplied by and is available at Mount Markey Winery.

Added by Howard:

It was John Kennedy in 1871 that gave Cassilis it's name.
Working on Tongio Station in Swifts Creek the gentle rolling hills of the drier north west section reminded John of his Homeland an Ayrshire Scotland. He bought the land and named it Cassilis Station after the place of his birth. Gold was discovered long before the official 1851 Goldrush and John must have had dealings with the diggers early in the development of Cassilis but his main occupation was the grazing of sheep. A short distance from John Kennedy's residence Gippsland's first reef of gold was discovered which lead to the development of several small communities. Johns homeland on the west coast of Scotland lies below the river doon or (downs)or rolling hills. Roughly translated the "Doonans" are 5 pleasant rocky hills and the landscape of our small East Gippsland Town looks very similar. Experience the beauty yourself when visiting the Omeo Region and you must pay a visit to our delightful pioneer Cemetery and Recreation Reserve and walk in the footsteps of our founding fathers. Records are available from the Mt Markey Winery but be careful of the Cider and Meade.

Cassilis Scotland

Cassilis Victoria Australia

Grasp from the Past

Being aware that history is very subjective and now it has become possible for everyone to record something of their lives and this is also history.

We look back and wonder what actually happened and how people lived and reacted, in our case in the mining camps and towns that sprang up with the discovery of gold in around Cassilis. Mushroom societies and sub cultures popping up, each probably unique and different in terms of morals and written and unwritten laws even within a short distance from one another.

There are records of the big picture events in Cassilis, but they are sparse and don't include reference to the daily lives of miners and their families, nor the everyday worries, and traumatic trials and tribulations that besieged them. Neither are they more or less accurate, one more than the other.

All history is tilted by the historian and that has to be taken into account by the reader. Even studying the scribe who penned the words doesn't allow for an accurate picture of the slant of what they put down. What it does generally, is allow us to be sceptical of some aspects and possibly note where their interpretations take over from what they, or their sources actually saw or heard of the event or occurrence.

Through our own experiences we can place weight on their grief, happiness, daily drudgery. By physical evidence we can see some of their leanings and prejudices. Or are we only overlaying our own on theirs.

Hopefully some of the things recorded here will be of value to someone in the future by creating a more complete picture of Cassilis of this period.

Some links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassilis,_Victoria