Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Rupanyup Floods in 1909

Reports from August and September, 1909, detail how an extreme weather system dumped about 82 millimetres of rain across the Wimmera catchment.


Violent thunderstorms and fierce wind accompanied the heavy rain between August 21 and 24, 1909.


The Wimmera centres of Horsham, Glenorchy, Warracknabeal, Dimboola, Jeparit and Rupanyup were subject to widespread flooding.


Photographs and first-hand accounts of the time reveal the impact the flood had on fledgling rural communities.


Aug 23, 1909 - Reports in various Newspapers mention that at the height of the flood the whole township of Rupanyup, was submerged 4.5 feet (approx 1.6 metres).


The water rose so rapidly that people were caught in bed, and made a hurried exit.

Water was flowing 4.8 kilometres wide was 1.6 metres deep through Rupanyup.


Both town reservoirs burst and a hotel at Banyena, in the Rupanyup district, was completely washed away.


Rabbits were seen to take refuge on the backs of sheep, and drovers' dogs killed dozens of rabbits by swimming out and grabbing them.


A man named Ellis, of Snake Valley, and another unknown man were drowned.

In many cases, spiders, centipedes, and scorpions wore found in the wool of sheep.



Between August 21 and 24 in 1909, floodwater spilled from the Wimmera River and Yarriambiack and Dunmunkle creeks and raced through the towns and across open country.


Only six houses escaped flood inundation at Glenorchy.


The Yarriambiack Creek burst its banks at various locations, spilling through Warracknabeal and on to Beulah

Drop Kick Eulogy

Click Here then press play

A couple of Rupanyup football players recount the days when the drop kick was king, before the invention of the more reliable but less skillful 'drop punt'.



Thank you to Bob Baker, Jack Dunlop, Dawn Teasdale and the Rupanyup Football Club.
 
Archival film by John Teasdale.

Rupanyup Panthers Football




In 1925, local football was so important to Rupanyup, that the Rupanyup Footbal Club went as far as advertising in the Melbourne Argus in 1925 for a Playing Coach.

That year 1925 Rupanyup played in the Wimmera Football Association:

Rupanyup were 4th after Home & Away Rounds.
In the Final - Stawell defeated Rupanyup by 12 pts.

Click Here if you wish to know more

More on the Rupanyup Railway Station

The former Rupanyup Railway Station c1890, was constructed by Sutcliffe & Hartley on the Lubec-Bolangum line for the Victorian Railways.
It comprises a single storey Gothic-style brick station building with a slate hip and gabled-roof.

More details can be found here:
http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/heritage/1001#detail_places;1001

The former Rupanyup Railway Station is historically significant, recalling the long abandoned practice of building small branch railways to serve areas between the main lines, demonstrating the important role of railways in the pre-automobile era. It is also historically significant as an example of a railway station constructed after the 'Octopus Act' of 1884.

Interested in the rainfall around Rupanyup?


Why not check out for real the rainfall in Rupanyup for this month.


CLICK HERE

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Some Trivia Facts about Rupanyup

Q/ What is the elevation/altitude/height above sea level of Rupanyup?A/ Rupanyup is at an elevation/altitude/height above sea level of 143 m above sea level.

Q/ What is the population of Rupanyup?
A/ Rupanyup has a population of about around 400.

Q/ What is the nearest city, town or village to Rupanyup?
A/ The nearest village to Rupanyup is Murtoa about 14.8 km away. Murtoa has a population of about around 770.

Distances from:
Murtoa 14.8 km

Minyip 19.1 km
Horsham 39.7 km
Donald 42.6 km
Warracknabeal 46.8 km
Stawell 49.3 km

Q/ What is the annual rainfall of Rupanyup?
A/ The annual rainfall of Rupanyup is about 420 mm.

Q/ What is the most rain Rupanyup has ever received in a day?
A/ The most rain received by Rupanyup in a day was 107 mm. The most rain received by Rupanyup in an August day was around 40 mm.

Facts provided by bonzle.com

Some Oddfellows at Rupanyup

Maybe not the Oddfellows many were expecting?

Group portrait of members of the Rupanyup Oddfellows Lodge.

Rupanyup circa 1900

Rupanyup Railway Station


ABOVE: It looks like the wheat harvest is in full swing as four year old T 406 shunts a lengthy goods at Rupanyup on the Lubeck to Bolangum branchline. Jan 5 1971

Our Local Representative

Cr Ray Kingston
Dunmunkle Ward
Elected to Council in November 2008.

Contact Details
PO Box 40
RUPANYUP 3388
Tel: 5385 5562
Fax: 5385 5572
Mob: 0413 211 072
rkingston@yarriambiack.vic.gov.au

Council Delegations
Sustainability Accord
Victorian Saleyards Association
Warracknabeal Saleyards Committee
Yarriambiack Fire Prevention Committee
Yarrilinks

Dunmunkle Shire Population Facts

The Shire of Dunmunkle was a Local Government Area located about 160 kilometres (99 miles) west of Bendigo and 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Horsham in western Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of 1,550 square kilometres (598.5 sq miles), and existed from 1877 until 1995.

Year   -    Population

1954  -   4,110
1958  -   4,280*  * Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.
1961  -   4,086
1966  -   3,945
1971  -   3,544
1976  -   3,370
1981  -   3,071
1986  -   2,878
1991  -   2,683

What on earth has happened?

On 20 January 1995, the Shire was abolished, and merged with most of the Shires of Karkarooc and Shire of Warracknabeal and parts of the Wimmera into the Shire of Yarriambiack. The Avon-Richardson district was transferred to the Shire of Northern Grampians.

Current Yarriambiack Shire Population: 7,520
Covering an area of 7,310sq km

N.252.at Rupanyup in 1901

Do you remember the Rupanyup Railway Station in it's heyday?
Do you have any images to share?


This photo is among the collections held at the State Library of Victoria.


Aaron Hemley attempts World Shearing Record

Aaron Hemley
(image by Amy Pysden of the Wimmera Mail Times)

It seems that our local identity, Aaron Hemley is attempting a world shearing endurance record in order to raise funds for an oncology unit for Stawell Regional Health.

Aaron is reasonably well known around Rupanyup and his cause is admirable.
There was a recent article on his efforts in the Mail Times Newspaper...

Best of luck to Aaron..

http://www.mailtimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/callawadda-shearer-aims-for-world-record/1759828.aspx

Stawell Historical Society.

Are you interested in Local History of the region?

There are many local district resources held by the Stawell Historical Society.


It seems to be an interesting collection that should be looked at if you have the time to spare.

A simple visit to the Stawell Library is all that is needed as the Stawell Biarri Group for Genealogy Inc are located there.

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~stawgeny/welcome.html

A good story about a Rupanyup Family

A Family's wishes come true at Rupanyup...
By Darren Gray

From the Age Newspaper - December 19, 2009

http://www.theage.com.au/national/familys-wishes-come-true-at-rupanyup-20091218-l5v4.html

A rabbit run from the 1950s

Ever seen a Rabbit Run...


Do you recall seeing any or have you taken part in any Rabbit Runs that were held in the region to round up and destroy rabbits?

If so, kindly give David Craker a call on 0353855518 and have a chat about it.

The New Rupanyup Spectator is keen to write more about our local history.

Dunmunkle on Wikipedia?

Did you know Rupanyup (Dunmunkle) was on Wikipedia?
Well it is...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shire_of_Dunmunkle

There is also a Facebook page as well...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shire-of-Dunmunkle/104156026288457?v=desc

It seems like some individual has thought it interesting enough to add some history online for others to read...

Good thought!

A family outside their home in Rupanyup 1895


A family, dressed in their best clothes, outside their home.


Rupanyup, Victoria, Australia, circa 1895

Hudson & Holloway

HUDSON & HOLLOWAY, RUPANYUP
JULY 1940


Photograph: Black & White
A streetscape showing the front of the H.V. McKay Agency, Hudson & Holloway, at Rupanyup, Vic..
Rupanyup, Victoria, Australia, Jul 1940

Amazing Fact Snippet

In August 2009 at a Bradman celebration, Paul Daley told the Melbourne Cricket Club of the "Bush Bradmans" as part of his research into a new book on Cricket's Century Makers.
Did you know that, of the 264 centuries made for Rupanyup, at cricket in the Wimmera, 212 have been made by just two families....

The Morgans and the Ballantynes.

Who was Dyer Street named after?

Had you ever wonder about how Dyer Street got it's name?

Well, I bet it was named after John Henry Dyer.

So who was he?

John Henry Dyer
Born 1852? (Cornwall, England)
Died 16 November 1923. (St Kilda)
Marriage: 1879 in Callawadda to Jessie Mackintosh
Occupation: Farmer
Religion: Methodist
Education: In Hamilton

Life and Career: Arrived Adelaide with parents in 1856 and then went to Hamilton where his father bought a property; Farmed at Rupanyup from 1872; selected and increased his holding which was known as the Dalcross estate; disposed of it in 1921 to the Closer Settlement Board for soldier settlement.

He was a Dunmunkle Shire Councillor 1886-1923
Shire President 1890-1891, 1914-1915
MLA Borung May 1892 September 1902
Other seats contested: Borung 1902, 1904
________________________________________
References: Argus, 17 Nov 1923; Rupanyup Spectator, 22 Nov 1923

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Rupanyup State School in 1895

This week, whilst researching some material for a class for the Rupanyup Primary School, I came across a photo of the teacher and students gathered at the front of the then Rupanyup State School (No 1761) in 1895.



How things have changed...

This image, along with many more can be found among the collection held at the Museum of Victoria -

http://136.154.202.60/collections/search?q=rupanyup

Record Number: MM 002339
Description: A GROUP PORTRAIT OF TEACHER AND PUPILS AT THE RUPANYUP STATE SCHOOL NO 1761 Date: CIRCA 1895 Location: AUSTRALIA VICTORIA RUPANYUP Names: RUPANYUP STATE SCHOOL NO 1761 Subject: SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, EDUCATION Creator: SCHROEDER E

Winter in Rupanyup can be COLD!

Today, Thursday August 12, 2010 is another cold day where the chills of winter have blown through the town yet again. In the last few week, Rupanyup has seen a good deal of wind, rain and a few warmer sunny days that all but promise that spring may be but a few weeks away.


Local small talk that has flowed from some long time residents has revealed that they believe that the winter we are experiencing right now has been amongst the coldest experienced in the region since the 1960s.

It seems that the distant memories have returned for many locals of a time when puddles in the streets were frozen when walking to school in the mornings.

It seems that wide spread frosts for some weeks after a period of rain may be all that is needed to bring it to a truth.