Historic walk to mark annual Mildura Day celebrations
Published on 26 May 2015
Sunday 31 May 2015 marks the 128th Anniversary of signing of the historic indenture by the Chaffey Brothers which made Mildura Australia’s first irrigation colony. And this year, the Chaffey Trail Reference Group will lead a historic Deakin Avenue Walk to commemorate this important local milestone.
Each year the Chaffey Trail Reference Group look at one significant aspect of our modern history and this year the focus is on the influence the Chaffey brothers had on town planning, particularly in what is now our CBD.
Mildura Rural City Council Councillor Mark Eckel who is the Chairman of the Chaffey Trail Reference Group said the walk would include the unveiling of ten plaques on sites of heritage significance along Deakin Avenue.
“Since the formation of the reference group in July 2007, we have worked to find new ways to celebrate our irrigation history and to give both the community and visitors to our region a sense of our past.
“Many people don’t know the history behind our street names for example, and this walk will explain the significance of the street, avenue and lane names, as well as highlighting locations along Deakin Avenue that hold particular historical relevance.”
Sites where plaques will be unveiled include the locations of our first post office, first stores and even where the Queen stood to address the community when she visited Mildura in 1954.
“The Mildura Day anniversary celebrates one of the more important days in our local modern history,” Cr Eckel explained.
“On 31 May 1887, American brothers George and William Benjamin (WB) Chaffey signed an indenture between Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, represented by Sir Henry Brougham Loch, of the Colony of Victoria which formalised Mildura as the nation’s first irrigation colony.”
The Chaffey brothers were developing an irrigation settlement in Ontario, California, when they met Victoria’s Cabinet Minister Alfred Deakin who was visiting America on a fact-finding mission. Their plans were then adapted to suit Mildura and they developed a series of steam-driven pumps to lift water from the river.
Cr Eckel said the Chaffey’s vision for Mildura extended beyond the potential to irrigate, to include schools and a vibrant, thriving community and that 31 May is a great chance to reflect on the city’s history.
The Mildura Day Deakin Avenue walk will start at the Carnegie Centre, 74 Deakin Avenue Mildura at 11am with a performance by the Mildura Brass Band. The leisurely stroll expected to take around 2 hours to complete and there will be a BBQ lunch after the walk. The Chaffey Trail banners also on display at the Mildura Visitor Information Centre this week.
Further information about the celebrations is available from Julie Jewell at Mildura Rural City Council on (03) 5018 8100.
ENDS
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