CORNISHTOWN TOWNSHIP SITE

CHRISTMASTOWN ROAD, CORNISHTOWN ROAD AND HALL ROAD CORNISHTOWN, INDIGO SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    CORNISHTOWN TOWNSHIP SITE - History

    Cornishtown was established in 1859 and was home for Cornish immigrants who came to this area after the collapse of tin mining. The town once had several houses, businesses, hotels and a primary school that was completed in 1875 and closed in 1957 due to low enrolments. The school is extant but many of the buildings have been removed. In 1860 a recreation reserve was established and included a cricket pitch that is still in operation (Fuge 1997).

    The township is also marked on Everett's 1868 map of Indigo, Chiltern, and Wahgunyah, as well as an 1889 Parish Map and latter 20th century example.

    Interpretation of Site

    CORNISHTOWN TOWNSHIP SITE - Interpretation of Site

    1859 the town was established

    
    

    1875 the primary school was completed

    
    1957 the Primary School closed and the area was largely abandoned

    Archaeological Significance

    CORNISHTOWN TOWNSHIP SITE - Archaeological Significance

    Most of the original township buildings have been demolished and removed and the archaeology provides the only tangible links to the former settlement. The archaeology could provide information on settlement patterns by a particular group of immigrants; the Cornish. This may be reflected in construction methods and commodities that are within an archaeological deposit.

    Historical Significance

    CORNISHTOWN TOWNSHIP SITE - Historical Significance

    The township is significant through its association with regional settlement following the late 1850s and early 1860s mining boom within north east of Victoria.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    CORNISHTOWN TOWNSHIP SITE - Heritage Inventory Description

    Rural residential, civic and grazing paddocks centred around the intersection of Christmastown and Hall Roads. These mark the location of the former 19th century township (1860s to 1950s) comprising a range of former buildings, however few traces of this township remain on the surface.

    Most buildings have been demolished and removed, and the area is primarily used for pastoral purposes and/or is vacant. One of the only remaining buildings is the former primary school house, now used as a community hall. It is a brick building, surrounded by grass and some imported trees, situated off Hall Road and reached via an unpaved track. There is also a visible scatter of bricks, located at the corner of Christmastown Road and Hall Road, potentially marking the remains of a shop that was located here during the mining era (74 Christmastown Road, Rex Fuge pers. comm). No other archaeological features were noted during the inspection from the road as there was no access to private properties. The site does not include the site's former cricket pitch and reserve which is located south of Vineview Road, south of the township.

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