Bairnsdale

Bairnsdale (locally ) (Ganai: Wy-yung) is a city in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, situated in a region traditionally inhabited by the Tatungalung clan of the Gunaikurnai people. The estimated population of the Bairnsdale urban area was 17,666 at June 2023. The city serves as a major regional centre of eastern Victoria, alongside Traralgon and Sale, acting as the commercial hub for the East Gippsland region and the seat of local government for the Shire of East Gippsland. Bairnsdale was first proclaimed as a shire on 16 July 1868 and later elevated to city status on 14 July 1990.

History

Indigenous heritage

The Gunaikurnai people are the traditional owners of Gippsland, including the region where Bairnsdale is located. There are approximately 3,000 Gunaikurnai people, whose traditional territory encompasses both coastal and inland areas extending to the southern slopes of the Victorian Alps. The Gunaikurnai consist of five major clans, including the Tatungalung, who are recognized as the traditional custodians of the Bairnsdale area.

According to Hal Porter's account found in Echoes of the Victorian culture-clash frontier, John Davidson Smith and his son John Dudley Smith engaged in a legal dispute with John Loughnan and Frederick Taylor, the latter being the namesake of Mount Taylor. Frederick Taylor's name holds significance for those intrigued by pre-separation Victorian history, owing to his involvement in several racial conflicts during the late 1830s. His prominent role in the 1839 Murdering Gully massacre in Western Victoria, meticulously chronicled, firmly casts him as a symbol of the most egregious aspects of the state's frontier era.

Geology

Mount Taylor stands as a prominent geological feature in the Bairnsdale area and within the expansive Great Dividing Range. Over countless millennia, the geological formation of Mount Taylor and its surroundings has undergone a complex evolution, reflecting the dynamic forces that have shaped south-eastern Australia's geological history.

The area comprises Devonian granitic formations, indicating its ancient origins from significant geological processes. The geological narrative of eastern Victoria, where Mount Taylor resides, unfolds across an expanse of over 500 million years, tracing back to a primordial era when vast stretches of the region lay submerged beneath ancient oceanic waters. These soils support diverse native vegetation, including species of Eucalyptus such as E. albens, E. polyanthemos, E. globoidea, E. muellerana, E. baxteri, and E. macrorhyncha. The region around Mount Taylor experiences significant rainfall, ranging between 700 and 1200 mm per annum, influencing both the soil profiles and the types of vegetation that thrive in the area. The Strategic Management Plan quotes that about 100,000 tonnes of suspended solids (excluding bottom sediments) are estimated to enter the Gippsland Lakes each year from the catchments of the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson Rivers. Sediment loads from the western catchments (discharging to Lake Wellington) deliver two to three times the nutrient and sediment loads than from the eastern catchments (Mitchell, Nicholson and Tambo Rivers). Comparison of aerial photographs spanning 1935 to 1997 demonstrate that the vast majority of shorelines are eroding at an average of less than 10 cm per year.

The lower reaches of the Latrobe River, Thomson River and Mitchell River flow into the Gippsland Lakes and have extensive floodplains in which there are large wetlands, often separated by natural levees from the main river channels.

The Mitchell River flats were always prone to flooding, and 1891 bore witness to the flood that was only second in extent to the great floods of 1870. The biggest floods recorded were in 1893–94, with them being 76 mm higher than the 1870 water levels. All floods caused the township great suffering, with loss of life, infrastructure and crops. The flooding that occurred in the 1893–94 was notable for the gallantry of Patrick Piggott and George Brooks who both worked to rescue people. However, on their last trip their boat tipped as they moored it and both men were swept into the river and drowned. A witness remonstrated that; "…to the very last, they fought bravely for their lives against fearful odds". Both men are remembered on a marble tablet installed at the Mechanics' Hall (The Bairnsdale Library). The Mitchell delta is a classic form of digitate delta (from Latin digitātus, having finger or toes) and is located near the western shoreline of Lake King at Eagle Point Bluff, extending into the lake as silt jetties formed by alluvial deposition of sediment. and is one of the finest examples of a classic digitate delta in the world. The marginal bluff marks the former shoreline position of Lake King and the relict gravel beaches and spits were formed by wave action.

Climate

Bairnsdale experiences a temperate climate with mild to warm summers and cool, damp winters. The highest recorded temperature in the town was on 7 February 2009, during the early 2009 Australian summer heatwave. The lowest, , was recorded on 2 July 2017.

Winter days are slightly warmer than Melbourne's due to a minor foehn effect. The town features 59.6 clear days annually, also higher than Melbourne's 48.6 days.

Landmarks

thumb|upright|left|St Marys Church Bairnsdale is listed on the [[Victorian Heritage Register|Victorian Heritage Database and the National Trust Register. On 19 October 2013 the church celebrated its 100th anniversary]]

Some of the earlier buildings in the town are perhaps a memorial to William J. Yates, who was a prominent architect, builder and monumental mason. He built the school, the old Shire Hall (1860), the Wesleyan Church and parsonage (1876), St. John's Church, the old Bairnsdale Hospital (corner of McKean and Ross Streets) and the Mechanic's Hall.

Murals rivaling those of many European churches cover the walls and ceiling of St Mary's in Bairnsdale depicting saints, the trinity and scenes of hell, purgatory, heaven and the crucifixion.

alt=St Marys Bairnsdale has amazing murals for all to see.|left|thumb|214x214px|St Marys Bairnsdale may look quite ordinary on the outside but its real glory lies within. Amazing murals rivaling those of European churches are on offer for all to see.

Every year the church receives up to 80,000 visitors from all over Australia and the world. He was succeeded by W. G. Hindley, under whom a new brick church was built (still on the corner of Francis and Service Streets) and opened by Bishop Moorhouse on 24 June 1884.]]

Gardens

Bairnsdale's centre gardens stretch from the Mitchell River to the western edge of town, a distance of about . The main garden section runs for over through the central commercial district and features beds of flowering annuals and perennials, numerous mature deciduous and evergreen trees, war memorials and a restored historic band rotunda. The rotunda was constructed in 1910 and restored to its present condition in 1993.

In 1943 the erection of a monument at the eastern end of the gardens to the district centenary led to that section being called the Centenary Garden. is located at the south-east corner of the caravan park. As a result of the major flooding in 1870 the site experienced erosion and reports were made that remains were washed downstream.

As far back as the 1920s the cemetery was frequently criticised for its untidy appearance. It was proposed around this time that the cemetery be removed from the overseer of the council and transferred to the care of the different denominations. This was not adopted. In 1990 control of the cemetery was transferred to a community based trust. It is thought that this headstone is the only remaining evidence that there was a cemetery in this general area in the 1800s. It later adopted the Salesian traditions of St John Bosco, with the arrival of the Salesian Society to Bairnsdale in 1990. Bairnsdale West Primary School, and East Gippsland Specialist School, which accommodates students from prep to year 12. Bairnsdale also has Lucknow Primary School located in Eastwood. Lucknow Primary School has a kindergarten extension for children aged 3 to 5. As well there are many kindergartens including Bairnsdale Childcare and Kinder, and Eastwood Early Learning Centre, but limited tertiary education facilities mainly consisting of the East Gippsland Institute of TAFE and Federation Training.

Transport

thumb|right|Bairnsdale railway station

Bairnsdale established a reputation as a marketing and trading centre for the large rural area of East Gippsland and this has been helped by the development of excellent road systems, a good railway service and to some extent steamer and air services.

Bairnsdale Cabs provides a local taxi service around the city. Bus service is facilitated by Gillicks Bus Lines, Dysons (V/Line contractor) and Goodalls Bus Lines as well as a number of others in Bairnsdale and surrounding areas.

One of the major recreational transport infrastructure systems in the city is the East Gippsland Rail Trail, which begins in at the entrance to East Bairnsdale adjacent to Howitt Park. The track consists of asphalt that extends to Nicholson where it then becomes a track made from hard base gravel that forms a solid surface. Almost in length, the multi-use trail permits running, walking, cycling and horse-riding as it follows the alignment of the former railway line to Orbost. The Bairnsdale section of the track is relatively straight, long and flat and takes users over two small bridges and crosses Phillips Lane and Morrisson Road before it intersects with the Princes Highway, which was given that name in 1920 when the Country Roads Board assumed control of the whole length of highway between Melbourne and Eden. It was established as part of the war effort in the 1940s. In this time, the aerodrome on Bengworden Road was used as an extension to the nearby RAAF Base East Sale and was home to 3,000 men. The main purpose of the facility was for reconnaissance missions and navigational training over Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea. to select a site. In mid-1939 the boundaries of the aerodrome were established and buildings were erected. By 1947 the buildings were sold, dismantled and transported to the Woomera project in South Australia.

There were 53 crashes with aircraft being lost at sea and 71 airmen killed and others injured. In total there were 1,997 officers and airmen and 117 WAAAF members with an additional 285 trainees. Adding to this were 12 Hudson crews and ground staff dispatched during December 1942 to assist in New Guinea by dropping supplies to ground troops in the Buna area. Two Hudsons were lost with four men killed in action and a further four being seriously injured. Before the end of the war 87 people died at Bairnsdale owing to crashes or missing aircraft. into Bass Strait. Since then the West Sale Airport has been used extensively for this purpose. Currently the aerodrome's facilities support a number of commercial aviation enterprises, including aerial firefighting, corporate charter, aircraft support services such as fleet maintenance, and medical services such as air ambulance and courier services.

In 1935 another pump house with five electric booster pumps was built on the upper level. A workshop was added in the 1950s. The pumping station continued to operate until the 1980s, when the new Woodglen storage basin at Glenaladale was complete. Today the tower sits as a well-recognised icon of the Bairnsdale skyline. In 1955, costing £32,000, works commenced on new mains and pumping plants to extend reticulation to sections of West Bairnsdale, and in 1958 work began on reconditioning the existing mains and pipes using cement lining. This plant is capable of processing up to 20 megalitres of water a day and utilises a dissolved air flotation/filtration process water treatment process. A unique feature of the Bairnsdale Advertiser is that it has continued in the same family since the 1880s. broadcasts on 105.5 MHz and 90.7 MHz and operates from studio's in Bairnsdale and Lakes Entrance. R.E.G. FM presenters are local volunteers. The station offers easy listening music and classic hits from the 1950s to the present.

Local commercial radio services TRFM (99.9 MHz) and Gold 1242 (98.3 MHz) are operated by Ace Radio and broadcast to Bairnsdale and most listeners in the Gippsland area as far east as the town of Orbost. The Gold 1242 AM 1242 kHz transmitter is located in Myrtlebank between Maffra and Sale but is also rebroadcast on 98.3 MHz from Mount Taylor.

Local ABC station, ABC Gippsland broadcasts into Bairnsdale on 828 kHz AM from Longford, near Sale and on 100.7 MHz from the distant Latrobe Valley transmitter at Mount Tassie. National ABC stations Triple J (96.7 MHz) and ABC Classic (101.5 MHz) are also broadcast from Mount Tassie. ABC Radio National (106.3 MHz) and ABC News Radio (107.9 MHz) are rebroadcast locally from Mount Taylor.

Sport

thumb|Motocross racing in Bairnsdale

Australian rules football

The town has three Australian rules football clubs, with Bairnsdale Football Club (the Redlegs) competing in the Gippsland Football League and Lucknow and Wy Yung competing in the local East Gippsland Football League. Football developed into proper competitions by the 1890s with the first football ground being set up in Lucknow; however, the game was traditionally played in front of the Main Hotel in Bairnsdale with spectators climbing the verandahs, rooftops and balconies for a view of the game. In May 1885 a uniform consisting of a blue-and-white jersey, blue knickerbockers, red stockings and cap and a red sash was adopted, giving birth to the name the "Red-legs" for the team. who play in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League. The Victorian regional leagues are the eighth level of soccer in Victoria, and the ninth nationally. The club's home ground is Howitt Park in East Bairnsdale.

The other club, Bairnsdale Soccer Club focuses on Futsal, a modified form of the game.

Other sports

Bairnsdale has a horse racing club, the Bairnsdale Racing Club, which schedules around eight race meetings a year including the Bairnsdale Cup meeting usually held on the first Sunday in January. The town has two field hockey clubs in the East Gippsland Hockey Association. The Bairnsdale Hockey Club is based at the WORLD fields, while the Nagle Hockey Club is based at Nagle College, just out of town to the west. Golfers play at the Bairnsdale Golf Club on Paynesville Road, Eagle Point or at the course of the Goose Gully Golf Greens on Balfours Road.

With its close proximity to the Gippsland Lakes and Ninety Mile Beach, along with easy access to the Mitchell, Nicholson and Tambo rivers, Bairnsdale proves to be a popular destination for recreational anglers and good catches are reported regularly. Bait and tackle supplies, along with the required angling licenses are readily available in Bairnsdale. Bairnsdale is also home to the Bairnsdale Aquatic and Recreation Centre (BARC), which is the largest indoor sports complex in country Victoria and contains two swimming pools, three basketball courts, several gym rooms and the Forge theatre. The Riviera triathlon club, based in Bairnsdale, run events all year round including the popular mini triathlons on Wednesday nights at the BARC between October and March.

Bairnsdale Cycling Club run road races most weekends throughout the year taking in the scenic terrain around the Gippsland Lakes and foothills of the Great Dividing Range, the club is home to talent such as Daniel McConnell, a two-time Olympian and mountain-bike world-cup winner. The Gippsland Mountain bike club holds many events around the area. Bairnsdale is an excellent mountain biking destination with Mt Taylor downhill and cross-country trails only 10 minutes' drive north, Colqhoun park 15 minutes east and Mt Nowa Nowa only a 35-minute drive.

Commercial

According to the 2011 Census, of the employed people in Bairnsdale (urban centres and localities), 6.0% worked in school education. Other major industries of employment included residential care services 5.4%, bakery product manufacturing 4.3%, cafés, restaurants and takeaway food services 4.0% and supermarket and grocery stores 2.5%. Outside of the retail, education, health and welfare sectors there are a limited number of agricultural jobs. The technology and communications sector does not play a major role in the area.

Goodman's cannery operated for many years until it closed in the last 1920s. Associated with the cannery was the case-making works operated under Percy Dahlsen, W. P. Heath and A. Palmer in 1921, operating from Dalmahoy Street in Bairnsdale and employing about 25 men. The plant consisted of four saws driven by a 30 KW motor and produced around 1,500 cases per day. Goodman and Co. went on as stock and station agents in 1934. Auswest Timbers Pty Ltd, which was established in 1996 in the Western Australian town of Busselton, distribute timber throughout Australia and to many countries all over the world including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Indonesia, Korea, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States. Anglican, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Uniting, and Seventh-day Adventist.

According to the 2021 census, the most common responses for religion in Bairnsdale (urban centres and localities) were no religion 46.2%, Catholic 15.6%, Anglican 13.2%, Uniting Church 3.8%, and unstated 8.7%. Overall, in 2016, 43.9% of the population nominated a religion, and 47.0% said they had no religion, compared with 42.2% and 48.2% respectively for East Gippsland Shire.

Tennyson Smith, the ardent prohibitionist, evangelist and teetotaller, visited Bairnsdale in February 1920 and gained many supporters when he initiated a branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. The movement was unsuccessful when they met with a violent opposition who interrupted meetings and threw stones at Tennyson as he returned to Adelaide House (171 Main Street) where they broke windows and tried to gain access to the building.

Notable people

Tom Alvin, footballer
Jon Ballantyne, AFL footballer and The Phonse Kyne Award winner 1994
Dora Isabel Baudinet, nurse born at Coongulmerang, philanthropist
Terry Bourke, filmmaker, director and writer
Callum Chambers, and footballer
Edward Coate, flying ace of the Second World War
Lock Crowther, multihull sailboat designer
Kevin Coverdale, football player and coach
Slim Dusty (David Gordon Kirkpatrick), country music singer-songwriter; lived at Metung, 31 km (19 mi) SE of Bairnsdale
Leigh Hobbs, children's author and illustrator
Alfred William Howitt, anthropologist, explorer and naturalist
Sir Albert Lind, farmer and politician
Charlotte McShane, Scottish-born triathlete and the 2013 U23 ITU world triathlon champion
Hal Porter, author
Brian Royal, footballer
Kat Stewart, actress
Grant Robert Sutherland, cytogeneticist
Will Tomlinson, professional boxer and IBO super-featherweight world champion
Cameron White, Test cricketer
David Williamson, playwright
Sophie Molineux, Australian cricketer