Chronology

  • 1854 The first freehold grants to Messrs Brennan, Broadbent, Carter, Howard, Osborne, Sallons, Simpson and Williams.
  • 1861 Strathfieldsaye Road District Proclaimed.
  • 1863 Mining started at the site of Great Eastern Mine. The Mining Companies employed many workers over the years, and in the mine’s most productive periods was kept working 24hrs. a day. Some of the workers lived around the mine so there was a store and also a hotel (The Great Eastern.)

great_eastern_mine

  • 1864 Strathfieldsaye Road District divided into three subdivisions – Mandurang, Strathfieldsaye and Axedale.
  • 1865 A private school started at Sedgwick. (Upper Emu Creek)
  • 1866 Shire of Strathfieldsaye Proclaimed. Big fires burnt through district and destroyed all improvements on Drechsler property.
  • 1873 Methodist Church Opened. The first official recorded meeting to discuss the building of a chapel was held at Mr. Henry Osborne’s on Nov. 20th. 1872. Present:- J. Teague, H. Osborne, J. Steen, J. Young, J. Broadbent, T. Bell. Mr. Osborne offered one acre of land on north east corner of his  allotment to build the Chapel on. After examining the collection books, it was decided to build a stone chapel 20ft. x 18ft. x 11ft, high, with 1ft. 6ins. walls. The Chapel was opened on 9th. April 1873 and was used until the 1920’s. (The Chapel was situated on the corner of Lemon Tree Lane and Sedgwick Road.)

methodist_church

  • 1876 Upper Axe Creek South School Opened. (Black Eagle)

tunnel_bald_hill

  • 1877 The water channel from Malmsbury to Bendigo was completed. The channel goes through the south and western sides of Sedgwick. Two tunnels had to be driven through two hills on the south end and a wooden flume constructed across the Springs Rd. While the construction was taking place many of the workers lived on the job, some of them had their families with them. There was a small temporary township at the south end of Sedgwick (in Young’s or Wirth’s near the tunnel on the south side of the Sedgwick-Harcourt Rd.) Some of the children of the construction workers came to the Sedgwick School during this period.

wooden_flume_springs_road

  • 1880 Postal Service to Sedgwick started. The first Post Office was situated at Costa’s in the mud brick building in the front of the house (Costa’s is the brick home opposite the hall on Main Rd.) Mrs.Costa, the postmistress, continued until 1922 when the Post Office was moved to Steens.

postoffice

  • 1889 Flash flood on New Year’s Day. Emu Valley Irrigation and Water Trust gazetted. The channel through the north end of the district was constructed after this time. (Emu Valley No2.)
  • 1901 Upper Emu Creek was renamed Sedgwick.
  • 1902 Michael Brennan killed within sight of home when a tree was felled on him.
  • 1910 Sedgwick Tennis Club formed.
  • 1918 Cricket started.
  • 1922 The Telephone service to the district started with a manual exchange operated from the Brennan home. The Brennan family operated the exchange until 1945, when it was moved to Steens. They continued to operate it until an automatic exchange was started in 1961.
  • 1924 Last vineyard at Sedgwick destroyed by fire. (Brennans) The School House burnt down.
  • 1934 The first plane to land in Sedgwick. It was piloted by Alan Steen and landed on the Steen’s property between the house and the creek on the south side.
  • 1942 Bushfire Brigade formed.
  • 1944 Big fire burnt through district, started at Ravenswood and burnt to near Kyneton.
  • 1946 School bus commenced.

sec_line

  • 1952 S.E.C. connected to Sedgwick district. It was the first single line constructed in Victoria.
  • 1958 Sedgwick Hall opened.
  • 1959 Sedgwick Branch C.W.A. started.
  • 1969 C.F.A. tanker received by Fire Brigade (Austin 300 gal. cap.)
  • 1970 Onwards The period since 1970 has been a time of change in the Sedgwick District. This change has been brought about by the number of people choosing to live in rural atmosphere, mostly on farmlets. As a consequence forty new homes have been built in the area during this time.
  • 1990 Sedgwick School closed.