History of the Wakool

I have contacted Shane Storm of Niemur St Barham; aged about 50.

His family had the property, which he and all the locals call “the Cartwheel”, for many years.  His grandfather bought it (in what must have been the early 1900’s) but Shane doesn’t know where the name comes from….except for the backflooding that happens in the little wash.  Maybe that forms a Cartwheel. 

They sold it to Bish’s in 1972 – who suffered misfortune with the floods of 73, 74 and then 75.

It passed to Graingers in about 1976 who had it for around 25 years until the property developer from Wangaratta purchased it about 1999 or 2000.  We bought it from him in 2003.

Shane used to catch a lot of cod in the bend, and about ½ way down the straight stretch downstream of the bend. It used to be a pump site.  A lot of yellow belly in the bend downstream, opposite where the creek runs in off Mays property

The Hut was built by his Dad so that people coming from Queenscliff could have a good spot to stay when they visited.  Storms house was where Buckinghams is today.

Shane said that upstream it was difficult to get past a tree that had fallen near the island.  Downstream you couldn’t get past the tree that had fallen down (the tree that Sam Jones has since “seen to”.)   Sam’s tree must have fallen in the late 60’s because Shane can remember it happening --- they were still on the property.  Ever since the locals have had to drag their boat across it; or run at it to get over.

The hut was usually out of water except for in the very biggest floods eg 1975, when it had about a foot of water through it.  The hut and a little bit of land around it was last out of water.  The locals have never known the bend to be dry.