Carnival traverses path of gold, goats mixing fun and charity

By JULIE PIENING

RHEOLA Charity Carnival is known as holding the record for the longest running charity mixed sports program in the area.

From its beginnings in 1871 through to the 21st century the sports were held annually to raise money for the local hospitals. Over the years these events have been a combination of fetes, carnivals, sports, concerts, dances and balls.

Rheola, like many towns in the area was founded as a gold mining village during the rush in the second half of the 19th century.

The first European settlement in the area was in 1843, with a squatter, William Morrison Hunter, building his homestead alongside where the Rheola township is now, naming it Kingower Station.

In 1853 gold was discovered near the northern boundary of the station so the area was named Kingower.

When gold was discovered at the southern boundary of Hunter’s Kingower Station it was named McIntyres after the station manager. It became known as McIntyre.

The area between Kingower and McIntyre had no name. William Tyler built a half-way house in this area near the current Rheola Recreation Reserve and people referred to it as Tylers or Tylers Flat.

When gold was found in this area it became Tylers Rush.

In August 1868, a Scotsman Alex Clelland, found gold 2km north of Tylers in John Catto’s paddock and this became known as Clellands for a short period before he named it Byr Lyn or Burr Lyn after a place near Glasgow. This was mistakenly corrupted to Berlin and the name was adapted for the whole goldfield.

When gold was found at the current Rheola township site a town grew and became known as the township of Berlin.

After multiple name confusions, the township officially changed its name to Rheola apparently adopted following a suggestion by B.J. Davies, MLA for Avoca as there was a town Rheola in Wales where Davies was born.

The Berlin Post Office officially changed its name to Rheola Post Office in November 1876.

The early days of the charity carnival were held at Tylers/Berlin before the name change to Rheola in 1876.

The population of Rheola has changed over the years. In 1871 the first year of the Rheola Charity Carnival the population was recorded as 1714 on the census. By 1901 it was recorded at 220, in 1933 it was recorded at 145 and then further declined over the years with the 2016 census recording 56.

It is amazing to see how the much the carnival has evolved in the past 150 years yet how some things remain. It stays true to its motto of “Real Country Entertainment” and provides a fun day out for families young and old.

As the population of Rheola has decreased over the years, it is the families that return year after year to keep the Rheola Charity Carnival tradition alive.

Without these families support the carnival would not exist today. From the early beginnings of the carnival a handful of family names have been a consistent part of the generations of helpers behind the success of the carnival.

The families of Cain, Catto, Fotheringham, Leach, Mason, O’Brien, Poynton, Roberts, Soulsby, Webb, Yorath stand out to mention a few.

The early years of the carnival were held a few kilometers from the current location in a recreation reserve referred to as the cricket grounds. Located off what is now the Rheola-Llanelly Rd, Rheola. This area became a paddock privately owned by McLeish, Jackson and then Soulsby and is still in the Soulsby family today.

Events were also held at the school and various hotels and assembly rooms in the town. It moved to its current location in 1908 where it has remained since. The night entertainment continued to be held at the various local hotels and halls until the Rheola Public Hall was constructed in 1916 and first used for the Carnival night entertainment in 1917.

The 150 years has consistently followed the format of a mixed sports day followed by evening events of concerts, dances and balls. The tradition of the night entertainment was held right up until 1997 when it was decided that the evening entertainment of a ball would no longer be held.

In the early years of the Carnival these evening events were reported to be held through until the early hours of the morning, often until sunrise.

The carnival started out as raising funds for the Inglewood Hospital but by the late 1800s the Dunolly Hospital was also a beneficiary and once Rheola had established itself a Recreation Reserve and Community Hall where the carnival has been held for many of the years, it too became a beneficiary from the night entertainment.

The mixed sports has had the regular events of the foot races, woodchops, novelty events of the sheaf tossing and guessing the weight of the sheep. The institutions of the bazaar, fruit and lolly stall, luncheon booth and bar have stood the test of time as well.

Over the years new events have been added, some staying on for the long-termnothers just fleeting glimpse of. The horse events, cycle races and tennis tournament are no longer but have been replaced by other events such as the vintage tractor pull and sheep dog trials.

In 1911 people could participate in ‘cutting off cock’s head’ or in the 1915 there was a goat race event. In 1913 the novelty of C.J. Ansett’s motorcar offered car trip rides as an event. At the 1970 carnival the novelty ride was in an original Cobb & Co. coach.

In the 1930s catching the pig with the greasy tail and the ladies’ rooster race were popular. In 1955 clay bird shooting was added, 1969 it was advertised that there was a “freak show” including a fivelegged sheep and a three-legged sheep. By 1970 a more civilised polo cross exhibition was held. In 1990 the vintage tractor pull was added to the list of events and the skydivers were also an attraction in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1997 a sheep-shearing exhibition was held.

As we reached 2020 the year of the 150 th Carnival to be held, circumstances beyond the committees control led to the cancellation of the event. Although the Art Union Raffle was still run, this was the first time that the event had been cancelled in full.

Previously in the war years, the afternoon of Sports was cancelled but the locals were still able to collect money and hold night entertainment for the purpose of raising money for the hospitals. The world-wide pandemic continued into 2021 and caused the cancellation of the event for the second year running.

With restrictions easing for 2023, the 150th Rheola Charity Carnival will finally be celebrated on Easter Monday.

The 150 years of the carnival raising funds for the local hospitals, Rheola Hall and Recreation Reserve has managed to survive through wars, Depression and a declining rural population and is a credit to the community.

NEXT WEEK - The Loddon Herald begins a special retrospective series looking at the carnival’s history in the coutdown to 150th celebrations

Death Notice

ROLLINSON (nee Coutts)

Florence Hamilton “Flo”

Passed Peacefully at Loddon Place Boort

On February 18th 2023.

Loved Wife of Lin (Dec).

Dearly Loved Mother of Ian, Jan and Kaye.

Loving Mother-in-Law of Kate and Mark.

Proud Mama of Daniel, Sam, Sarah and Thomas.

And Great Mama of 9 Great Grandchildren.

Public Notices

Hard Waste Collection 2023

Loddon Shire Council will be conducting its annual kerbside hard waste collection of metals, ewaste, furniture and white goods during March 2023 to coincide with Clean Up Australia Day on the rst Sunday in March.

Residents within the township boundaries of Boort, Pyramid Hill, Mitiamo, Dingee, Serpentine, Borung, Wychitella, Korong Vale, Wedderburn, Inglewood, Bridgewater, Newbridge, Tarnagulla, Laanecoorie and Eddington may place items up to a total of one cubic metre out on the nature strip on Sunday 5 March 2023 (not before or after) and Council sta will collect these items commencing Monday 6 March 2023.

Items are to be sorted into piles, i.e. metal items, furniture, recyclable items, e-waste and white goods. Total volume is not to exceed 1m 3 in size. Excessive or unsorted piles will not be collected.

Please note that general waste, perishables, tyres, oils, batteries, paints and chemicals, car parts and mattresses will not be picked up. Any unsuitable items left behind after collections are to be removed from the nature strip immediately.

See: https://www.loddon.vic.gov.au/Forresidents/Your-home/Garbage-and-recycling/ Hard-waste-collection

World Day of Prayer 2023 - Taiwan

Meetings

Employment

Yung Balug Keeping Place

The Museum is situated on the property of Paul & Cathie Haw.

Well worth a visit to see the amazing Artefacts collected from the Boort Region.

A recent addition is 34 photos taken by John Hunter Kerr in the 1850s. This was made possible by the State Library of Victoria.

Everyone is welcome. but please call or Email before visiting.

Phone - 0417 333 171

Email - paulcathiehaw@gmail.com

Friday 3rd March Boort Baptist Church

21 Armstrong St Boort

Contact: Val 5492 9201

Meetings

Notice of Annual General Meeting

Monday 27 February 2023 at 5:30pm

Inglewood Town Hall

25 Verdon Street Inglewood

Please join us, RSVP essential by Friday 24 February to: Sharon Williams - ea@idhs.vic.gov.au or telephone 03 5431 7000

Boort Agricultural and Pastoral Society

Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 1st March at Boort Park at 7pm

Everyone welcome

Wanted To Buy

Loddon Shire Council is seeking applications for the following positions from highly motivated, enthusiastic, energetic and outcome focused individuals who want to make a di erence and help shape our future.

Water Truck Driver – ref.J/204

 Full-time, permanent position

 Loddon Gold elds team, southern end of Shire

 WTDCOM – $64,890.28 per annum plus employer superannuation

Applications for the position above will close on Monday 6 March at 5pm.

For further information, including a detailed position description and details on how to apply, please visit Council’s website www.loddon.vic.gov.au or contact Council’s Organisation Development Unit on (03) 5494 1200.