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Hume & Hovell ExpeditionPrint Page Print this page

Map of Journey : (State Library of Victoria : Maps 820.5 AT 1824 – 1825)
Map of Journey : (State Library of Victoria : Maps 820.5 AT 1824 – 1825)

Photographs supplied by Myles Dowling

The cairn commemorates the Hume and Hovell expedition which camped at the site in 1824. The cairn was unveiled in 1924, the centenary year of the event. 

In 1824, Hamilton Hume and William Hovell led an expedition of discovery to find new grazing land for the colony. They and their party trekked south from Appin to Lake George, then on into Victoria, keeping west of the Great Dividing Range and ending up at Corio Bay, on the Victorian coast, where present day Geelong is situated. Hovell mistakenly believed they had arrived at Westernport, and did not realise his mistake until after his return.

At the centenary of Hume and Hovell exploration in 1924 a committee was formed to co-ordinate and organise local celebrations along the route from Albury to Corio Bay. An itinerary was created for the unveiling ceremonies giving the hour and date for each place concerned from 15 to 21 November 1924.

Monuments, cairns or plaques commemorating this expedition were erected at Allan`s Flat, Avenel, Back Creek, Barjarg, Bellbridge, Broadford, Bulla, Deer Park, Ebden, Euroa, Everton, Hansonville, Hume Reservoir, Kilmore, Lara, Lima South, Meadow Creek, Molyullah, Mount Buffalo, Moyhu, Murmungee, Myrtleford, Samaria, Samaria West, Seymour, Staghorn Flat, St Albans, Stanley, Strath Creek, Swanpool, Tatong (Dodd`s Crossing), Violet Town, Warrenbayne West, Werribee, Whorouly, Woodfield Yarck and Yea.

The location of the plaques erected at Lima South is unknown.  It is believed that the plaque at Hansonville has come from another location as the date on the plaque does not match the date that the expedition was there.

Hume-Hovell Centenary. Memorials to explorers Hume & Hovell were unveiled yesterday by Sir J. Barrett at St. Albans, Deer Park and Werribee. These were the last of the large number which have been erected recently in Victoria along the route traversed by the explorers in 1824. Sir J. Barrett was accompanied yesterday by Mr. Long, of the Education department, and Mr. Hansford, of the Lands department.
Age (Melbourne), 20 December 1924.

HUME-HOVELL CENTENARY.
With the unveiling ceremony of memorials at St. Alban's, Deer Park, and Werribee, commemorating the historical overland journey of the Australian explorers, Hume and Hovell, in 1824, the chain of monuments stretching from the Murray River to Lara, on Corio Bay, has been completed. The route followed by the explorers intersects the four arterial roads from Melbourne to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, and Sydney, and cairns have been erected at prominent points on each of these highways. Sir James Barrett, assisted Miss Ellen M'Donald and Master Reginald Hume, unveiled the monument at St. Alban's; Miss Bernie Hume, the little daughter of Mr. W. R. Hume, performed the ceremony at Deer Park ; and Miss Mary Cunningham, the daughter of the president of the Werribee Shire unveiled the Werribee memorial. 
Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW), 26 December 1924.

Location

Address:Werribee Street (Princes Highway) & Watton Street, Chirnside Park entrance, Werribee, 3030
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -37.904475
Long: 144.655097
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Actual Event Start Date:19-December-1824
Actual Event End Date:19-December-1824
Link:https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/h…

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Friday 19th December, 1924
Front Inscription

The Hume & Hovell Expedition camped here

19th December 1824

Source: MA,MED,VMR
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au