Hume & Hovell ExpeditionPrint Page

The monument commemorates the Hume and Hovell Expedition which passed through the area in 1824.  It was unveiled in 1924, the centenary year of their exploration. 

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 Samaria West and Lima South are 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.

YEA. — In connection with the Hume Howell centenary, a party led by Messrs. Long and Hansford visited Yea on Friday. A cairn, suitably inscribed, was unveiled by the youngest scholars at Yea school, John Tosh and Chris Hume, a descendant of the explorer. The cairn is erected at the intersection of the principal thoroughfares of Yea, and is surrounded by areas of magnificently laid out gardens. Immediately opposite is the soldiers' memorial, one of tho most artistic and well cared for memorials in the State. The party was enthusiastic about the beauty of the cairn, which is one more charm to an exceedingly pretty town.
Age (Melbourne), 22 November 1924.

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