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Angus McMillan
Angus McMillan

Photographs supplied by Kent Watson / Holly Taylor

The monument commemorates the explorer of the Gippsland region by Angus McMillan. 

At the unveiling of the Bulla memorial for Hume and Hovell,Charles Daley the Secretary of the Victorian Historical Society suggested that the idea be extended to other explorers and a committee was formed to mark out the routes of Charles Sturt, Thomas Mitchell, Angus McMillan, and Sir Edmund Paul de Strzelecki.

Eighteen cairns or tablets to McMillan were erected at Benambra (to Macfarlane, Pendergast, McKillop) Omeo, Swifts` Creek, Ensay, Bruthen, Mossiface, Sarsfield, Lucknow, Calula (2), Bushy Park, Stratford, Bundalaguah, Sale, Rosedale, Tom`s Gap, Yarram, Port Albert.

A party, including Sir James Barrett, the under-secretary for Lands (Mr. H. O. Allan), and members of the Historical Society committee left Melbourne on Friday for Gippsland, where they will accompany the State Governor, who will unveil a series of cairns which have been erected to perpetuate the memory of the explorers Strzelecki and Angus McMillan, and to mark the routes of their chief explorations. The party will unveil several cairns each day, the itinerary to be followed being: Monday.— Omeo, Benambra, Swift's Creek, and Ensay. Tuesday.— Bruthen, Mossiface, Sarsfield, Lucknow, Calulu. Wednesday.— Sale ,Bundalaguah, Stratford, Bushy Park, Heyfield and Rosedale. Thursday.—Tom's Cap, Alberton, and Yarram. Friday.—Traralgon, Koornalla, Mirboo North and Leongatha, Saturday.—Korumburra and Corinella.
Gippsland Times (Vic), 4 April 1927.

Public interest in Angus McMillan and Sir Paul Edmund de Strzelecki was initiated in a 1920`s campaign to recognise the European explorers in Victoria, and a chain of commemorative cairns was erected across the region. McMillan’s contribution to the region was also conferred in naming the Federal Electoral Division of McMillan in 1948, which includes original lands of the Gunai Kurnai in west and south Gippsland.

The view of McMillan as heroic explorer and pioneer was disrupted in the late 1970`s when historian Peter Gardner highlighted the extent of the frontier conflict in Gippsland, naming McMillan as a key figure. The attack on the Brataualung camped at Warrigal Creek following the murder of Ronald Macalister in 1843 was the foremost of several incidents that resulted in the loss of Gunai Kurnai lives. Historian Don Watson named McMillan as the leader of the ‘Highland Brigade’, a group of Gaelic-speaking Scotsmen who conducted reprisals against the Gunai Kurnai.  The extent of McMillan’s leadership of these conflicts has been contested although his own accounts indicate that he was involved.




 

Location

Address:Lyons Street, Gardens, Rosedale, 3847
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -38.151869
Long: 146.789478
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Exploration
Approx. Event Start Date:1839
Approx. Event End Date:1841

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Wednesday 6th April, 1927
Front Inscription

To commemorate the discovery of Gippsland by Angus McMillan who explored it in 1839 - 40 - 41

Back Inscription

This cairn was unveiled by His Excellency the Governor of Victoria, Lord Somers,

April 6th 1927.

Erected by the Hon. E. L. Crooke on behalf of the residents of the Rosedale Shire

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