Sign and wonder years apart

29 September has twice proved a big day for Beechworth. One hundred and fifty years ago the railway branch line from Everton to Beechworth, on which the first train had got up its head of steam for the long, steep climb a few months earlier, was officially opened by Sir George Bowen, Victoria’s governor. “It was the biggest event to take place in the Ovens district since the 1850s gold rush,” says all-round railway buff, retired teacher and current Indigo councillor John Harvey. “The celebrations took place in the goods shed [in the railway precinct] and a large circus tent was erected for the occasion, as the train station was yet to be built.” There was a feast, fireworks and a delegation of Chinese miners and merchants to call on His Excellency. Twenty-five years ago there was again a big crowd, a prime minister’s representative instead of a governor, a deputy premier and the 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse at the launch of Beechworth’s Historic and Cultural Precinct and its ‘Echoes of History’ discovery trail, not too far from the railway station. And in the making of it — that very morning according to guide Leo Nette, or perhaps a bit earlier says former signwriter David Collier — the pair uncovered a significant inscription since plain for all to see. Leo takes up the story outside the Telegraph Station. “I was standing out front here waiting for the big day and I noticed David up on the roof,” he said. “He was pulling away a big wood and metal sign on the front the building because it was now to be known again as the Telegraph Station, and they’d got David to come and take the sign down, paint ‘Telegraph Station’ on it and put it back. “It had been there for many, many years [perhaps 130, as it turns out] and showed ‘District Survey Office’ or something like that. "The plan was to lift it off and David was going to rush home, repaint it and put it back all in one day. “So he got a bit of it off and then we started to notice letters appearing across the top behind the sign.” David chips in: “It’s a good story!” “It had been engraved in the granite,” says Leo. “Telegraph Station.” David recalls only a little of the job. “I remember the surprise of pulling the sign away and seeing the beautiful granite behind it," he said. "I don’t remember the pressure of the day, and I don’t remember promising to have it done in a day. “I brushed it down and it looked pretty good, probably chiselled off-site and put up on the building. "The inscribed name’s very professional, a beautiful job.” The ‘Echoes of History’ Historic and Cultural Precinct launch took place across 29-30 September to celebrate Beechworth’s history and conclude many years of planning and project work. About 10,000 people took part in festivities to mark the beginning of a fresh era for heritage sites incorporated into the precinct. The official opening ceremony was conducted by Mayor Peter Graham, Deputy Premier John Thwaites and Senator Judith Troeth representing Prime Minister John Howard. Burke Museum and Beechworth Historic Precinct research has found the weekend celebrations included granting freedom of the town to the Light Horse Regiment, a Centenary of Federation parade featuring a horse shod with real gold and an authentic Chinese dragon, a Ned Kelly re-enactment in the court house, special Burke Museum exhibitions and a gala dinner with Bank restaurant food and Winemakers of Rutherglen wines. The council also provided free access to all precinct heritage buildings to view premieres of interpretive displays including an ‘Echoes of History’ audio visual during the festivities.

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