While at the meeting, participants and volunteers can register their interest for either helping during the lead up to the event and through the event itself. You can also submit any proposals for a “project” that you would like to put on during Winterfest.

Without local community support events like Winterfest don’t happen, so get down to the Arts Centre on Thursday night and do your bit to support a great local event.

You can learn more about the 2008 Winterfest and also see some photos of the 2007 Winterfest visit at this page.

download the flyer as a 100KB pdf

Starting at 10am and finishing at around 5pm, the day will be filled with people displaying skills of the past, including; rope makers, blacksmiths, weavers, potters and others. Food will also be available on site.

The entry fee’s are:
Adults - $5
Conc. - $3
Children - $1

The article came out in last Saturdays paper and you can read it online here.

I sent her quite a bit of information on the history (and historic events of the area) but as the article was a travel article and not purely devoted to the history of the region, only a few of the points got included.

So…if you are interested, here is all of the information that i initially sent her:

>> Early History

• Robert Hoddle, the first Surveyor-General of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales, explored the upper reaches of the Yarra Valley in 1845.
• Between the 1850’s and the 1880’s the population of the Upper Yarra region exploded with gold miners but very quickly dropped down as gold was discovered further afield.
• The name “Warburton” has been shared between two townships over the years. The mining town of “Yankee Jims Creek” was located on the gold-bearing slopes of Mount Little Joe, and was renamed “Warburton” after the mining warden of the district, Charles Warburton Carr. Gold depletion caused a declining population in the 1880’s, so the town was renamed “Old Warburton” and the town of “Upper Warburton” on the banks on the Yarra River was renamed “Warburton”.
• The official discovery of gold in the region is recognised as being at Britannia Creek in November of 1858, but gold finds were also being reported in 1856. Yankee Jims Creek goldfield was opened in 1859 and was operational under that name till 1863.
• The pristine forests of the water catchment areas of the O’Shannassy River, Armstrong Creek and the upper stretches of the Yarra River were protected by the Victorian Government in 1888. The first water to reach Melbourne from the O’Shannassy scheme was in 1914 and it continued providing water until the 1990’s. Due to the recent drought conditions, water from O’Shannassy is once again being incorporated into Melbourne’s water supply.
• The original Shire of Upper Yarra which was constituted on 19 October 1888 with a population of 160 people had grown to 1,700 people by 1901. At that time Yarra Junction was called “Ward Homestead Settlement” and Wesburn was known as “Warburton Village Settlement”. Before being called Wesburn it was also called “West Warburton”.
• With the introduction of the railway in 1901, timber milling became the prime industry of the region. It is claimed that more timber passed through Yarra Junction than any other place in the world except Seattle on the Pacific Coast of the United States.
• 1920 was the year that the first houses in Warburton, from the local Adventist community which was established in 1905, were supplied with electricity from a water powered pelton wheel.
• The Warburton Highway was finally completely sealed in 1941.

>> Lilydale-Warburton Railway

• The Lilydale to Warburton railway line ran between 1901 and 1965. The only remaining train station of the original nine is located at Yarra Junction and was officially opened as the Upper Yarra Museum on December the 10th 1972.

>> Warburton Tennis Club

• Located next to the white Swing Bridge which crosses over the Yarra River, the Warburton Tennis Club was opened in 1912 with only one court. The second court and the club rooms, which were a popular location for dances to be held, were opened in 1928.

>> Mechanic’s Hall, Warburton

• The original Mechanic’s Hall library was opened in the 1880’s, and until the opening of the current hall on October the 3rd 1913 it was used by the local Progress League, the Upper Yarra Shire Council, and a medicine dispenser and as a Methodist church.
• It was also a favourite location for dances and concerts, and in 1916, two years before she became a Dame, Nellie Melba sang in the Mechanic’s Hall to a packed crowd of local residents.

>> Warburton Band Rotunda and Rural Fire Brigade

• The old band rotunda, formerly situated in the park next to the war memorial, served as the headquarters of the Warburton Rural Fire Brigade which was formerly registered in 1915.

>> Reefton Hotel, McMahon’s Creek

• During the 1870’s the original hotel was located closed to the Reefton gold diggings which housed a thriving community of around 3,000 gold-miners and their families.
• The current hotel, located on the banks of McMahon’s Creek and whose car park is on part of the original Warburton-Woods Point Road, has held a hotel licence since 1886.

>> The Sanitarium Health Food Company

• Established in 1925 and closed in 1998, the Sanitarium Health Food Company moved into its new building in 1939/1940. The building was, and still is, the tallest building in Warburton.
• The building was designed by Edward Fielder Billson, the first recipient of Melbourne University’s diploma in architecttecure and a protégé of Walter Burley Griffin.
• The building won the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects “Street Architecture Medal” in 1940. It was the first building in regional Victoria to win the prestigious award.
• The gardens were also designed by one of Australia’s most influential landscape designers, Edna Walling, who was also responsible for designing the lily pond at Coombe Cottage for Dame Nellie Melba and Cruden Farm garden for Dame Elisabeth Murdoch.
• The factory was also famous for the smell of WEET-BIX that was made every morning.

>> Mt Donna Buang

• In the 1860’s, “Mt Acland” was the name given to the 1,250 meter high mountain by a Police Magistrate called Joseph Panton. The name it has today, “Mt Donna Buang”, came from the Wurundjeri Aboriginals.
• A walking track to the summit of Mount Donna Buang was cut during the 1890’s and the much wider Donna Buang Bridle Track, which the current road from Warburton to the top of Mount Donna Buang follows, was opened in 1912.
• In 1924, the Ski Club of Victoria built an eight-foot wide track for skiers on the top of Mount Donna Buang. Being the nearest location to Melbourne where you could ski, the mountain was well patronised and both the Ski Club of Victoria and the Melbourne University Ski Club built huts on the mountain to cater for their members. During the 1930’s the Warburton Ski Club was officially formed as well. The first observation tower was erected shortly after the bridle track was opened.

>> Mayer Chalet (aka Warburton Chalet)

• Established in 1927, Mayer Chalet was eventually able to cater for up to 280 guests and was considered the largest and most modern guesthouse in Victoria for a number of years. It was destroyed by fire in 1973. More photos are available here.

>> The Queen Visits

• On the 6th of March 1954, the Royal Train pulled in Warburton carrying Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Other than attending the small Presbyterian Church for service on the Sunday, the Royal couple spent a few days resting at the O’Shannassy quarters of the M.M.B.W. (Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works), which is located in a closed of water catchment area between East Warburton and McMahons Creek.
• The Argus newspaper reported that around 20,000 people from all over the Yarra Valley region invaded Warburton to celebrate the Queens visit.

>> Country and Western Star

• The famous singer, Diana Trask, was living in Warburton when she was discovered on the Talent Quest on Channel 9. Winning a trip to the U.S.A. she quickly rose to stardom after joining Mitch Miller’s popular television show.
• She returned to Warburton in 1962 to be married at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and then again in 1985 after singing at the opening of the AFL Grand Final between North Melbourne and Essendon.
• Returning once more in 1988 to take part in the Shire of Upper Yarra’s centenary celebrations, she was voted the Upper Yarra “Citizen of the Century”.

The best way to tell if i am in and its open, is if the Australian flag is on the flag pole.

Anyone who drops in while i am duty, and mentions the Upper Yarra Museum website to me, can pick up a free postcard as well :)

Check out the program for whats on.

And while you are passing through on your way to or back from Warburton, and enjoying the lovely scenery, stop by the Upper Yarra Museum, which is located in the old Yarra Junction Train Station in Yarra Junction, and learn about the history of the region. The Museum is open on Sunday between the hours of 1.30PM and 5PM.

It’s a fantastic collection of food, crafts, goods new and old, and a great collection of people from the community and further afield. It is run by the Millgrove Residents Action Group.

Winterfest in Warburton 2008 is being held between the evening of Friday the 20th of June and Sunday the 22nd of June at various locations around the beautiful town of Warburton.

If you haven’t been to a previous Winterfest, here’s the lowdown…

A weekend for all the family including: fundraising stalls, best winter shop window, markets, art and craft exhibition and competition, live music in our Bendigo Bank community tent, local theatre production, the hot blacksmiths, musical jam where everyone can be involved and much much more. Please come and support our local community.

The program for the 17th “Winterfest in Warburton” was updated last night and is outlined below.

All weekend

• Winterfest Craft Exhibition and competition 10am-4pm Saturday and Sunday at the Alpine Retreat Hotel.
• Art and Photography Exhibition at the Upper Yarra Arts Centre.
• Hot Blacksmiths at rear of Upper Yarra Arts Centre.
• Yarra Valley Machinery Preservation Society Display at rear of Water Wheel information centre.
• Natural Resources Conservation League display and tours at rear of Water Wheel information centre.
• Parents and Friends of Warburton Primary School cake stall.
• Fundraising food stalls at various venues.
• Mail box exhibition and competition on display in the Multi Purpose room at Upper Yarra Arts Centre.

Friday 20th

• 6pm - Bendigo Bank Community Tent Official opening followed by the belly dance troupe Tres Shiek
• 7pm - KARAOKE! Upper Yarra Arts Centre, Mecca Theatre
• 7pm - Youth event: Battle of the Bands! in the Upper Yarra Arts Centre

Saturday 21st

• 10am - Fig Jam Duel-Bring your instruments and JAM! Two groups of musicians playing off one another for a musical extravaganza, Bendigo Bank Community Tent
• 2pm - Robbie and the Melvilles-A funky band that you can move to or just chill out for a while.
• 7pm - THUMP under age dance party, Bendigo Bank Community Tent
• 10pm - Sooper Dooper Circus fire performance and sculpture, Bendigo Bank Community Tent
• 8pm - Wrap Theatre-our local theatre group sharing a new production, Mechanics Institute Building
• 8pm - Theatre production-Asylum, Upper Yarra Arts Centre, Mecca Theatre (more info and tickets call UYAC on 5966 5160).

Sunday 22nd

• 10am - The Billson Irish Dancing Group, followed by family workshops of ‘Make a Winter Wish’ and felting, Mechanics Institute Building
• 4pm - One woman performance ‘After Surrealism (apologies to Andre Breton) a performance about nothing or something, first (and only) time ever performed, Mechanics Institute Building
• 2pm Local Band- ‘Full Boar’ a great band with a big sound, come and keep warm by dancing the afternoon away! Bendigo Bank Community Tent

And Friends!

• Good Food Room presents Eddie Cole 4.30pm-6.30pm Saturday 21st
• Winter Warming treatments at Warburton Wellbeing
• Book Sale at the Cerini Centre Sunday
• Warburton Village Community Market Sunday- at the rear of Wild Thyme
• Keep an eye out while you’re in town for more live music and events that will be happening at our many locally owned businesses

A shuttle bus will run from the front of Upper Yarra Arts Centre to the LaLa Falls end of Warburton and up to the Patchwork Tea House end every hour from 10.30am to 3.30pm Saturday and Sunday to show visitors our vibrant and busy town.

Please join us for a fun weekend by supporting the Warburton community and businesses.

We’d like to thank the Shire of Yarra Ranges with whom this festival wouldn’t be possible, and the Warburton Bendigo Bank for their sponsorship of the main tent.

Thanks to all our supporters and all the hard work the committee is putting in!

You can also check out the photos i took of the 2007 Winterfest for an idea of what goes on.

An easy way to tell if its open is if you see the Australian flag flying on the flag post…if it is, pop in and experience some local history and say hello. And if you mention the website to me, I’ll throw in a free postcard :)

Note: The Upper Yarra Museum is run by the Upper Yarra Valley Historical Society and is normally open between 1.30pm and 5pm every Sunday and on most public holidays.

It contains information that has submitted at some time to the Heritage Divison of the Australian Government (who are responsible for adding places to the National Heritage List) for inclusion of the Upper Yarra Reservoir Wall, Park & Associated Features.