Corangamite, Western District
The most impressive and extensive network of dry stone walls in Australia is found in the Western District of Victoria. The Corangamite Dry Stone Walls Heritage Trail established by Corangamite Arts includes some of the most significant walls in the region, particularly at Pomborneit in the Stony Rises east of Camperdown.
The western plains of Victoria are among the world’s greatest basalt plains. The volcanic activity over millions of years has shaped the landscape which is generally flat except for the volcanic cones.
These volcanic cones, some time in the past, spouted lava which formed the stones covering the plains. The youngest eruption points are less than 10,000 years old. The volcanic cones most visible around Camperdown are Mounts Porndon, Leura, Noorat and Shadwell.
Although most of the existing walls were built after the gold rush and after the introduction of rabbits, there is evidence of dry stone walls in the western district from the late 1840s. From the 1870s many pastoralists rebuilt earlier walls in an attempt to rabbit-proof their properties.
Several construction devices were used: overhanging copestones; wooden slats projecting under copestones; wire stretching out from the top of the wall; trenches about a metre into the clay base, plugging of holes in the wall to prevent the rabbits colonising the walls; and even asymmetrical walls with stepping stones up one side and a sheer wall on the other with overhanging copestones to prevent them coming back.
The rabbit wall built by the Manifold brothers at Purrumbete in the 1880s is perhaps the most significant wall in the district standing up to two metres high. It originally ran continuously from Lake Corangamite to Lake Purrumbete.
Tour 1 Corangamite Dry Stone Walls Heritage Trail, eastern part, pink
This route takes you past four of the district’s most intriguing dry stone walls.
-
Cock and Hen Wall: It’s name is derived from the pattern of raised and flat copestones.
- The Rabbit Wall: This section exhibits prominent throughstones on the north face. Throughstones reflect a sound walling practice, as these stones ‘lock’ the two sides of the wall together
- The Rabbit Wall: This section is capped by massive flat copestones which overhang the wall and provide a barrier to rabbits climbing the wall. In other parts of the Rabbit Wall, slats and mesh are used for this purpose.
- Foxhow Road Wall: A fine example of a wall built using uniform and rounded stones. These are difficult to work with as they lack the interlocking nature of more irregular and vesicular stones. This lower wall is in more open sheep country.
Tour 2 Hawk’s Nest Road Precinct, green
Hawks Nest Road crosses the stony rises between Pirron Yallock and Pomborneit. The irregular rocky topography has defied the passage of time and stands of remnant basalt plans woodland remain. Hawks Nest Road is an undulating gravel road distinguished by the many lava flows along its 17 kilometre length.
The wider farming landscape has changed little since it was originally subdivided in the 1860s and is highlighted by some excellent dry stone walls. The road traverses lava flows between Mount Porndon and the southern shoreline of Lake Corangamite. The Corangamite Heritage Study identified Hawks Nest Road as a place that is of significance:
….for its association with the settlement of the Stony Rises and in particular with Pomborneit East. Whereas other roads in the area were straightened with the aid of modern earth-moving equipment Hawks Nest Road has survived, still with the irregular profile of an early farm track. Hawks Nest Road is aesthetically significant as a linear landscape providing access through and views across the Stony Rises.
Tour 3 Corangamite dry stone walls heritage trail, western part, blue on map
Each wall on this route is identified by a roadside marker.
-
Consumption Dyke: This is a very fine example of a consumption dyke, so called as it consumes large volumes of stones which lay on the surface of the land. Its height (at over 2 metres), style and width are most impressive.
- Kolora Road Wall: This wall features massive copestones and base stones, and is an example of one of the many variations in wall style in the area.
- Terang – Mortlake Road Wall: This is a typical dry stone wall of the district; a double wall with a height of about 900mm and tapering sides. Throughstones tie the two sides of the wall together.