Hi Kerry, Would there be any Culhanes, Higgins or Camms?? Also this may be of interest... Culhanes Hut This hut is situated on the property owned by the Culhane family, prior to them it was said to have been owned by O'Keefe's Michael Culhane (1826 - 1905) married Mary Kirk (1852-1926) in 1868 when Mary was only 16. Michael came to the district working as a stockman for Constantine and Jimmy Holmes, who lived at Stratford and had the Eagle Vale Run from 1869. Michael, with the Holmes Bros drove cattle up through the Crooked River, Wonnangatta and Moroka to the Plains. The Holmes Bros had a hut near Shaws Creek, at the north-eastern portion of Holmes Plains (not far from the present Kelly Hut). It was in ruins in the 1920s. It was whist working in the area that Michael decided to select land and build a home for his young family on the Crooked River. At first it was a humble bark roofed one roomed structure, but as they went on to have eleven children, Michael extended the home. Michael continued stock work throughout the district. They also had a substantial garden and cattle. In the 1890s Thomas (1871-1950), their eldest son took on the property across the river, known as "The Island" - the land situated between the Crooked River and the Wongungurra River. He had 17 packhorses and carted the quartz from the Good Hope Mine to the battery which was situated at Myrtleford. On his return trip he would bring supplies back to Crooked River. In 1905, when Michael passed away most of the children had left Crooked River, some going to Stratford / Sale area, Johanna married went to Ensay and several went to Myrtleford. After his death, his widow Mary took in borders to enable her to make ends meet. The borders were most of the crew from the Crooked River Dredge and paid £-/12/- per week. There were three shifts working on the dredge, three men working each shift. Tom and the youngest son Maurice "Maurie" Culhane (1890-1943) who was 19 when his father died continued to live in the house with their mother. Tom tendered to "The Island" and continued his 'packing service' whilst Maurie took over running the original property. In c1920 Mary moved to Stratford and it believed she lived with son Patrick until her death in 1925. (Patrick never married) Thomas married Amy Ellen and after the birth of their first four children, moved to Myrtleford in 1925. They went on to have another seven children. Maurie continued farming the property until the early 1930s, when he moved to Sale. He married Greta McCormack in 1947, but sadly died 30 days after his marriage. By 1934 only relics the homestead remained. After the Maurie Culhane left, Albert Stout, store keeper of Talbotville worked the paddocks for some years. Culhanes was taken over by Alex "Sandy" Traill c1942, and owned Howittville. It was whilst Sandy Trail used it that this hut was erected by the Forestry Commission to enable the workers, building the road, to have a base camp. In c1967 there was a dispute with Sandy Traill and Graham Spauls as to who owned it. Graham Spaul had purchased the property and he also bought out Sandy Traill's Howittville property. In 1999 Graham sold both properties and the lease to a syndicate of ten including Andrew Keys and Johanna Allen. The Culhane family contributed immensely to the Crooked River region, yet the family has been forgotten with time. Michael was laid to rest at the Talbotville Cemetery and his headstone is the only link to say the Culhane's were even in the area. That was until the hut that stands today was built in c1960. Fortunately oral history has lived long enough to retain the name of the property owned by Culhane's, and because this hut was erected on the same sight as the original home, it has adopted the name of Culhane's Hut, and rightly so. Regards Dianne

a lot of this is incorrect My GGrandfather Michael Culhane born abt. 1830 arrived in the colony after his brother John and two sisters Bridget and Mary, sometime between 1855-59 from Glin Co Limerick. Then went mining up the Crooked 1861, He was first minig with James Enright etc.. Then a Catherine Kirk married Hugh Maguire at Dargo Flats in 1868, and there has been a story passed down that Catherine Kirk, then sent to Ireland for her sister Mary who was born in Co Kilkenny in 1848. Her parents being Thomas Kirk and Catherine Darmody. Mary Kirk age 21, then sailed from Plymouth on March 27th 1869 on board the sailing ship Gresham and arrived in Melbourne on the 24th June 1869. On arrival Mary went to join her sister Catherine Maguire (nee Kirk) at Black Snake Creek, Wongungarra, until she married Michael on 30 December 1869 at a small settlement Castleburn Creek, a tributary of the Wongungarra river, Gippsland. The priest being Father Patrick Moran, their witnesses were Andrew Dalton and Mary Arnold. At the time of their marriage Michael was registered as being a miner living at Grant and he states his age as 34 (more like 38 or 39 years old.) There was nobody there before the O'Keefe's, Michael got this land through his miners license, O'Keefes were one of hundreds of other miners that went to the crooked, he first took up a residential site under his miner license around 1866, then he made Application for a License to Occupy Land under the 49th Sec of "The Land Act 1869 (this can be verified with documentation) Sir Will you be kind enough to advise me in what manner I can take up a river flat, containing about 20 acres, on the Wongungarra River, about a mile below and on the same side of the surveyed township of Howittville. And whether I can in anyway legally occupy it. I have my residence, under my miners right:- now on the said flat. One portion about 5 acres has been fenced in by another party for cultivation, but I am not aware of his having any legal hold on the ground as he resides and occupies other lands about a mile further up the river. I am Sir Your Obedient Servant, Michael Culhane. Michael quotes in one of his letters that "this area is known locally as the Pioneer". The first house he and Mary built was three roomed, made from log and slab 30x15 at the cost of 30 pounds. (The one that is pictured on front of the Gippsland Heritage Journal) This house (or hut) then became known as Costello's because his daughter Johanna Culhane had married James Costello and they lived in the old house when the following was built. In the 1890's another home was built on the same property, except this time using weatherboard and iron. Cultivation consisted mainly of hay, maize and potatoes. Their neighbors were firstly the Flannagans then Michael Higgins who had married Hannah Flannagan It was my grandfather Thomas Culhane born 1871 who worked with Constantine Holmes, not Michael (his father) I know Harry Smith had Eaglevale so I'm not sure if it was Harry he was managing stock for (can check this) or Constantine who was also one of the early miners with Michael Culhane. Michael had already built a long time before Tom was working the cattle, (so that part is completely wrong) When Michael died his son Maurice took over the old house, Paddy another son had land he bought of Hubbard that he then sold to Nellie Guy, his old house is still next door to Nellies old place. (or was when I last visited) And another son Edward had land down further form the original house Michael had ten children not 11. My Grandfather Thomas had eleven children, Also Maurice was Thomas brother not son, Maurice Joseph born May 04, 1886 Talbotville and went to Talbotville school, Maurice took over his fathers property (Michael Culhane)at Talbotville and was still living there in 1928 and working as a Stockman. He married Gretta McCormack from Myrtleford. They then moved to Rosedale, Gippsland where he died soon after their marriage in 1943 age 53 at Sale. Gretta moved back to Myrtleford and used to have a little house near the Catholic school and I remember her selling catechisms and rosary beads at the church nearly every day. We still had ties to the Bongong In the early 1900's while Tom was managing stock for Paddy Duane on the Bogong High plains he met his wife Amy Beryl Ellen at Duane's Happy Valley Hotel on the Ovens side of the mountains. After their marriage in 1918 they lived for awhile around the Buffalo River area, then Tom moved back to the Crooked River, Then in 1929 moved back to Myrtleford [Barwidgee]. His daughter recalls a story passed on by her mother, "We went over on horse back, I sat in the saddle in front of mum, she was 5 months pregnant and another brother sat behind her, while dad had another brother behind him plus pack horses." Tom died 1950 age 79 at Myrtleford Thomas's son Jack also like his father had a way with horses. He is recorded in the Cattleman's Diary [told to me by the late Jack Treasure] for his feat of riding by himself from Crooked River over to Myrtleford at the age of 11 years. While his younger son Kevin known as "Mick" Culhane kept up the family tradition and was still taking stock up to the Bogong until his death at Bright February 27, 2001. Cattlemen came from all over to honor him at his funeral. Dianne I am in the middle of writing a book on this area and other families who had been there since the 1860's. So it will then be recorded correctly. Will contact re Spaulls. Kerry ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dianne Carroll" <highcountryheritage@dodo.com.au> To: <AUS-VIC-HIGH-COUNTRY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 9:24 PM Subject: Re: [HC] Mining Hi Kerry, Would there be any Culhanes, Higgins or Camms?? Also this may be of interest... Culhanes Hut This hut is situated on the property owned by the Culhane family, prior to them it was said to have been owned by O'Keefe's Michael Culhane (1826 - 1905) married Mary Kirk (1852-1926) in 1868 when Mary was only 16. Michael came to the district working as a stockman for Constantine and Jimmy Holmes, who lived at Stratford and had the Eagle Vale Run from 1869. Michael, with the Holmes Bros drove cattle up through the Crooked River, Wonnangatta and Moroka to the Plains. The Holmes Bros had a hut near Shaws Creek, at the north-eastern portion of Holmes Plains (not far from the present Kelly Hut). It was in ruins in the 1920s. It was whist working in the area that Michael decided to select land and build a home for his young family on the Crooked River. At first it was a humble bark roofed one roomed structure, but as they went on to have eleven children, Michael extended the home. Michael continued stock work throughout the district. They also had a substantial garden and cattle. In the 1890s Thomas (1871-1950), their eldest son took on the property across the river, known as "The Island" - the land situated between the Crooked River and the Wongungurra River. He had 17 packhorses and carted the quartz from the Good Hope Mine to the battery which was situated at Myrtleford. On his return trip he would bring supplies back to Crooked River. In 1905, when Michael passed away most of the children had left Crooked River, some going to Stratford / Sale area, Johanna married went to Ensay and several went to Myrtleford. After his death, his widow Mary took in borders to enable her to make ends meet. The borders were most of the crew from the Crooked River Dredge and paid £-/12/- per week. There were three shifts working on the dredge, three men working each shift. Tom and (brother not son) son Maurice "Maurie" Culhane (1890-1943) who was 19 when his father died continued to live in the house with their mother. Tom tendered to "The Island" and continued his 'packing service' whilst Maurie took over running the original property. In c1920 Mary moved to Stratford and it believed she lived with son Patrick until her death in 1925. (Patrick never married) Thomas married Amy Ellen and after the birth of their first four children, moved to Myrtleford in 1925. They went on to have another seven children. Maurie continued farming the property until the early 1930s, when he moved to Sale. He married Greta McCormack in 1947, but sadly died 30 days after his marriage. By 1934 only relics the homestead remained. After the Maurie Culhane left, Albert Stout, store keeper of Talbotville worked the paddocks for some years. Culhanes was taken over by Alex "Sandy" Traill c1942, and owned Howittville. It was whilst Sandy Trail used it that this hut was erected by the Forestry Commission to enable the workers, building the road, to have a base camp. In c1967 there was a dispute with Sandy Traill and Graham Spauls as to who owned it. Graham Spaul had purchased the property and he also bought out Sandy Traill's Howittville property. In 1999 Graham sold both properties and the lease to a syndicate of ten including Andrew Keys and Johanna Allen. The Culhane family contributed immensely to the Crooked River region, yet the family has been forgotten with time. Michael was laid to rest at the Talbotville Cemetery and his headstone is the only link to say the Culhane's were even in the area. That was until the hut that stands today was built in c1960. Fortunately oral history has lived long enough to retain the name of the property owned by Culhane's, and because this hut was erected on the same sight as the original home, it has adopted the name of Culhane's Hut, and rightly so. Regards Dianne

Hi Kerry, You have a wealth of information - from my understanding, the 20 acres mentioned is the land that Culhanes Hut sits on today - have you a date for the letter you quoted? and also who it was to - assuming the Lands Title Office I am currently researching 88 huts and by gee - it can get confusing, especially trying to track down people that know. I am sure you would be aware that Johanna ended up in Ensay. Thanks for your assistance - the Culhanes have been missed in documented history, and I want to ensure the family is recognised in my report and the history of the hut that carries their name. Regards Dianne

Kerry, The info I got was from Des Culhane, Graham Spaul, and David Guy - all bits a pieces which I am trying to make sence out of. I have sorted most of the early stuff out from what you sent. Can you delete or correct what is wrong here. - I am confused as to who had what - I know the Hut was known as Costellos for some time, but in reality it was still Culhanes????? How many houses/huts were built here? Sorry for all the questions, but I want to get it right. In the 1890s Thomas (1871-1950), their eldest son took on the property across the river, known as "The Island" - the land situated between the Crooked River and the Wongungurra River. He had 17 packhorses and carted the quartz from the Good Hope Mine to the battery which was situated at Myrtleford. On his return trip he would bring supplies back to Crooked River. Is this right In 1905, when Michael passed away most of the children had left Crooked River, some going to Stratford / Sale area, Johanna married went to Ensay and several went to Myrtleford. After his death, his widow Mary took in borders to enable her to make ends meet. The borders were most of the crew from the Crooked River Dredge and paid £-/12/- per week. There were three shifts working on the dredge, three men working each shift. Tom and the youngest brother (this was a typo - I knew) Maurice "Maurie" Culhane (1890-1943) who was 19 when his father died continued to live in the house with their mother. Tom tendered to "The Island" and continued his 'packing service' whilst Maurie took over running the original property. In c1920 Mary moved to Stratford and it believed she lived with son Patrick until her death in 1925. (Patrick never married) Thomas married Amy Ellen and after the birth of their first four children, moved to Myrtleford in 1925. They went on to have another seven children. Maurie continued farming the property until the early 1930s, when he moved to Sale. He married Greta McCormack in 1947, but sadly died 30 days after his marriage. By 1934 only relics the homestead remained. After the Maurie Culhane left, Albert Stout, store keeper of Talbotville worked the paddocks for some years. Culhanes was taken over by Alex "Sandy" Traill c1942, and owned Howittville. In c1960 this hut was erected by the Forestry Commission to enable the workers, building the road, to have a base camp. In c1965 Graham Spaul had purchased the property, which followed a dispute with Sandy Traill as to who owned it. Graham won and later bought out Sandy Traill's Howittville property. Dates here need confirmation - maybe Lands Office? - Sources gave estimates In 1999 Graham sold both properties and the lease to a syndicate of ten including Andrew Keys and Johanna Allen. The Culhane family contributed immensely to the Crooked River region, yet the family has been forgotten with time. Michael was laid to rest at the Talbotville Cemetery and his headstone is the only link to say the Culhane's were even in the area. That was until the hut that stands today was built in c1960. Fortunately oral history has lived long enough to retain the name of the property owned by Culhane's, and because this hut was erected on the same sight as the original home, it has adopted the name of Culhane's Hut, and rightly so.