...a place in the KellyGang story
This area was explored by Hume and Hovell in 1824 on their trip from the Murray River to the Western District.
The area was inhabited by the Taungurong Aboriginal community.
There was some white settlement in the area from squatters in the 1840s. The town was developed through gold mining.
The town was named Alexandra, after Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII. They married when he was Prince of Wales and she was the Princess Royal.(Alexandra10/11/1868)
The area was originally called Red Gate Diggings and the town, Red Gate
Gold was discovered by Alexander McGregor, Don and Luckie in 1866 and the town soon became one of the top 3 or 4 centres in North Eastern Victoria.
See the details of mines (Alexandra2/6/1868)
Alexandra soon became the main centre for a wide gold mining area and a strong farming community on the upper reaches of the Goulburn River. There was considerable rivalry with Mansfield.
The gold rush lasted into the early 1870s
The Alexandra Times, a 4 page twice weekly newspaper was first published in 1868. John Whitelaw, editor (Alexandra2/6/1868)
Mr Knowles destroyed a punt because he did not like the election result (Alexandra14/12/1872)
What was the area like. (Alexandra11/101873) (Argus9/5/79)
The town needed a proper town water supply (Alexandra15/2/1873)
The Alexandra Times was a good news paper for local news.
By about 1884 the gold rush had ended and the town was nearly deserted but it was sustained by the timber industry and as a centre for the farming community. Most of the buildings were made of timber and very few of them survive
Main Streets
Grant Street
There was a preoccupation about the need for a railway up the Goulburn valley (Alexandra3/5/1872)
Alexandra Cottage Hospital, established in 1870(Alexandra5/10/1878)
Alexandra Cricket Club (Alexandra5/10/1878) the players (2/11/1878)
Alexandra Skating Rink (Alexandra6/9/1879)
Alexandra Times , John Whitelaw editor
Fire brigade
Masonic lodge opened 1869
Mechanics Institute (Alexandra5/10/1878)
Auctioneer EW Sampson , WH Curteis and McKay (Alexandra5/10/1878)
Lion Brewery Mr James Blain , Burton Brewery (Eagles and Co)
Boot maker Long (Alexandra9/12/1876)
Brick maker Mr Plummer (Alexandra26/4/1873)
Dr James Fergusson doctor (Alexandra5/10/1878)
Andrew B Crichton General store and reading room (Alexandra9/12/1876)
4 bakers in 1868 (Alexandra10/11/1868)
William Lawerence Bellman and Billsticker - advertised events
Thomas Fairhurst, J Briggs Builder
J & D Crichton Butcher
C Oliver , Frederick Wheeler Chemists (Alexandra9/12/1876)
J Peterkin Crocer
Thomas Hall Dressmaker
Draper
Henry Williams (Alexandra9/12/1876)
G Jobson, Rapiport and Davis,Justice Bros, General store
Frederick Coster, Alfred H Emerson Solicitors
Frederick W Saunders Photographer
W H Sault saddler
James Doran Livery stabbles
Thomas Thompson & Co, later G Walker & Co tailor
Thomas Wali seed merchant
G Pitschner Tinsmith
Henry Hitchcock Wheel Wright
R Vining Steam Saw Mills
F Wheeler insurance salesman AMP
W Downing Victoria Life and General Insurance Company and Savings Institute
Thomas Hall National Insurance Company of Australia
Maurice Raphael Estate agent and mining sharebroker
coach from Alexandra to Tallarook daily. A Hamea agent
Bessie Cohen The Club (Grant st)
Vining's Athenaeum (Alexandra6/9/1879)
Const Irwin led search party
to Alexandra .(Argus30/10/78)
SConst Irvine led a search prty near Alexandra (Argus31/12/78)
He gave evidence against Walter Lynch.
(Argus21/11/78)
The KellyGang in the area ?(Argus13/11/78) (Argus19/11/78) (Argus13/12/78) (Argus23/12/78)
All the gold was taken from the bank to Melbourne (Argus17/12/78)
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