Bright, the town

...a place in the KellyGang story 

Location

Located on Ovens River. Take the road from Wangaratta that goes up the Ovens Valley in the direction of Mt Bufflalo

Beginings

Part of the Ovens Gold Field.(Argus22/1/76) (Argus22/1/76)

The town was surveyed in 1859. In the begining the town was known as Morse's Creek.
It was changed to honour John Bright, a British liberal politician and advocate of free trade

Gold mining above Bright (Argus30/10/65)

Other towns in the area include Wandiligong.

Importance of Bright

The gold had all but run out by the late 1870s.
Bright was in the back country were shadowy people like the KellyGang moved horses and cattle away from the public gaze.

What was Bright like in the late 1870s

This was a long time before people went sking for fun or toured the area on their holidays

Representatives from Bright attended a major meeting to plan for the coming of the railways (Argus15/7/67)

Facilities in Bright in the late 1870s

Cathcart's Alpine Hotel

Anglican Church, (1870)
Methodist, (1884)
Presbyterian Church, (1880)

yes

Shire of Bright

Cathcart's Alpine (OMA18/1/79)
J. H. Gray and Co (OMA18/1/79)
Hazelton - store keeper (Argus2/9/69)

Licensing Magistrate Thomas E Lumley

Doctors Benjamin Warren, James A Hayden

Funerals
Anna Steinwart

Mining Company
Cornish United Quartz Mining Company No Liabilty (Gazette No8 1976)
Associated Claims Company Limited wound up in 1876
Red Jacket Quartz Mining Company 1876

Links to the KellyGang

 

The KellyGang got supplies from people in the Bright area
Police sent search parties to the Bright area

Ass Com Nicolson stationed Const Shoebridge at Bright in July 1879 (RC713)
Land sales in Bright (OMA18/1/79)

Members of the Bright community

Councillors Wm M'Lean and Wm Hooper (Argus15/7/67)

 

 

 

 

What happened at Bright after the time of the KellyGang

The railway line from Wangarratta to Bright was built. It no longer operates

What is happening at Bright today - a part of the Kelly Country and Ned Kelly's story

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14-jun-12

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