Ovens River at KellyGang

Ovens River

...a place in the KellyGang story

The Country around the Ovens River

The aboriginals called the river the Burwang
Head waters

The Upper Ovens River, near Harrietville has signifiant freshwater meadows and marshes.
Bright is a historic town on the River
Porepunkah is on the confluence of the Buckland and the Ovens Rivers.
The town of Ovens is a loverly small settlement
Myrtleford, one of the larger towns, is just upstream from conflueance of the Buffalo and Ovens Rivers

The junction of the Ovens River and the King River, just before Wangaratta has traditionally been a popular swimming spot in Wangaratta. The aboriginal community called the junction of the Ovens and King Rivers 'Korumbeia'.
Wangaratta is the largest town on the River.

Down Stream

The Ovens Deep Lead Company mined gold on the Ovens (Argus15/8/65) (Argus30/10/65)
Fifteen Mile Creek joins the Ovens just north of Wangaratta
Reedy Creek joins the River just befor Boorhaman.
Peechelbar is a little further north on the western bank.

In the early years there was a punt over the Ovens at Tarrawingee
The Creeks that flow into the Ovens include
Myrtle Creek

The Ovens had some very bad floods (Argus29/10/67)

Links to the KellyGang

On about 5/11/1878 Det Ward found that four horsemen had crossed the One-mile bridge or Pioneer Bridge on the Ovens, going in the direction of the Warby Ranges. (RC13840)

The Ovens river was in flod (Argus7/11/78)

The Blind Bridge near Everton (RC3149)

Const Flood reported that a letter had passed through the local post office, containing particulars of an arrangement made for a meeting of the KellyGang and a Chinese gold buyer, on a certain night at a place known as Spink's Crossing on the Ovens River at Tarrawingi. This was after the Euroa robbery. (Sadleir)

What was the Ovens River like in the late 1870's

The Ovens was a wild river that came down from the mountains. There was quite a bit of farming along its banks, but the area mainly produced gold, cattle and sheep.

Properties and Towns along the way

What happened in the area of Ovens River after the time of the Kelly Gang

How has the Ovens River area changed

Much of the upper Ovens catchment was turned upside down in a search for gold that left a legacy of environmental issues. Sand and gravel unsettled by the gold dredging now fill the river’s deep waterholes, disrupting both wildlife habitat and recreational amenity. Pine plantations are now almost all that will grow on the degraded land.

What is happening down the Ovens River today - a part of the Kelly Country and Ned Kelly's story

See for more information about the Ovens River http://www.envict.org.au/file/Ovens_Map_low_res.pdf

Enjoy this wonderful part of our history, but Please respect the privacy of the current owners

.... got to go Move around the areas .....Move with the Kellys .....Move with the Police

Let the KellyGang ride Free