Violet Town

...a place in the KellyGang story 

Areas

location

Benalla in the north and Euroa in the south

Beginnings

Town was surveyed in 1838 but in 1852 the town was moved south from the Homeysuckle Creek.

Importance of Violet Town

The town was near the crossing place on Honeysuckle Creek on the road to the northern gold fields

What was Violet Town like in the late 1870s

By the1860s it had three hotels, a Wesleyan school, bakery, several tradesmen and numerous selectors on the former Honeysuckle run.
The first track from Violet Town to Dry Creek was cut into the Strathbogies to open up the area for selection in 1873 (Ensign4/2/1873)

When the railway line was opened in 1873 the commercial area moved northwards nearer the station.
See also (Argus28/2/73) (Ensign16/10/1874)

Powell had a threshing mahcine used for harvesting wheat (Ensign1/1/1875)

Facilities in Violet Town in the late 1870s

Hotels

Banks

Commercial hotel Mr Williams (Ensign16/10/1874)
Rose Shamrock and Thistle Mr P Keane
Violet Town Inn Mr J Underwood

The National Bank was managed by Mr Attwood

 

Streets named after flowers

Churches

Schools

no churches in 1874 but services held

State school

Postal route to Violet Town and Kialla

see alsoViolet Ponds
Brown's flour mill (Ensign16/10/1874)

Links to the KellyGang

Police in town
Const Lonigan was stationed in Violet Town just before he was shot at Stringy Bark Creek. (RC1732) He was replaced on 30/10/1879 by Const Duross.(RC3575)
Const Johnston was stationed at Violet Town before the Euroa robbery (RC1260) see (Argus3/6/80)
He left the town in 1881 (Argus8/7/80) (RC7130)
Const Gascoigne was at Violet Town in March 1879. (RC9618) Const Duross was at stationed Violet Town for over a year.
Did one of the police dance with Ned Kelly (JJK)

While Lonigan was stationed here Tom Lloyd and one of the Ryan boys came to town

The KellyGang in the area ?(Argus13/11/78) (Argus13/12/78)
The KellyGang intended to stick up the bank in Violet Town but their friends told them therte was more money in the bank in Euroa (Argus17/12/78)
was Mr Lambell, the butcher held up by the KellyGang. (Alexandra14/12/1878)
The town's people were fearful (Argus14/12/78)

Military from the Garrison Artillery sent to Violet Town to protect banks in town after the Euroa robbery in December 1878. (RC App8)
They were withdrawn in July 1879 (RC915)

The Ned Kelly and some of the other boys went to a picnic near Violet Town when they were resting in the Strathbogie Ranges (JJK)

Graves thought that the Connor letter was written by someone who lived in Violet Town. (RC15541)

 

Members of the Violet Town community

On the night of 26/9/80 Mr Judd, station master at Violet Town, property's was damaged. The native trackers succeeded in tracking the footprints to Ben Gould's house and they arrested him.

 

What happened at Violet Town after the time of the KellyGang

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9-jan-12

What is happening at Violet Town today

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