Not ten years after the first gold-seekers arrived in Daylesford, a bustling community of hundreds of people – miners, their families and those who provided them with food, drink, animals, services – had settled here.  To service their needs for information and entertainment locally and in the wider world, The Daylesford Express newspaper had established a wide readership.  Here are some of the early news items that were reported.

June 7 1861

Letter to Editor – Street Organ Nuisance

Before you had the spirit to establish a paper, which no one will deny reflects the greatest credit on its originators, the public had but little hope of ever being able to make known or obtain redress for their grievances; but the columns of The Express being open to all, I would draw your attention to a nuisance existing at present in our little town.

Sir, I am naturally a lover of music, and have sometimes even, in company with my wife and family derived enjoyment from hearing Barlow’s performance on the kitchen bellows, but, Sir, harassed as I am by the cares and anxieties of business it becomes a matter of importance that the few hours I am able to devote to my family should not be ruthlessly broken in upon and disturbed by my neighbours, but this I regret to say is the case.

I am living in Vincent Street and am frequently almost driven to distraction by a sorry performance on a crazy harmonium which is kept up night and day with a perseverance which would be commendable in a better cause.

May 22 1862: 

Daylesford General Cemetery – Notice to the Public

The Trustees of the above cemetery, being about to form and gravel the footpaths of the cemetery, invite parties who have friends or relations underneath such footpaths to remove the same to any part of the cemetery they may select.  Such permission will be granted free of ground charge.   W.G. Hart. Sec.

December 27 1862:

The coach from Creswick broke down on Monday when a short distance from town.  A trace snapped and the horses in turning sharply aside strained a wheel and it fell apart.  The coach settled on its side and though it was full of passengers, none were hurt.  On Wednesday the Malmsbury coach tipped over when one of the wheels fell apart.  Among the passengers were Mrs Royal and the Misses Royal and other ladies.  No one was hurt.

December 31 1862:

Destructive bush fires are raging around Daylesford and many other towns in Victoria.  Wheelers Sawmill at Musk Creek, about five miles from Daylesford, was threatened and Mr. Tredinick’s store was burned down with uninsured losses of 500 to 600 pounds.

March 5 1863:

Several of the residents near Wombat Hill had an agreeable surprise on Sunday.  For some time their wells have been without water, and our informant going to a neighbour’s found to his surprise that the well was tolerably supplied.  Out of curiosity he went back to his own well and found it contained about 5 feet of water.  His neighbours also discovered to their agreeable surprise that their empty wells had been miraculously supplied.  In two or three days without a drop of rain, the water had risen about 13 feet.  The fact is accounted for, we believe, by one of the mining companies having tapped the rock and let out the contents of those remarkable reservoirs.

January 26 1864:

An accident occurred at Clarke’s Sawmill at Bullarook Forest yesterday.  A man trying to get from one side of the mill to the other tried to crawl through a hole where a circular saw was operating.  From some unexplained cause his head came in contact with the saw and in a moment it crashed through his skull from one side to the other.  The severity of the wound may be judged when it is stated it was fully seven inches in length, and exposed the brain.  On receiving the blow, the poor fellow fell like a log to the ground.  Dr Vernon said there was a great danger of the casualty resulting fatally.

              January 30 1864:

It is said that the unfortunate man whose skull was cut open by the circular saw, is likely to recover.  He is reported to have borne the accident with remarkable nonchalance.

References:

Pitt, Les.  “Mud, Blood And Gold” Daylesford.  2016

The Daylesford and District Historical Society.  https://daylesfordmuseum.net/