Bung Bong

Etymology

The name Bung Bong may derive from the Aboriginal words for "swamp" or for "swamp grass".

History

Bung Bong Post Office opened on 1 February 1864 and closed in 1961.

The old Glenmona Bridge was built over the Bet Bet Creek in 1871 and is the third oldest of its type in Victoria, (after the Hawthorn Bridge and the Redesdale Bridge). Its location is directly south of the new bridge over the Bet Bet on the Pyrenees Highway.

In 1878 the Bung Bong Farmers' Club held their first "ploughing match". There were 18 entries in the competition to plough, "virgin soil, of a rich chocolate colour". It was reported, "that although the ploughmen were new to competitive trials, they showed by the excellence of their work their fitness for their calling." For the 1886 (and ninth) ploughing match there were 22 entries. It was held on the Abbott property, half a mile from the Bung Bong railway station and "the attendance was large". This time, 10 entrants used double furrow ploughs with one entrant, "exhibiting Gilsman's patent rotary harrows, which attracted great attention, and were pronounced excellent implements".

Local volunteers have fought major bushfires in the region in December 1880, January 1881, January 1985 and the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

Bung Bong horse Richmond Lass won 31 races and went on to win the 1969 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship. The horse was owned by Fred Miller of Richmond House.

Gold has been extracted in the Bung Bong region and along the Bet Bet Creek. In 2018, commercial gold exploration has resumed.

Railway

Bung Bong is on the Avoca railway line, to the north of the locality, where ballast was loaded from nearby basalt quarries. There was a Post Office at the Bung Bong station which opened in October 1877 and closed in June 1940.

In 2017, there was a proposal to link Mildura to Portland with standard gauge track to carry grain and mineral sands. This upgrade would include the Maryborough to Ararat section of the line, past the site of the disused Bung Bong station. Community action has been successful in keeping a railway level crossing on a key arterial road open, after commencement of the new rail link.

The Avoca line was reopened in 2018 after being rebuilt as part of the Murray Basin Rail Project, which also extended the reach of the standard gauge network in Victoria.

Schools

There was a Primary School (No. 1056) at Bung Bong which operated on the same block as the Church of England between 1872 and 1921.

Approximately 5 km south of Bung Bong, on the Moore's Flat Road, is the now abandoned locality of Moore's Flat. There was a Moore's Flat Primary School (No. 1575).

Heritage buildings

The Pyrenees Shire Council has documented a number of significant properties in the Bung Bong - Homebush region in the Avoca Heritage Study: 1864 - 1994 - Volume 3.

Region

Bung Bong is also a region, which has a large range of native flora and fauna. South-East of the locality is the Bung Bong Nature Conservation Reserve which is used by bush walkers and bird watchers.

Facilities

Bung Bong, Wareek Cemetery

The cemetery is located on 413 Bung Bong-Rathscar Rd, Wareek. In 2017, it is being upgraded by the community with new fences and facilities.

Information on the interments, with more details and images of the headstones - here.

Hall

The Bung Bong Temperance Hall was established by the Independent Order of Rechabites as 'Tent' 138. It is located on the Pyrenees Highway.

It was built in 1876 on land donated by Mr Miller and was used for community activities including meetings of the 'Farmers Club'.

The building was subsequently used as the Bung Bong Church of England. While the building is now unused, the site has become a popular stopping place for caravans.

At the Wareek Hall there is an honour roll of those from the Bung Bong district who fought in World War I. It contains 19 names.

References

References

1. {{Census 2021 AUS
2. Saxton, John George. (1907). "Victoria Place-Names and their origins". Saxton and Buckie.
3. (27 March 1997). "From the Ruins of Colonialism: History as Social Memory". Cambridge University Press.
4. "Post Office List".
5. {{cite AHD. 16055. Bet Bet Creek Road Bridge
6. (13 July 1878). "Ploughing Matches: Bung Bong". [[The Australasian]] - cited from the Maryborough Standard.
7. (7 August 1886). "Ploughing Matches: The Bung Bong Match". [[The Argus (Melbourne).
8. (3 May 2017). "Faces of CFA: Ken Calder".
9. (20 December 1880). "A disastrous bush fire".
10. (1 January 1881). "News scraps". Kyneton Guardian.
11. (3 October 2016). "Generous donation for Wareek & Bung Bong Fire Brigade".
12. (22 August 2014). "Harness Racing, Wayville (S.A) 01/03/1969 Inter-Dominion Grand Final (Richmond Lass-K.Brook)".
13. (11 June 2016). "Can Girl match the feats of Lass?". Harness News.
14. (2 December 1937). "Mystic Peak Reef". [[The Argus (Melbourne).
15. (3 May 2018). "ECR Minerals completes Bung Bong gold drilling". Proactive Investors.
16. (2013). "Murray Basin Rail Project". Public Transport Victoria.
17. Hunt, Peter. (26 May 2017). "Rail freight Victoria: Works to cause more delays for grain". The Weekly Times.
18. "Murray Basin rail project".
19. Steed, Lachy. (14 July 2017). "Relief at decision to keep key road open". Maryborough Advertiser.
20. (30 January 2018). "Ararat rail freight is back after 13 years sitting idle". The Courier.
21. "Bung Bong Primary School". Public Records Office Victoria.
22. (20 March 1914). "Bung Bong People's Liberal Party". Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser.
23. "Moore's Flat Primary School". Public Record Office.
24. (29 June 1914). "Moore's Flat Primary School". Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser.
25. (February 1995). "Avoca Heritage Study: 1864 - 1994, Volume 3". [[Shire of Pyrenees.
26. (May 2005). "Flora". Data From: Atlas of Victorian Wildlife, Biodiversity and Natural Resources.
27. (May 2005). "Fauna". Data From: Atlas of Victorian Wildlife, Biodiversity and Natural Resources.
28. (2017). "Bung Bong Nature Conservation Reserve". Parks Victoria.
29. (13 November 2014). "Bung Bong Nature Conservation Reserve., Victoria, AU". Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
30. (February 2009). "Wareek Bung Bong Cemetery".
31. (2006). "Bung Bong & Wareek Cemetery".
32. (25 November 1870). "The opening of the "On to Victory (138)" tent of I. O. R.". The Avoca Mail.
33. Stout, Robert. "Victorian Tent Register". New Zealand Electronic text collection.
34. (16 August 1878). "The Bung Bong Farmers Club". Avoca Mail.
35. (30 July 2018). "Bung Bong Anglican Church - Former". Churches Australia.
36. "Bung Bong Rest Area". Caravan on Tour.
37. "Bung Bong District roll of honour". Monument Australia.