Leading the meeting with a pleasing number of locals with a presentation on his recent book Rushing To Whroo, 1853 -1880, was former Rushworthite, now a researcher, historian and author, Alan McLean.
After touching on the first gold discovery date at Whroo (not known), and the first published reports (August 1853), the discussion turned to the importance, as everywhere, of water.
Though Whroo was initially called the ‘Wet Diggings’, the shortage of surface water meant that many of the first rushing diggers had to quickly return to the McIvor Diggings, on the flowing creek at what is known today as Heathcote.
Published claims by other historians of Whroo gold-rush numbers as being “up to 50,000 people” and “up to 20,000” were discredited, quite simply because of little water for drinking, washing, cooking, panning and drilling for gold.
Whroo may briefly have had 4000 people at its peak, according to the author’s research.
Mr McLean outlined some of the early sporting events, school picnics and how many dances continued until near daybreak, as it was unsafe to try to ride home on horses or in buggies on dark nights on dangerous bush tracks.
“The poor man on the fiddle played on, and on, and on,” he said.
Participants posed questions about the Whroo cemetery and its recently improved presentation to the visiting public, by displaying information including how illness proved fatal for many young children in particular, and how mining accidents killed many young men, often leaving young families.
Copies of Rushing to Whroo are available for $25. Contact Kyabram sales agent John Todd on 0439 378 902.
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