This obstruction was started about 1893 and was caused by a snag in a shallow bank. Not much notice was taken until it began to grow so much that people began to realise that it was a menace to the district. Now every landowner on the flats was anxious to get something done. The Public Works Department cut a channel through the island in 1909 in the hope that it would be scoured out by the current. This had not proved a success, for if the current would scour the island out it would not have allowed the island to form in the first place. (1)
Watt's Gulch and Watt's Gulch Bank are circled in red.
Snowy River survey. Surveyed by R.G. Davey, K.R. Culliton, H.C. Sanger ; drawn by J. O'Keefe.
State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, 1941
See the full plan at the State Library of Victoria here https://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/116748
In 1916, the Orbost Shire Council consulted with Carlo and the Public Works Department regarding the removal of the island. This is an edited version a report of the Orbost Shire Council meeting held in September 1916 -
At the council meeting last week letters were received from the Hon. Jas. Cameron and the Public Works Department stating that a battery for explosion purposes had been forwarded for the use of the council and would be available for two months.
Cr. James explained that when in Melbourne a month or so back the matter of dealing with the island at Watt's gulch was referred to. Mr. Cameron had seen Mr. Catani of the Public Works Department, and a proposal made to shift the obstruction by explosion had been discussed. Mr. Catani stated that explosive charges might be placed and connected with a battery by means of which they could be exploded when there was a fresh or flood in the river. He would move that the offer of the battery be accepted and charges put in to be exploded when necessary. Seconded by Cr Nixon.
Cr. C. Johnston moved as an amendment that the council apply to the Public Works Department to send up an expert to give advice before operations were commenced. It had been said that explosives would not work and that dredging would be necessary. It would be wise to start on a smaller project, as the result would not be so disastrous in case of failure. Seconded by Cr. Richardson.
Mr. Nevins, shire engineer, said Mr. Cecchi [sic] of the Water Supply Department had taken readings which showed that the current at the island was considerably more effective than above or below it. The only trouble would be in having to place the explosives and not being able to blow them off for an indefinite time. The explosives would have to be in watertight cases and would deteriorate in two or three months. Powder would have to be used.
Cr. Richardson had a good deal of experience with explosives, and said it would be useless to put them there and leave them only for a week. Powder would have to be used, as dynamite or gelignite would be useless in soft material. (2)
Mr Cecchi of the Water Supply Department was Carlo's compatriot, Ettore Checchi (1853-1943) who like Carlo studied Civil Engineering at the Technical Institute of Florence. They arrived in Melbourne together in 1876 and he was also employed at the Public Works Department; then from 1888 to 1927, Ettore was with the Victorian Water Supply Department, and later with the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission. (3)
In November 1916 it was reported that the Orbost Shire Council had received the following correspondence - Dept. of Public Works, stating that Mr Catani will visit Orbost shortly to give advice relative to the removal of the island in the Snowy River.- Secretary to ask for date of Mr Catani's visit. (4)
I cannot find a report of Carlo's actual visit, however in December 1916, in another Council meeting report there was correspondence from the - Public Works Department, forwarding copy of the Chief Engineer's report regarding the removal of the island in the Snowy River, and stating that the department could not contribute towards the cost of the work. (5)
Nothing appeared to happen for year, perhaps due to the fact that the community was concentrating on the War effort. In January 1918 a meeting of landowners interested in the removal of the island which has formed in the Snowy River at Orbost, was held. Mr H. James, president of the Orbost Shire Council occupied the chair.
Mr Catani, formerly chief engineer of the Public Works Dept, when here a few years ago, was positive that the island could be removed for £300. This was for labor only. A deputation waited on Mr Adamson, then Minister for Public Works, asking that his department should remove the inland, but had met with a refusal. Mr Catani claimed that it was a work that should be done by the property owners of the district. A further application made some time later was also refused. At last meeting of the council, owing to the change of Government, it was decided to interview the new Minister and see if he
would do anything. Mr McWhae at first refused to entertain the proposal, but said he would lend the necessary plant. After a lot of consideration, the Minister made an offer that if the local people provided the amount of Mr Catani's estimate (£300) the Public Works Department would carry out the work. (6)
The result of the meeting was that a committee was formed to raise the necessary funds and by March 1918 the council received correspondence from Public Works Department, stating that the work of removing the island at Watt's Gulch would be proceeded with. (7)
In April it was reported - The plant and timber required for the removal of the island in the Snowy River are now in readiness, and the work will be probably commenced on Monday. The first step will be the erection of one of the two bridges. (9)
As referenced in the above reports, two bridges were erected, I presume over the gulch to allow the removal of the soil of the island which was then used to build up local roads. In August it was reported that -
The removal of the islands in the Snowy River has been completed as well as possible under present conditions, and the road across the gulch has been formed, and loamed, to enable grasses to take root and grow as speedily as possible. (10)
A later report said that the Public Works Department left all the gear for removing the islands, in the Snowy river in my charge, comprising trucks, rails, etc. with the Orbost Shire Engineer. (11) Whether the island was dug out by a small dredge or manually, the soil was dispersed by trucks running along a temporary rail system.
Carlo, who retired in April 1917 and died in July 1918, never got to see the work completed or to pass his professional opinion as to whether his suggested method of using explosives would have been more effective than the method chosen.
Footnotes
(1) Bairnsdale Every Week, January 31, 1918, see here.
(2) Snowy River Mail September 8, 1916, see here.
(4) Snowy River Mail, November 3, 1916, see here.
(5) Snowy River Mail, December 1, 1916, see here.
(6) Bairnsdale Every Week, January 31, 1918, see here; this report was an edited version of the original which appeared in the Snowy River Mail, January 25, 1918, see here.
(7) Snowy River Mail, March 1, 1918, see here.
(8) Snowy River Mail, March 22, 1918, see here.
(9) Snowy River Mail, April 12, 1918, see here. There are progress reports - Snowy River Mail, May 3, 1918, see here; Snowy River Mail, June 7, 1918, see here; and Snowy River Mail, July 5, 1918, see here.
(10) Snowy River Mail, August 2, 1918, see here.
(11) Snowy River Mail, September 6, 1918, see here.
