Mirboo Road, Foster, c. 1910.
This gives you some idea of the massive amount of work that was required to construct this road.
Museums Victoria https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/770364
There is an informative account of what happened the day after negotiations with Mr Primrose were completed from the Morwell Advertiser of August 3, 1900 -
The next day, Mr. Catani accompanied by Mr. Smith, engineer, and Mr. Morris, works overseer, brought a gang of about 30, men from Melbourne with him. On arrival at Morwell they were met by the shire president and shire engineer, who accompanied the party to Boolarra by the mid-day train.
At Boolarra there was quite a crowd of residents waiting to receive the party. The place where a start was to be made is about two miles south of Boolarra on what is known as the East Mirboo Road, on the deviation through Mr. Primrose's block. Mr. Catani was anxious that the men should get out at once and pitch camp. Arrangements were made with Mr. Cummings to take out the tents, swags, tools, etc., which settled a difficult matter, for the road is in such a dreadful state that it requires a good staunch horse to take an empty dray. Mr. Cummings, however, has an excellent team of horses, and delivered his load at the camping ground before sunset.
The next trouble was to secure horses to convey the party out, for Mr. Catani was anxious to inspect the road himself for some miles out. The Boolarra people, however, soon came to the rescue, and owing to the kindness of Messrs. ScanIon, Latter, Christian Jones and others, every man of the party was supplied with a good horse. Cr. O'Grady, Messrs. Scanlon and Jones also joined the party at Boolarra. The starting point at Primrose's was carefully examined by Mr. Catani who gave the engineer, Mr. Smith, instructions regarding the manner in which certain work was to be carried out.
The road was followed and carefully examined as far as Mr. Miles Mayall's, when owing to the lateness of the hour it was resolved to return. Two or three places were considered good camping ground but it was eventually decided to make the first camp close to Mr. Vinall's. Metal was met with along the road and Mr. Catani said that if sufficient could be obtained the road would be metalled the whole distance.
In speaking to the men Mr. Catani said they would be on piecework, on the batty-gang system, and it was expected that an average man doing an honest day's work, of eight hours, would make 6/6 a day. If men were good axemen they would be put on clearing, if better at forming they would be put on to it, and so on. Where the timber was large he recommended that the men work in gangs of four or six. They would be supplied with jacks and all necessary tools. In connection with local men being put on, he said that as soon as their names were registered they could go to work. It was his intention to put on a gang of 100 men, and if there were not sufficient men the balance would be sent from Melbourne. A start was made on Wednesday morning and good progress has been made.
Men were also employed to work on the road from the Foster end and the Weekly Times of August 4, 1900 said that the camp is situated about three miles from Foster, on the Deep Creek, and it is quite an interesting spot just now, giving one the idea of a digging rush. The report also spoke of the advantages of the road to the settlers and the Shire - it opened up land for selection, it provided access for existing settlers and, importantly for a farming area, it provided better access for their produce - the road which is destined to open up one of the finest tracts of country in South Gippsland, besides finding an outlet for a large number of settlers, who have for years been hemmed in....[the road lead into] the 50,000 acres of rich agricultural land in the Mt. Fatigue* country still unselected. ....Dairying is beginning to show signs of reviving after the winter, but it is rather early yet to speak of the prospects. The output should be considerably increased this season, especially as these new roads are giving an outlet for cream carts, instead of pack horses. (Weekly Times August 4, 1900)
By January 1902, The Morwell Advertiser reported that the road was nearing completion, Carlo visited the area to inspect the work - Mr Catani traversed the two lines of road, and expressed himself well pleased with the care and judgement exercised in selecting the easiest grades and carrying out of side-cutting and formation generally, which are in charge of Messrs Kelly, Bouchier and Morrissey. (Morwell Advertiser, January 24, 1902)
In May 1903, Carlo was back in the area, inspecting the road again The Inspector-General of Public Works, Mr. Davidson, and Mr. Catani, Engineer in Chief, returned to Foster on Wednesday evening after a trip over the road from Foster to the junction of the Toora road, and thence via Mount Fatigue to Toora. The object of their visit was to inspect the roads after the heavy traffic of bullock waggons engaged at paling carting. Both gentlemen expressed strong opinions on the damage which the roads have sustained, and consider that stringent measures should be used to prohibit carting during the winter season. (The Age May 11, 1903) As you can see, the conditions of rural roads not being suitable for the traffic that is required to traverse them, was an issue then and is still an issue, so not much has changed in the past 116 years.
Boolarra Road, Foster, c. 1945 - 1954. Victorian Railways photographer.
The negative of opening up land for selection, which this road did, was the subsequent land clearing, obvious in the photo.
State Library of Victoria Image H91.50/1021
that the Ministry had determined to abolish the day labour system in connection with the South Gippsland roads near Mount Fatigue. If it were not such a serious matter for the taxpayer, this decision on the part of the Government would be laughable Departmental reports show clearly that it is a mere shutting of the door after the horse has fled. Two sums of £15,000 each have been almost expended in the making of roads in the "Green Area" and the Mount Fatigue country in South Gippsland. The small sum of about £1,500 only remains available out of those two votes. That a large amount of the money already expended has been absolutely wasted is now beyond dispute.
Mr. Catani writing on the same subject, remarks - "The cost per mile has been on on average £850, or about 50 percent more than contract price. The explanation of this is that most of the men are unfit for this heavy work, many of them being old men, earning as low as 4/- per day. The lowering of the earnings in one case renders possible the raising of the earnings of the good men to 10/ and 11/ per day (if the average of 7/ is to be maintained), with the result that the best men do not exert themselves as they ought for fear of showing too big a return. It is a fact ascertained on all public works that the retention of a number of inferior workmen lowers the standard of the rest."
"Another had effect or the present system is that what are known as the local unemployed (who, by the way are the best men we have) are not in reality unemployed at all, but farmers and selectors in the district, who prefer to earn 50/ per week under the Government than 30/- on their own farms."
It was on the strong recommendation of Mr Davidson and Mr. Catani that the Ministry was induced to turn from the wasteful system of day labour as far as the South Gippsland roads are concerned. (The Argus, February 25, 1902)
We will finish this post with an account of the benefits of the road that was published in the Morwell Advertiser on May 30, 1902 - The works on the Boolarra-to-Foster road have been completed, and are already proving a boon to the residents of the district who are now enabled to take good loads to places where it was formerly a difficult task to get an empty dray this time of the year. The road is frequently used by persons travelling to and from Foster, and it is quite a pleasant ride, and can be done comfortably in half a day.
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* Mt Fatigue was named by explorer, Count Strzelecki, reflecting the effort it took him and his party to climb to the top. This is from this website http://mtkosciuszko.org.au/ which you can read in both English and Polish, if you have that linguistic skill.
I have created a short list of articles on the Foster to Boolarra Road, mainly connected to Carlo's involvement, on Trove, you can access it here. All the articles referenced here are on the list.
