Removal of island in the Snowy River at Orbost

In 1916 Carlo devoted some of his time to the Snowy River, specifically the removal of an island at Watt's gulch, near Orbost, which was impeding water flow and thus increasing the risk of  flooding on the surrounding river flats.  As reported - 
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)

Two week later in March an updated report was published - Arrangements are being made to proceed with the work of removing the island in the Snowy River, about a mile below the bridge. Mr Clark, engineer of the Public Works Department, end Mr Herman, foreman of works who arrived in Orbost a few days ago, have made an inspection of the island in company with Mr Archibald shire engineer, and several councillors. The work, which is to be carried out under the supervision of the shire engineer, and involves the construction of two small bridges, is to be got under weigh without further delay. (8)

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.

(3) Ettore Checchi - I have written about him here and 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.

Carlo recommends the planting of Willow trees

The use of willow trees to stop erosion and to add beauty to the river banks was well established in Victoria by the 1850s (1)

Willows on the Yarra, 1860.

 Photographer: Charles Nettleton. State Library of Victoria image  H6299. 

The National Library of Australia has this same image dated as 1878.

During the 1890s this practice was promoted by Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, botanist and the director of the Melbourne Botanical Garden; the Department of Agriculture; William Davidson, Inspector General of Public Works, and Carlo Catani. This post looks at some examples of Carlo's recommendation of the use of the willow tree.

Snowy River
This report of the Tambo Shire Council meeting from August 1891 relates to the Snowy River and Baron von Mueller's advice -
From Baron Ferd. von Mueller - Forwarding copy of his work on select plants for industrial culture, with a view to guiding the Council in selecting willows, etc., for the protection of the river banks; also enclosing seeds of American pines. - Received.
From the Department of Agriculture -  That sufficient for 1000 cuttings of the golden basket willow had been forwarded to the Council. - The engineer to distribute same to the best advantage. (2)

Carlo also offered advice to the Tambo Shire in 1891, regarding willows - 

Snowy River bridge - Mr. Catani stated that he would recommend the Department to plant the yellow basket willow along the banks, and also in the drains leading from the flats into the river, and gave some very interesting information as to the important results that had been achieved in Italy by this means. (3)

Sale Canal
In 1896, Mr Davidson gave this advice regarding the Sale Canal (4) - As to the erosion of the banks he suggested the planting of blackberry bushes, which would grow quickly, and would hold the ground together just as well as willows or other plants more difficult to cultivate. (5)

In 1912, Carlo provided advice to the Sale Borough Council - Willow Planting. The chairman of the Parks and Garden Committee (Cr. Walden) reported that at a meeting of the committee it was arranged to engage the willow planting expert (T. Ambrose) recommended by Mr. Catani at £1 per day to plant willows on the banks of the canal and river to prevent erosion. - The report was adopted.
Mr. Ambrose was present and stated he believed he could make a good job of it. He wanted some good thick willows. - To be obtained. (6)

In January 1913 -  The Sale Town Clerk reported verbally the results of interviews he had with various departments when on leave in Melbourne. Mr. Catani was pleased to learn that the willows were succeeding along the canal banks and said the sheet piling work would be attended to before long. (7)

In April 1914 a report from the Sale Council meeting -  From Public Works Department, stating that council could make its own arrangements as to person employed to plant willows on banks of canal. - Received.
As Mr. Catani desired the canal reserve works to be made official, a letter was sent by Mr. Holt in regard to the willow planting. The most favourable time to plant willows is, unfortunately, during the months of of May, June, and July, when the waters in the canal are usually too high for the best results - a seeming contradiction that the council will readily understand. (8)

In January 1926 we learn more of Carlo's willows and the esteem in which he was held -
Recently the Sale Advancement League arranged with the Town Council for provision to be made for tourists of a camping ground on the reserve at the rowing sheds. The league erected open fire places and provided water and sanitary conveniences. At the recent council meeting the Mayor (Cr. T. M. Cullinan) reported that some tourists had been chopping the willow trees that were growing on the river banks in the reserve, which, he said, was a scandalous thing. It was on the suggestion of the late Mr. Catani that the willow trees and couch grass were planted on the river bank to prevent erosion. For sentimental reasons the vandalism was to be deplored for Mr. Catani was the greatest man the Public Works department ever had. It had been demonstrated that erosion of river banks could be combated. He was sorry that anyone could commit such an act of vandalism. The Advancement League undertook to supervise the reserve, and he hoped they would do so. A further inspection made of the locality has revealed the fact that the trees referred to had died months ago through having been too severely cut back at the wrong season of the year. (9)

Avon River
In 1898 - Mr Catani, one of the chief engineers from the Public Work's Department, visited Stratford on the 11th December, and made a thorough inspection with me of the Avon River bridge at Stratford, and the flood damage done to the banks of the river, etc. Mr Catani recommends willow planting, to commence at a point opposite Mr O'Connor's western boundary. (10)

In 1902 - On the recommendation of Mr. Catani, of the Public Works department, 400 cuttings of white willow have been forwarded to the Avon Council by the curator of the Botanical gardens and have been planted, under the supervision of Mr. A. L. Johnson, shire engineer, in the soft banks of the Avon River, near the town in the belief that they will bind the sandy soil together, and so arrest the erosion of the banks, which occurs after every flood. (11)

In 1914 - The steel piling at Stratford was inspected by Mr Catani. He strongly advocates the continuous planting of the white willow (salix alba) and the trial of bags of wire netting filled with heavy stones. A proposal to construct a groyne to support the weak bulge at the north end of the high street piling and divert the stream was made by Mr Catani. (12)

Goulburn River
In 1902 - Tatura - Mr. Catani, of the Public Works department, strongly recommends the planting of white willows along the levee embankment of the Goulburn, as it would protect the banks, and other good results will follow. (13)

Creswick Creek, Clunes
In 1916, from the Clunes Borough Council, the Shire Engineer reported on flood damage to the Creswick Creek - Since your last meeting I proceeded to Melbourne, in accordance with your instructions, chiefly to ascertain if the Public Works department would agree to have the plans, etc., for the creek damage repairs so altered as to allow of substituting concrete for the proposed sheet piling on this side of the creek, and breakwaters of rough rock on the frontage of Victoria Park instead of the sheet piling proposed there. With the kind assistance of your member (Sir A. J. Peacock) I was enable to discuss fully with the Under-Secretary (Mr Drake) and Mr Engineer Catani the necessity for the alteration above mentioned, and found that this was readily agreed to, with the recommendation from Mr Catani that basket willows should be extensively planted along all parts of the banks where erosion is threatening. This, in any case, I meant to urge upon you when the planting season was about to open, as willow roots are admitted to be amongst the very best means of protection in the banks of a watercourse. (14)

Fyans Creek, Halls Gap
In 1916 - In connection with the recent deputation from the Borough of Stawell, Shire of Stawell, and Shire of Ararat to the Minister of Public Works, regarding assistance to repair the damage done to Delly's [Delley's] Bridge, Hall's Gap, by the recent floods, a letter was received by the Shire of Ararat, at its meeting held last week, from the Department of Public Works. The letter was as follows:-"With reference to representations made to the Minister of Public Works by the Hon. J. D. Brown, M.L.C., in regard to the above matter, I am directed to inform you that, as promised, the chief Engineer of Public Works made an inspection on 28th ult. in company with councillors of the riding, the shire and borough of Stawell, and their own engineer and borough overseer. Mr. Catani has now furnished a report in connection with his inspection, and suggests that the following works be carried out......5. The west bank on both sides of the bridge 5 chains north and 10 chains south of new abutment to be planted with osier willows on the water's edge, and 10ft. to 15ft. into the river bed, and white willows immediately behind, so as to protect the bank from erosion. The new plantation to be protected in its turn at intervals with dry stone, fascine and stone walls, and with wire netting to guard the new plantation from rabbits. (15)

Delley's Bridge over Fyans Creek, Halls Gap

Photographer: Rose Stereograph Co. State Library of Victoria image H32492/6669

Yarra River

In 1917 - The Governor General, as is well known is an enthusiast and authority in tree planting, and walking is his favourite exercise. One of his favourite walks is along the Alexandra avenue over the Anderson street bridge and along the north side of the Yarra to to Burnley. The barrenness of the river banks does not please him, and he has expressed himself as very desirous that the tree planting should be pushed on. It was with this motive that Mr. J. M. Reed (secretary for Lands) and Mr. C. Catani (formerly chief engineer for the Public Works department) met representatives of the Richmond City Council on Wednesday on the Yarra bank at Punt road. It was agreed a beginning should be made by planting trees as far as the South Yarra railway bridge). The Richmond representatives promised to bring the matter before their council at the next meeting so that the planting can be expedited, and it is hoped that a beginning will be made within a week or two. Under the scheme consideration is given to the utility as well as to the appearance of the trees to be planted and it is anticipated that their variegated colours will form a pretty effect. The trees will be eucalyptus botryoides (Gippsland mahogany) which though it does not grow to a great height has large leaves, and is a fine shady tree; Salix vitellina (yellow willow) and Salix purpuria (purple willow) which get a good grip on the ground, and save the bank from erosion; Populus monilifera aurea (golden poplar), and Populus bollana (silver poplar). (16)

Trove List - I have created a short list of articles on Carlo Catani and his promotion of the Willow tree, access it here.

Footnotes
(1) The Argus, January 12, 1859, see here;  The Argus, January 26, 1859, see here.
(2) Snowy River Mail, August 22, 1891, see here.
(3) Snowy River Mail, August 1, 1891, see here.
(4) Sale Canal - I have written about this here   https://carlocatani.blogspot.com/2019/01/carlo-and-sale-canal.html
(5) Gippsland Times, January 13, 1896, see here.
(6) Gippsland Times, May 9, 1912, see here.
(7) Gippsland Times, January 23, 1913, see here.
(8) Gippsland Mercury, April 10, 1914, see here.
(9) Bairnsdale Advertiser, January 29, 1926,  see here.
(10) Gippsland Times, January 13, 1898, see here.

(11) The Argus, September 9, 1902, see here.
(12) Stratford Sentinel, November 6, 1914, see here.
(13) The Age, September 13, 1902, see here.
(14) Clunes Guardian & Gazette, February 18, 1916, see here.
(15) Stawell News, December 13, 1916, see here.
(16) The Argus, July 27, 1917, see here.