03/08/2021
Bushranger Frank Gardiner @ Mt Korong, Wedderburn in 1850
Australian Bushrangers of the 19th century seemed to have one thing in common: an understandably strong penchant for stunning panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. Melville’s Caves at Kooyoora State Park is the most famous local example.
Mt Korong, which is visible from the front veranda of May’s Cottage, has its own history with bushrangers. On the 10th of June 1850, Frank Gardiner, Australia’s most famous bushranger until the Kelly Gang donned their armour, began his criminal career in the southern shadows of Mt Korong.
Gardiner’s gang stole a mob of horses from William Lockhart Morton’s Salisbury Plains Run. His goal was to run them down to the settlement of Portland to sell, but he hadn’t anticipated the determination and persistence of the furious Scottish-born Morton. What followed over the next 10 days was one of the great chases of the colony’s early history
Several days after the theft, Morton, with his cook and a well-worn 70 year-old stockman as his posse, set-off in pursuit of Gardiner’s gang. For over 200 meandering miles on horseback, they tracked the bushrangers across the barely-settled country towards Portland. Gardiner, not believing anyone could still be pursuing him, was captured in a surprise early morning arrest at Heywood, just short of his goal, by Morton’s posse and the Hamilton police.
Gardiner was sentenced to 5 years hard labour at Pentridge Stockade, but promptly escaped, fled to NSW, and became, what many believe to be, Australia’s most (if not only) “successful” bushranger in Australian history.
The upper slopes of Mt Korong offer amazing views of the vast plains below. A vantage point, that would have allowed Gardiner a perfect opportunity to “case’’ Morton’s sheep station at his leisure.
From the upper slopes of the mountain, one can see as far as Mt Alexander to the south; where Gardiner had been working on his family’s Campaspe-based property. To the east, one can see the township of Serpentine. In 1850, before the gold rush days, it was the site of the Johnston’s Inn at the end of the bush track from Mt Alexander: Mt Alexander and Mt Korong were key landmarks used by travellers at the time.
According to John Hunter Kerr’s “Glimpses of life in Victoria 1872”, at the Serpentine Inn a traveler had to cross the Loddon River and climb the mountain to reset their bearings before striking out on the trackless interior of the barely-settled north.
It is probable that Gardiner would have done just this, but as well as getting bearings for his planned trip to Portland, the mountain also offered a panoramic view of the illicit opportunities available at Morton’s Station lying to the southeast below ; a prospect that proved too enticing for the 20 year old, future bushranger.
The other character in this episode, William Lockhart Morton, also had an interesting career. At Salisbury Plains, the formally-trained engineer had already invented the sheep-dip and the draughting gate: two indispensable aids to the sheep industry.
In the years following his great chase, and possibly inspired by it, he turned his hand to exploration of the Australian interior. He was one of main organising forces behind the Burke and Wills Exploring Expedition in 1861, albeit a firm critic of placing Burke at the helm.
We no longer need to climb Mt Korong to reset our bearings, but simply to reset our mood and enjoy the views.
