Pics from the Past | From Shepparton’s rough roads to smooth rides

Shepparton Advertiser, 1896

With all its advantages, Shepparton is not without a few spots on its sun. The weather for a few weeks in midsummer is just a trifle too warm, and there is an absence of rock and gravel that renders road-making difficult and costly. The prevailing surface soil is a rich chocolate loam, with sandy loam and loamy clay subsoil extending down to a depth of scores of feet in many places, and the coarse sand or fine gravel that is brought in for road metal is carted in at a heavy expense.

Shepparton Advertiser, 1897

Several members of the Shepparton Shire Council and town residents attended Cosgrove, at the invitation of Messrs Guyder and Stead, on Wednesday afternoon to witness the stone-breaking operations carried on by that firm as contractors for the supply of metal for the streets of Shepparton. The stone is obtained from the shire council’s quarry and carted a distance of about a mile to the Cosgrove railway station in 4 x 9-inch spalls, where it is put through a Jacques Bros’ patent stone-breaker, worked by means of an eight-horse portable engine. The machine, which is capable of turning out 40 yards of metal per day, does its work in great style. The spalls are fed into a hopper and are quickly reduced to road-metal of 2-inch gauge, which runs through a circular revolving screen and is conveyed by an elevator (worked by the same engine) straight into the railway truck standing on the railway line close by.

The party set out for the quarry and were afforded full demonstration of the power of gelignite in rending the rocks and of the ability of men trained to the work to break spalls from the stubborn masses of stone thrown out at each discharge. Up to the present, about a thousand yards of spalls are ready to be put through, and three metal trucks have been crushed. The stone was of superior quality, and there was no doubt that without the machine, the contractors would not have been able to supply the quantity required in time. Cr Treahy made special reference to Mr Guyder’s knowledge of machinery and trusted that the boon of metal for the roads would not be confined to Shepparton streets but also extend to the roads of the South Riding. The contractor was also complimented upon the manner in which he entertained his guests to “billy tea” in bachelors’ hall.

Shepparton Advertiser, 1897

The Shepparton people have lately giving the working man a good time, as they have expended several thousand in having their streets metalled and brick channels extended. The streets present a peculiar appearance at present, being spread with broken stones that have not yet become set, and woe to any barefooted country hack that is by chance ridden into the town. None but the best shod of horses can tackle the streets yet, but no doubt time will cure the evil.

Shepparton Advertiser, 1924

Wyndham St tarring

With regard to the work which has been effected in Wyndham St, a correspondent writes:— “Could you tell any of the tradespeople in Wyndham St how long the unblinded road is to stay in the state it is at present? Would it not be better to do a section and finish it before going the whole length of the street? Yours, etc — Sore Feet.” (On inquiry in authoritative quarters, we learn that the work of tarring the thoroughfare will begin as soon as the requisite apparatus arrives from Melbourne, and it is expected to come to hand any day.)

High St Repairs

The property holders and residents along High St, Shepparton, are rejoicing in the fact that, at last, the long-looked-for renovation of the thoroughfare has been commenced. The road has been in anything but good order for a very long time, and in periods of wet weather, a good deal of difficulty has been experienced in crossing from one footpath to the other without wading in water varying in depth. If the work carried out proves to be of the same permanent nature as has been effected in Fryers and Wyndham St, the improvement in the thoroughfare a couple of months hence should be particularly striking and will be appreciated by motorists and drivers of other conveyances.

Shepparton Advertiser, 1936

To the editor,

Sir — I would like to draw the attention of the engineer of the Borough Council to the awkward condition of the Wyndham St road north from Nixon St. I had occasion to leave the main formation to pass a car on the east side when my car skidded broadside on and finished up hopelessly bogged. I had seen the muddy surface of the road but had no idea it was such a morass. If the wet weather continues, I would suggest that something should be done. — Yours etc. ‘Once Bitten’.

Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin. Please share your Pics from the Past at pastpics@mmg.com.au