Stories Past

These are a selection of short stories prepared by Lindsey Braden about Anglesea's past. Lindsey Braden is researcher for the Anglesea & District Historical Society.

Anglesea's Shipwrecks

Anglesea's Loveridge Lookout is adjacent to a significant area where the Great Ocean Road first comes alongside the sea. If you look east from this splendid viewpoint the site of two early shipping disasters can be easily seen - namely the Hereford and the Inverlochy. The Iron Clipper 'HEREFORD' was abandoned after striking the eastern reef in 1881...read more

Shipwrecks 'Hereford' & 'Inverlochy' Image Gallery

Paintings of the Inverlochy

Paintings of the Hereford

Anglesea River Swimming 1920s Style

During the Christmas holidays of 1920, it was reported that visitors to Anglesea were loud in their praises of the improvements made to the river swimming facilities. On Boxing Day hundreds of callers were said to have used for the first time the new change sheds, plus a wooden diving tower and platform...read more

Loveridge Lookout - Anglesea's wartime Look-Out

During 1938 Mrs. Bertha Loveridge from Anglesea's "Anglecrest"  financed a scenic lookout  which was erected on the Crown Land reserve, just down the hill from her prominent 2 storey home. This popular viewpoint is still used to this day. Four years later the popular structure took on a new role as Japanese armies came towards Northern Australia...read more

Anglesea Main Street 1967

Anglesea's shops fronted the main road until the old wooden bridge (via Murch Crescent) was replaced during 1968. After this, a direct route (further south) serviced the new crossing over our tidal stream. A shopping centre car park was constructed over the original township thoroughfare...read more

Joy flights from the Camping Ground

Locals and holidaymakers flocked to the Anglesea Camping Ground for a joy flight with ex-wartime pilot Charles Pratt in his biplane constructed from wood, wire and fabric. He finished the day with a minor bingle, ending with the machine nose down in the ti-tree - no one was hurt!..read more

Angahook Cafe & Stores 1929

Reg and Ivy Baldry founded this well-known General Store in 1929. In 1937 they moved to Lome. Employee Marion Francis managed this establishment for them until 1942. She was then given the chance to purchase the business and freehold on land 165ft x 129 ft. and became proprietress of the Angahook store and Cafe...read more

The Bridge Cafe

Up until World War II, the Anglesea River was the main attraction in town. Whether to fish, swim, race boats or meet friends, people travelled from near and far to enjoy its protected waters. In 1920, a number of residents built changing sheds, a wooden diving tower and a swimming platform between the bridge and the Recreation & Sports Club Rowing Shed. The River bank was the social hub of Anglesea...read more

Jack Ringham's main street garage

Jack A. Ringham ran a hire car service and a repair garage in Anglesea's main Street soon after WW2. His fibro-clad house was at the rear of this workplace. At that time the shopping centre car park had not been established, and his property fronted the main highway through the township...read more

Demon's Bluff

A recent enquiry alerted us to the fact that the vibrant name of Demon's Bluff is no longer a part of our local jargon. This was once used to identify the broad cliff headland area between Caravan Park Beach and Point Addis. These majestic perpendicular cliffs rise to an immense height, and at both extremities gradually slope back to sea level. In many places the cliff face is hollowed out by the pounding ocean at high tide...read more

Anglesea Main Beach Bathing Boxes

Bathing boxes were an important part of the Anglesea beach scene from 1900. By 1915 the Department of Lands and Survey decided to raise some income from these popular shelters. From then, a yearly licence fee of seven shillings and sixpence (75c) was payable to the Receiver of Revenue. These timber sheds nestled high on the dunes away from the incoming tide...read more

Scotch on the Rocks - Centenary of the sinking of the 'Inverlochy'

There were 24 people on board when the 3 masted iron barque "Inverlochy" grounded on Anglesea's "Ingoldsby" reef on December 18th 1902. It would seem that bearings were lost as light easterly headwinds forced the vessel to tack along the coast. Also at that time there was an anomaly with the Split Point light. White was used to indicate danger instead of the universally adopted red. In dark conditions the area between Aireys and Pt. Roadknight appears to be mistaken for that of the Pt. Lonsdale region. Suddenly the vessel was too close to shore and the lookout called 'breakers ahead!'...read more

Percy Pratt's powerless flights from the Lookout Reserve

Geelong's indomitable Percy Pratt once brought his wonderful sailplane glider to Anglesea. Back in '39 this sensational soaring machine was transported in sections on a trailer from the Belmont Common drome to Anglesea. It was re-assembled on the Loveridge lookout hill. A moderate south east breeze was blowing. Take off into this was made by tow line from a car. After gaining altitude Percy circled over the hill and cliffs for some five minutes, and eventually made an easy landing on the beach at the river mouth...read more

The Old Tin Shed - The Original Anglesea Golf Course Clubhouse

This shed was the focal point during the early days of the Anglesea Golf Club. It served as a meeting room, refreshment room and 19th hole, until the new clubhouse was officially opened in 1955. A notice on the front door advised that Green Fees were 5/- for the nine holes. Working bees assisted local building contractor and committeeman Les Hedley to construct the building...read more