Tornado destroys Bungaree Mechanics' Institute

On June 19, 1927 Bungaree was hit by a tornado and many buildings were destroyed including the Mechanics’ Institute, however the  piano in that building survived unscathed. The Mechanics' Institute had opened in April 1894, and there is a history of the building at the bottom of this post. 

The Bungaree Mechanics' Institute, you can see the intact  piano.

Sydney Sun, June 21, 1927 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223618576

The Tornado of 1927

The Argus, of June 20, 1927 (see here) had the following report on the Tornado - 

Tornado at Bungaree. Many buildings wrecked. Mechanics’ Hall blown down. 

House Lifted and Turned Round.

Ballarat, Sunday - Although it has fortunately not accompanied by loss of life, a tornado caused tremendous  damage when it passed through the Bungaree district at 4 o'clock this afternoon. The Mechanics' Hall was blown to the ground, the Morning Star Hotel was partially wrecked, Tinney Bros chaff mills were ruined and the blacksmith's shop of Mr W. Chisholm has completely shattered. A remarkable instance of the force of the cyclone was  provided by the shifting of the home of Mr and Mrs E. Bennett's on the Millbrook road. The building was lifted from its foundations and the house changed from its eastern aspect to face in a southerly direction. Mr and Mrs. Bennett were in the house at the time, and its rockings gave them a terrifying time. The duration of the wind was just under two minutes but it blew with terrible intensity and caused wreckage in its path. It was followed by a heavy hail storm and rain.

Havoc Among Timber
According to Mr W Hamilton, curator of the Black Swamp reserve of the Ballarat Water Commission the cyclone came from beyond Pootilla through the forest, uprooting trees and causing havoc among the timber. The path of destruction was about 200 to 300 yards wide, but owing to it traversing a sparsely populated area damage was not so great as might otherwise have been recorded. The wind just missed Mr Hamilton's house, but the stables and other outbuildings were reduced to fragments. Huge trees was uprooted, and large branches scattered about the roadway, while telegraph and telephone wires were also destroyed.

Struck by Flying Iron
The only injury reported was that of Mr Martin Moran a resident of Clarke's Hill, who was a visiting Mr Hanrahan's place on the Millbrook road and was was struck be a flying sheet of iron from one of the ruined outbuildings of Mr Hanrahan's farm. Mr Moran's injuries were only of a minor character. 
A remarkable experience was that of four potato-diggers living in a hut situated in the yard of the Morning Star Hotel. The hut was completely demolished, but none of the four men were hurt. A huge uprooted tree near the hotel spoke eloquently of the violence of the storm. The Bungaree police station, occupied by Constable Pattinson, was just on the fringe of the disturbance. The garage and fencing suffered severely, but the house was not touched. Many narrow escapes from being struck by flying pieces of iron and branches of trees were reported to the constable.

No of estimate can yet be formed of the value of the destroyed property. Many exaggerated reports concerning the blocking of the road and consequent danger to traffic by falling trees were current 
this evening, but investigation showed that no serious obstacles to traffic occurred in this way.

Damage at Sulky
The storm appeared to have travelled from the north-west, and can be traced back a dozen miles to Sulky, a township situated about six miles from Ballarat, in a northerly direction. It was the scene of a similar visitation a quarter of a century ago, when many houses were wrecked. 

A graphic description of the Sulky phase of the cyclone was given by Mr. Eric Thomas of Mair street, Ballarat, who was an eye-witness. He saw the storm coming up from a valley situated near the racecourse at Dowling Forest. It appeared to him to cut a track of 200 yards, and upended huge trees and stripped the bark off saplings in its track. 

It raced up the railway line near the Waubra Junction signal box, just missing the large building by a few yards, its full force striking the gatehouse on the Waubra line where it crosses the Creswick road, and completely wrecked it. One huge tree was uprooted and deposited 150 yards away on the Creswick road. A heavy tank attached to the smashed gatehouse was carried away by the gale and wrapped round a telegraph pole. Pieces of galvanised iron were summarily twisted round the trunks as if they were paper. The roof of the gatehouse was lifted and carried many yards away. Some distance north of this was a cottage which was entirely wrecked and all the outbuildings demolished. Considerable damage was done along the railway line, and the ground signal lines were all destroyed. Mr. Thomas added that the storm seemed to cross the railway line, and the Ballarat to Creswick road, and cut a clean path through the forest country in the direction of Bungaree, leaving stumps and levelled times in its track.  The cyclone was brief in its duration, lasting about a minute.

When he reached Ballarat, Mr. Thomas telephoned details of the occurrence to Mr Maddern (Ballarat district railway traffic superintendent ) and he sent a gang of men out to Waubra Junction to clear up the line. (1)

The Age of June 20, 1927 also published an account of the Tornado, you can read it here.

The Herald of June 20, 1927 had the following photographs under the headline - Special Pictures tell story of Bungaree Tornado.

Caption - A series of photographs taken today showing the havoc wrought by the tornado which swept the township of Bungaree, near Ballarat, yesterday afternoon. (1): The ruins of the Mechanics' Institute in the main street. (2): Tinney Bros. hay and corn store. (3): Mr. Bennett's home, which, was literally picked up and dropped a distance of 30 feet the original site is seen on the right. (4): The Morning Star Hotel, partially wrecked. (5): Mr and. Mrs Maher and their two children. They escaped death when their roof fell on top of them.

The Herald of June 20, 1927, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243963755

The Sun News-Pictorial of June 21, 1927 showed the ruined Mechanics' Institute of its front cover - All That Was Left By The Raging Tornado.

Caption: Ruins of the Mechanics' Institute, in the track of the Tornado at Bungaree, near Ballarat. The Institute was one of the most pretentious buildings in the village. When Sunday’s storm had passed, it was a mass of twisted girders, smashed planks and corrugated iron. The piano in the hall was one of the few fittings that faced the music, and remained intact. Buildings were flattened, roofs torn off, huts carried away, and trees uprooted along a storm trail 100 yards wide.

Sun News-Pictorial, June 21, 1927 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article274869471

The Weekly Times of June 25, 1927, published a full page of photographs, under the headline - Damage Caused By a Tornado At Bungaree On Sunday Afternoon.

Caption - 1. Chisholm's blacksmith flattened out. 2. Messrs. W. and Stan Forbes, of Morning Star Hotel, which was partially wrecked. 3. Tinney's hay and corn store 4. Mr and Mrs. Maher. whose home was wrecked. 5. Damage to roof of Mr. Maher s house. 6. Mr Bennett's house lifted and deposited 30 feet from the original site and twisted round. 7. 100 bags of potatoes and roofing iron were strewn about the farm of Mr. M. Hanrahan. 8. Forbes's Morning Star Hotel in Main-street. 9. Remains of Mechanics' Institute (the piano in the hall was undamaged)

Weekly Times, June 25, 1927 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222616423

Bungaree Mechanics' Institute, erected 1894

The Bungaree Mechanics' Institute was opened on April 11, 1894. It was designed by Mr William Brazenor, Architect of Lydiard Street, Ballarat. The building tender, advertised in January 1894 was awarded to the firm,  Quayle and Williams, Ballarat contractors. (2)

Tender for the erection of the Bungaree Mechanics'Institute

The Ballarat Star, January 25, 1894 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209803520

The Architect, William Brazenor was born in 1832 in Shropshire in England and came to Victoria in 1857 and a few years later arrived in Ballarat, where he designed many buildings, the Ballarat cattle and sheep yards and the railway trucking yards. He was a member of the  Ballarat Coursing Club (greyhounds) and the  Ballarat Hunt Club. He died in September 1916. (3)

As you can see in the advertisement Bungaree was called Bungaree Junction, the original name of the railway station which opened in 1879 and gave it's name to the town which developed around the Station. The Station was renamed Bungaree in 1890. (4)

Advertisement for the opening of the Bungaree Mechanics' Institute

Ballarat Star, April 9 1894 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206498821 

The Ballarat Courier of April 12, 1894 (see here) published a full report of the opening - 

Mechanics' Institute and Free Library, Bungaree Junction. Opening Ceremony. 

By Our Own Reporter.

Bungaree and its junction were en fete yesterday and last night. The occasion being the opening of the Mechanics' Institute and Free Library. In honor of the event a ball, which was carried out on a lavish scale, took place in the evening. It must be borne in mind that although the opening ceremony assumed the form of a ball, the committee did not lose sight of the fact that the institute was built for educational advantages.

It had long been the aim of the inhabitants of Bungaree to have a Mechanics' and Free Library erected in the district for the public, but the difficulty of collecting sufficient funds to supply the requirements of the district confronted those who mooted the question. It will be in the recollection of our readers that some two years ago the inhabitants of Bungaree tendered a banquet to Mr E. Murphy, M.L.A., the member for the district, and it was such an unqualified success that after paying all expenses in connection therewith, there remained a surplus of £20 in the hands of the banquet committee. Mr Murphy, with his usual go-aheadism in the interest of the district, incidentally mentioned to the committee, whilst expressing his high gratification at the great success of the banquet, that the surplus money would form a nucleus to a fund to be raised for the erection of a Mechanics' and Free Libray. Mr Murphy promised to lend every assistance that lay in his power, with the view of furthering the movement, and e also promised to supplement the amount already in hand by a substantial donation. Mr Murphy also waited upon the Treasurer for a grant-in-aid of the library, and although an amount has not yet been placed on the estimates, Mr Murphy has received an assurance that the request will be favorably entertained. 

The committee who supervised the banquet, subsequently considered the proposal, and it was decided to hold a public meeting to determine whether the erection of a suitable hall would meet with the general approbation of the inhabitants. The meeting unanimously resolved that such a hall as that mentioned by the committee was highly desirable, and it was left to an influential committee to take the initiatory steps to report progress.

A second public meeting was held, and the question then assumed, so to speak concrete form. The Rev. Father Cleary, and Messrs A. Wade, A.J. Forbes, and J. Hogan were elected trustees: Messrs H. Acton, T. Hanrahan, and P. O' Day, committee; Mr J. Horne, treasurer: and Mr J. Gibson, secretary. The district was cut up into sub-districts and canvassers were appointed to collect subscriptions, the result of their efforts being that about £100 was collected. Several sites were selected on which the building should be erected, but the committee after much consideration, chose the piece of land owned by Mr Lindsall, situated on the north side of the main road and next to the Hibernian Hall, which was purchased for the sum of £25. Tenders were called for the erection of the hall, the work being left in the hands of Mr Brazenor, architect, Lydiard street. 

The building, which is almost completed, there being a few coats of paint to put on it, is a handsome structure, and is a credit to the district. It is 70 feet long by 28 feet wide, and the walls are 14 feet. The entrance to the main hall, which is 50 feet by 27 feet, is by a well-appointed porch. The building is of elyptical design; the roof consisting of galvanised iron, which is supported by iron girders. The building is well ventilated by a ridge in the roof - running the whole length of the building - and at the basement. The platform is commodious, and is semi-circular in design. Much attention has paid to lighting the hall; there being four windows on each side, whilst the front portion above the porch consists of glass. At the rear of the main hall on the east side is the ladies' retiring, reading rooms, and lavatory, and on the west side the gentlemen's retiring and reading rooms. Altogether, the organisers of the movement may well be proud of the hall.

On the opening of the hall last night, there was a brilliant assemblage; the hall being crowded to excess. Amongst those present were a large number of visitors from Ballarat, and Fathers Cleary and Foley. The main hall was gaily decorated with flags. After the first set of quadrillies had been gone through, Mr A. J. Forbes, in the absence of Mr S. Murphy, M.L.A., who was unavoidably detained for some hours at a wedding at Gordons, formally declared the institute open. He expressed the hope that the ball would prove highly enjoyable, and that the institute would prove of incalculable benefit to the young and old residents of the district. The committee were anxious that the hall should be opened free of debt, but unfortunately this was not the case. The trustees, however, had entered into a personal security for the amount owing on it, and they were thankful for the interest manifested by them. Three cheers were then given, and dancing was resumed and kept up till an early hour this morning. 

Mr C. Mc'Intyre, of Bridge street, catered for the requirements of those present, and he gave entire

satisfaction. Mr J. C. Fraser, Ballarat, fulfilled the duties of M.C., and the music was supplied by Messrs Millar (piano), Scarse (cornet), and Gude (violin). Mr Murphy subsequently attended the gathering, and received an ovation from those present. The secretarial duties were ably carried out by Mr J. Gibson, who was assisted by Mr H. Acton. Excellent service was also rendered by Mr J. Horne, treasurer, to whom much praise is due. The thanks of the committee are due the Revs. Father Cleary and Foley, Mr E. Murphy, M.L.A., and Messrs A.J. Forbes, Hogan, Wade, and Coghlan for the great interest they evinced in the matter. (5)   

The new Bungaree Mechanics' Institute, erected 1928

The replacement Mechanics' Institute was opened just over a year after the  tornado on September 4, 1928. The Sun News-Pictorial of September 5, had a short report (with one error, the cyclone was only the previous year, not two years previous.)  Lady Peacock, who had the honour of opening the hall, was the wife of Sir Alex Peacock, the Speaker of the Parliament and previously the Premier of Victoria.  

Bungaree New Hall Opened

Ballarat , Tuesday. -  The new public hall at Bungaree, erected to replace the building which was destroyed by a cyclone two years ago, was opened today by Lady Peacock. She was presented with a silver key to the building by Mrs. W. Burke, president of the ladies' committee. An official luncheon was presided over by the president of the Bungaree Shire (Cr. G. Davies). The hall cost £1500, of which £500 was contributed by the Government. (6)

The Bungaree Mechanics' Institute

Image: https://www.moorabool.vic.gov.au/Services-and-support/Community/Find-a-venue-or-facility/Bungaree-Mechanics-Institute-Hall

Footnotes

(1) The Argus, June 20, 1927, see here

(2) The Ballarat Star, January 25, 1894, see here;  Ballarat Star, April 12, 1894, see here.

(3) Ballarat Courier, September 22, 1916, see here.

(4) Lost and almost forgotten towns of Colonial Victoria: a comprehensive analysis of Census results for Victoria, 1841-1901 by Angus B.Watson (published by the author in 2003); VicSig website   https://vicsig.net/infrastructure/location/Bungaree

(5) Ballarat Courier, April 12, 1894, see here

(6) Sun News-Pictorial, September 5, 1928, see here.

Beulah is hit by a tornado in 1908

On Sunday afternoon, March 8, 1908 Beulah was hit by  a tornado or a cyclone, as some reports called it. The Horsham Times, of March 13, 1908  had the following report (see here)

Tornado.

In the Mallee.  Beulah Devastated. Roofs and Wreckage everywhere. 

Torrential Rain. People Swamped from Ruined Houses.

A most disastrous tornado occurred in Beulah on Sunday afternoon, and in a few minutes the town was a total wreck. About 4.40 p.m. a blinding wall of dust came from the west, accompanied by terrific thunder and a heavy down-pour of rain.

The town was right in the track of the storm, and scarcely a house was left intact. Roofs, limbs of trees, signboards, and all suchlike flew about like paper, and wire was twisted and doubled up in a remarkable fashion. The verandahs of the Commercial Bank and Huntsman's were twisted and smashed, and all the windows broken; and the rooms swamped by the drenching rain.  Franklin's stables were blown down, and great difficulty was experienced in getting the horses out. The front wall of King's brick shop fell on the street, and the front verandah was lifted up and lodged against the railway fence.

The skylights at the post office were broken in, and the place deluged with rain. All telegraph poles are down. May and Millar's foundry is an absolute wreck, and the back wall of Thomas' mill has been battered in by the flying roof of Willoughby's house. Every fence in the place is down. The roof was blown off Chambers' house, and the inmates were swamped out. Chimneys were blown down in all directions. Messrs. Harvey, Patterson, Nelson, and Stewart's houses were severely damaged. Crumpled and twisted iron is lying in all directions, and several narrow escapes occurred from flying iron.

The Agricultural Society's buildings, erected recently at a cost of £150, were all blown down, and only three posts are left to mark the place where they stood. Thomas' saddler's shop was perforated with flying iron and rafters; and Cust's store was badly strained; while Anderson's shop was smashed in. All rooms at the coffee palace are unroofed. A piece of 4-inch by 3-inch timber went through Blytheman's roof and landed alongside a bed where a lady was reclining.

The Record newspaper office was blown clean into the street, and badly damaged. Lang and O'Donnell's foundry walls fell in, and the building collapsed. A piece of this building now sticks through the wall of a house 30 yards away. Mr. McKinnon's house is a heap of debris, and how the inmates escaped is a marvel, as all the furniture lies strewed beneath the debris. Newman's house, next door, is partly demolished.

A gig and trap blown from Smith's factory across the road landed against the railway fence.  

The township now presents a pitiful spectacle. The heavy rain completed the damage by swamping the unroofed houses and driving the inmates out. No idea can be formed of the damage done except by a personal visit. Giant trees were rooted up like matchwood, and in fact desolation reigns everywhere. During the storm 165 points of rain fell.

Reports from the surrounding district indicate that much damage was done along the track of the storm. Haystacks, houses, and farm buildings were blown down. The Methodist Church here has been shifted completely, and now has a dangerous tilt. Vacant parts are strewn with debris of all kinds, and residents are searching for property. The damage at a rough estimate must amount to thousands of pounds. Many people on Sunday night had to seek shelter with their more fortunate neighbours. Portions of the show-yard buildings were carried across the creek, over a quarter of a mile, and landed in the town.

The McKinnon house at Beulah, after the Tornado. 

See below for information on the McKinnons.

State Library of Victoria Image H33437

There was this other interesting report in The Age, March 11, 1908, see here.

Cyclonic Storm at Beulah

The cyclone storm which visited Beulah on Sunday afternoon was preceded by a terrific dust storm. From the west and north west immense clouds of red and black dust came whirling along violently. Vivid flashes of lightning were followed by heavy peals of thunder. When the clouds became visible they wore of a leaden colour and moving rapidly. Then came a great wind storm. Verandahs, roofs, houses, windows and trees were blown down, and sheets of galvanised iron were carried hundreds of yards and twisted into all shapes. The wind was accompanied by very heavy rain, an inch being registered in about half an hour.

The town afterwards presented a wrecked appearance. Messrs. Lang and O'Donnell's foundry and May and Miller's foundry were razed to the ground. The east side of Phillips-street had suffered very much. Many verandahs were ripped to pieces, some of the posts being forced through the windows. Every window facing the west was smashed. The new shed at the show ground was blown to pieces. At the Franklin's hotel the new stables were wrecked. At Thorns' Coffee Palace a number of wooden bedrooms at the rear were unroofed, and the interior flooded. The front of the Beulah " Record " office was torn completely out. At the State school one chimney was blown down, several sheets of iron were off the roof, and all outhouses were levelled to the ground.

The roofs of the Church of England and Presbyterian churches were badly damaged. Many chimneys were blown down. Messrs. M'Kinnon, Newman, Chandler, Willoughby and their families were rendered homeless. Fencing of every description suffered very much. The storm lasted about 30 minutes. The telegraph line was blown down, numbers of the poles being snapped off or torn out of the ground. All telegraphic communication was cut off. The damage done was considerable. There was fortunately only one slight accident. Mr. E. Neuman, a compositor, while seeking shelter, was struck on the head with a branch of a tree. He was rendered unconscious for a few moments.

There was another similar report of the Beulah Tornado in the Hamilton Spectator, March 11 1908, see here.

The McKinnons

The 1909 Electoral Roll lists four McKinnons in Beulah -

James - a horse-breaker

Lachlan Marcus -  a labourer

Maggie - home duties

William J. - a labourer

The Newmans, mentioned in the article as neighbours of the McKinnons are most likely Ernest Henry John Neuman and Sarah Ann Neuman; Ernest's occupation is listed as a printer, so he is the compositer mentioned in the second article who was struck on the head, by a tree branch.