Edenhope
Small country service town
Edenhope is a small country town of 900 people
situated adjacent Lake Wallace and amidst an
undulating landscape which is given over to wool
and grazing. The administrative and business
centre of the West Wimmera shire, it is located
on the Wimmera Highway 30 km from the South
Australian border and 394 km north-west of
Melbourne via Horsham (95 km north-east).
The lake was named after William Wallace who,
in 1843, became the first white man to see it.
The first European settlers were the Hope family
who established the Lake Wallace pastoral
station in 1845. The town's name derives from
the fact that the Hopes were from the River Eden
in Scotland.
A townsite was surveyed and gazetted in 1862.
The first Australian cricketing team, an
all-Aboriginal squad, trained here in 1868 prior
to their departure. Their coach was T.W. Willis
who founded Australian Rules football.
Closer settlement of the area occurred in the
1930s.
On the second weekend in February the
Henley-on-Lake Wallace Regatta is held, in
conjunction with a carnival and street
procession.
Things to see:
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Tourist Information
Edenhope Information Centre, tel: (03) 5585 1509
cnr Elizabeth and Orme St. Tourist information
can be obtained from West Wimmera Shire Council,
tel: (03) 5585 9900.
Lake Wallace
The Wimmera Highway leads through Edenhope. If
the visitor is approaching from the east, the
first side road on the right (Lake St) will take
you around the perimeter of Lake Wallace. When
full it is an ideal spot for boating,
waterskiing, swimming and fly-fishing for redfin
and trout. There is a jetty and several boat
ramps.
Lake Wallace is also a waterbird haven where
black swans nest in spring. There are bird hides
and a scenic walking track around the lake (5
km).
Cairn - Aboriginal Cricket Team
The cairn beside the lake in the grounds of the
high school in Lake St recalls the first
Australian cricket team to tour England in 1868.
This remarkable all-Aboriginal team trained on
the shores of Lake Wallace before departing for
England. It is a commentary on the schedule of
the side that during their tour they played a
total of 57 games winning 14, losing 14 and
drawing 19. When they returned to Australia they
simply went back to the lives they had
previously led. Many returned to their tribal
lifestyle. Their coach was Tom Willis who
founded Australian Rules football. Ironically,
his father had been killed in Queensland in 1861
during a massacre of whites by Aborigines. Tom
Willis had only survived as a broken dray had
prevented him joining up with the main party.
Shops
Edenhope Antiques are located at 162 Elizabeth
St. They are open seven days a week from 10.00
a.m.-5.00 p.m., tel: (03) 5585 1248. There is a
local bird egg collection at Summerhayes
Edenhope Garden Centre which is located at the
corner of the highway and Wannon Ave. Avril Wait
is a local artist who displays and sells her
work at her Art Studio which is open by
appointment. It is best to ring first if you are
thinking of visiting, tel: (03) 5585 1538.
St Gregory's Vineyard
St Gregory's Vineyard is a one-man operation
which is located west of town. Follow the road
to Apsley for about 10 km then turn right into
Grub Lane. A short distance along is a telephone
box at an intersection. Turn left here and the
vineyard is to the immediate right, tel: (03)
5586 5225.
Bailey's Rocks
Bailey's Rocks are a natural formation of giant
green granite boulders 38 km south of town on
the road to Dergholm. First surveyed and set
aside as a reserve in 1875, they are named after
John Bailey who established a 1200-acre sheep
property on a hill above the rocks in 1888.
Families enjoyed picnics here and danced at the
Bailey home. A mining company began quarrying
the granite from the site in 1970 but a local
campaign ended the destruction, though not
before some damage had been done. A short
signposted side-road on the left leads off the
main road to the Rocks. There are picnic
facilities.
Lake Charlegrark
35 km north of Edenhope the road to Kaniva
intersects with the Horsham-Bordertown Rd. Just
by this intersection is Lake Charlegrark where
there are boating and picnicking facilities.
This is a good spot for fishing with Murray cod,
redfin and yabbies to be had. On the rim of the
lake, just south of the intersection, are Lake
Charlegrark Cottages for overnight
accommodation, tel: (03) 5386 6281. The Lake
Charlegrark Country Music Marathon is held every
year on the third weekend in February.
Tom Mulraney's Horses
Lake Charlegrark Cottages can arrange for you to
visit Tom Mulraney who takes pride in showing
people his lovely Clydesdale horses and he also
has a collection of local artefacts. He is just
around the corner from the cottages but you need
to make an appointment in advance so ring before
passing through.
Lake Bringalbert
Water skiing is popular at Lake Bringalbert
although there are no facilities. It is located
along a sealed road, 27 km north-west of
Edenhope.
