On Sunday 11th January 2004 Tom Pate, Robert and Suzanna and myself had a field trip in the Wesburn, Powelltown area where our Britannia Creek sawmill is set. Here are some photos of the day.

A couple of photos of a recently abandoned mill.

This mill is very similar to Tom’s mill.

Tom worked with the Forestry Commission in and around the Powelltown Mill area during the 1940’s pushing roads into the district. Tom met Ivie at the Gildaroy Saturday evening dance after the war. They married in 1948 and Tom build the family home out of timber from the Warburton Mill. Tom also build his in-laws house, just up hill in Reid Street, which became known locally as Pate Town as so many of the Pate’s lived in the street.

Tom, Fred, Bill and Arthur Pate build the Britannia Creek Road mill in 1947. Fred left after a year or two. The mill produced mainly 5’ and 6’ palings from logs gathers by the brothers, paying a royalty to owners of the land. The requirement for timber was strong during the long boom of the Menzies era until Sir Robert’s severe credit squeeze in 1960 rapidly dried up all orders for timber. The mill basically stopped production overnight. Tom joined Fred at Rickettson’s (head of the Melbourne Stock Exchange) farm until moving to Melbourne

Remains of the tram track, which is now a walking track. Some rail was found rusting away in the soil.

A ‘baby’ mountain ash.

There are many ferns in the undergrowth

Remains of a winch

Local countryside