Bushy Park: History of the Angus McMillan Memorial

A Historic Landmark in Bushy Park

If you choose a destination based on a specific historic site, the Angus McMillan Memorial offers a clearly identifiable landmark in Bushy Park. Directly opposite are the ruins of Angus McMillan’s homestead, dating from the 1840s. This juxtaposition links a later memorial with the structural remains of an earlier homestead, giving Bushy Park a clearly identifiable historical focus.

McMillan’s Early Years on the Avon River

In Bushy Park, McMillan first built a hut on the banks of the Avon River. He then built a station residence, where he lived until 1861. The year 1861 marks the end of this period of residence. The history of the place therefore extends beyond the later memorial to McMillan’s earlier buildings and his life in Bushy Park.

Construction and Unveiling

The large cairn of the Angus McMillan Memorial was erected in 1927 in McMillan’s honour. In April of that year, Lord Somers, the Governor of Victoria, unveiled the memorial. The construction of the cairn and its unveiling were two separate steps in commemorating McMillan; the tribute came long after his period of residence, which lasted until 1861.

Putting the Dates in Context

The dates refer to different parts of the place’s history: the homestead ruins date from the 1840s, McMillan’s period of residence in the station residence ended in 1861, and the memorial was erected in 1927. This comparison distinguishes the older structural remains, the period of personal residence, and the later commemoration. It helps set the monument apart as a memorial from the earlier history of residence and the homestead.

Trees at the Memorial

In 2015, four Pencil Pines, also known as Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens stricta), stood in front of the memorial; three of the four trees were mature. The Pencil Pines are dated to around the 1930s. This places the approximate date of the trees after the memorial was built in 1927.

Finding Your Way Around

The monument is located at the intersection of Bushy Park-Valencia Creek Road and Briagolong-Maffra Road, within the road reserve of Maffra-Briagolong Road. This road crosses the Avon River in Bushy Park. For orientation, these are two different relationships: the intersection identifies the memorial’s location, while the river crossing indicates the route of Maffra-Briagolong Road through the town. This makes it possible to understand the monument’s specific location separately from the road’s relationship to the river.

Bushy Park as a Destination

When looking for hotels for a trip to Bushy Park, you can take its historical focus into account when choosing your destination. The memorial represents the later commemoration; the homestead ruins are opposite, and the history of the hut and station residence adds McMillan’s earlier life in the area to this context. If you prefer a destination with a clear historical focus, Bushy Park can be placed in context through this local history.

Discover more destinations: Hamilton, Avenel, Maiden Gully, Anglers Rest, Trawool, Swan Reach, Fitzroy, Balnarring Beach

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.