Melbourne based local historian Ken James has recently completed another of his comprehensive local history offerings this time on Sandon.
The prolific author has now compiled about 60 to 70 history books and says the latest 400 page covid project is made of 19 chapters, 19 appendices, a surname index and lots of colourful local stories and photographs.
Sandon is located 11 kilometres from Newstead on the Creswick–Newstead Road. Ken says the region was originally known as Green Gully.
The book is dedicated to the memory of much loved local resident Maureen Heagney who died in late 2022.
Ken said Maureen was a great help and was passionate about having a history written of Sandon.
“She provided many photographs and much information and checked two drafts for accuracy,” Ken said.
“A special feature of this particular book are nine accounts by current or former residents about their memories of Sandon,” he said.
“Maureen arranged for the writing of seven of them, including one by her husband Maurie which really adds a richness to this offering,” the author said.
Two buildings which would be familiar to those who have passed through Sandon are the still active St Laurence O’Toole Catholic Church and the former Primitive Methodist Church both erected in 1883.
The St Laurence O’Toole Catholic Church is one of the few in Victoria to have a cemetery.
The Primitive Methodist Church started its life in a tent in the 1850s before the establishment of the current building.
In 1902, with the creation of the Methodist Church of Australasia it became the Sandon Methodist Church, functioning up to 1914. The building was purchased by the local community in 1918 and was the Sandon Public Hall up to the 1980s.
Just across the road from the two churches are two former hotels, now private residences.
“Sandon also had three schools – the Green Gully Catholic School (1859–1875), Sandon State School (1875–1968) and Kingsbury Reformatory School (1893–1912) which catered for Wards of the State from Melbourne,” Ken said.
“This school was located on an orchard and boys were given practical training in farm work.”
Local history buffs can snap up a copy of A History of Sandon at the Castlemaine Visitor Centre at the historic Market Building.
