Robinson’s No. 1 Mill – 1908 to 1927

In 1908, the Wonwondah Mill was shifted to a new location, on William Pickersgill’s large property, about two km east of central Warburton. It was next to the Rocky Creek. Timber was carried from the Mill to the railhead at La La along an extension from the line originally built to the former Wonwondah Mill. This line was along the river frontage from the Wonwondah Bridge.

 

This new Mill became known as Robinson‘s No. 1 Mill.

 

Logs from the slopes of Mts Victoria, Donna Buang, and the Cement Creek areas were brought down the mountainside on a tramway. This crossed the Mt Donna Buang Rd and  the O’Shannassay Aqueduct over a cement bridge, entering the Pickersgill property, then continued downhill to the Mill works. From there, the sawn logs were carried on a tramway to the La La wide-gauge rail head.

 

This bridge survives go the present – it is about 100 metres east of the entry point to the O’Shannassy Aqueduct Trail, off the Mt Donna Buang Rd.

 

The Pickersgill property is now privately owned – satellite imaging shows the remnants of old foundations marking the Mill area, which is cleared land. The Yarra-Silvan underground pipeline passes east to west under the property, with the route protected by a wide firebreak.