A timeline mapping the history of Lake Colac has been created as an initiative of the Lake Colac Coordinating Committee and will show key historical milestones, significant events and celebrations, lake level and other environmental information, as well as a record of how the lake and the immediate surroundings have been used by humans through history.
The timeline includes mention of fish stocks introduced in the 1800s, the lake’s use to transport bluestone on a locally-built barge, a successful Colac community petition for a portion of foreshore land to be reserved for botanical and recreation purposes, as well as the introduction of the small steamer Mary Ann for pleasure cruising across the lake, the Botanic Gardens Monkey Cage, and many other interesting historical happenings on Victoria’s largest freshwater lake.
Sources of the content are acknowledged throughout the timeline, with the main resource collections drawn upon in the development of the timeline being the Colac & District Historical Society; State Library of Victoria; For the Pleasure of the People: A history of 150 years of the Colac Botanic Gardens by Helen Paatsch; John Martin (private collection); and film footage recorded and created by Brian Newcombe (private collection).
