Waterfall at Fernshaw.

Scarce c.19th hand coloured engraving of a waterfall at Fernshaw which was a township on the Watts River.

Fernshaw was settled in the 1860s as the area provided good country for orchards and berry growing. The location was at the foot of Blacks Spur, with Mounts Juliet and Mondah rising on either side, providing spectacular scenery. There were nearby fern gullies giving rise to the name – ‘shaw’ is old English for thicket or wood. By 1875 Fernshaw had a post office (1865), two hotels, a school (1871) and stores. It was famed for its beauty, attracting tourists. In 1886 the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works began work on the Watts River water catchment scheme – later to become Maroondah – and the Board obtained approval for the catchment country to be reserved and kept free of settlement. This required the removal of the Fernshaw township, which was completed by about 1890.

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 12842.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 2266945
State Library New South Wales: Call Numbers:TQ076098
State Library Victoria: SLT 919.4 C27
State Library South Australia: 919.4 C344