Right beside the Great Alpine Road there is a granite boulder next to the sign, with a plaque and 'the supposed' Geographical Coordinates [about 20 km out!], and
Elevation are recorded.
There is a list of the 'Head Teachers' of the local Tambo Crossing School, from 1892 to 1971 (on the north side). [List below]
On the south side of the 'glass' covered sign is, "A Short History of Tambo Crossing."
"Tambo Crossing's location reflects the need of the earliest explorers and settlers for a safe place to cross the river; the nearby fertile land was a bonus.
"In 1839 Angus McMillan crossed very close to this point, on his journey south to the coast near Port Albert. Some two years later there was an established from Bruthen to Orbost.
"After the explorers there came people seeking land to graze cattle, horses and (later) sheep. Several quite large areas called "runs" became established between here and north of Omeo. The Crossing stood on the "Neoyang" run. In 1856 the run-holder was Charles Tilson; others included P.C. Buckley and the McDougall family.
"In June 1854 Duncan McDougall applied to purchase 160 acres from the run, and soon the McDougall family established the Tambo Inn and store.
"A tragic incident occurred close to the Tambo Inn on the 5 of April, 1861 when Leonard Mason shot A.F.W.C. McDougall during a dispute over impounded cattle. Many people were present including a Constable from the nearby Police compound at "Lock-Up" Creek. Despite medical attention, McDougall died on 23rd of April, 1861. Much controversy followed the trial of Mason and despite being sentenced to 2 years in gaol, he was released after serving around two years.
"The early settlers included families with close ties to the McDougalls, - the McAllisters, the Johnstons and the Sandys.
"The Tambo Inn changed its name to the Sir Walter Scott Hotel in the late 1860s, and was sold to Tom Davidson in 1888. In 190 a new hotel, which kept the name "Sir Walter Scott," was built on the western side of the river. It stood on this very spot, at the edge of the new road between Bruthen and Ensay. The hotel was sold in 1959 to Renouf holdings, but was destroyed by fire on the 8th of September 1961.
"As with the McDougalls, the Davidson family and their relatives bought or selected significant parcels of land on both sides of the river. In the late 1880s, four families arrived from Northern Ireland: John and Hugh Andrews, Robert Wilson, James Somerville and James Clanny. All selected or bought land from earlier settlers.
"During the late nineteenth century, gold mining flourished briefly at Stirling, sixteen kilometres north-west of the Crossing. There was also a small alluvial field at Shady Creek, about ten kilometres to the west.
"Two families that settled after the mining days were the Conns and the Swetnams, both of whom eventually owned freehold land. George Dean and Matthew Nally, having previously lived in other parts of Gippsland also arrived and acquired land. George Dean had been well known throughout East Gippsland as an accomplished bullock-team driver.
"The building that once served as the Tambo Crossing public hall is situated 300 metres to the west along the old coach road. It also functioned as State School No. 3160 until dwindling numbers saw its closure in 1971.
"The Neoyang-McDougall-Tambo Crossing cemetery is located on the other side of the river, less than 500 metres to the south east. This small plot of land has many significant links to the earliest days of Tambo Crossing and East Gippsland."
On the northern side of the sheltered sign are some photos, with an account of "The Collin's Mt. Elizabeth Saw Mill"
"The Collins saw mill was located east of Tambo Crossing, below Mt. Elizabeth, some 20 kilometres distant by road. A walking track from the Crossing through rugged bush was only a fraction of that distance. A telephone line close to the track was a vital life line connecting the mill to the Tambo Crossing Post Office. The Collins family and mill workers made more than the occasional trip the the Sir Walter Scott Hotel."
On that side, there is also a 'table' of the Head Teachers of the Tambo Crossing School. They were:
HEAD TEACHERS
John W. Platt 1.5.1892-30.6.1894
Hannah B. Wilson 1894-1897
Harriet D McDougall (Mrs) 1904-1906
John J. Jefferson 1906
Kathleen Gardner (Mrs T Davidson) 1907
Jessie A Wright 1908
Harriet D McDougall (Mrs) 1908-1910
David E Manson 1910
Mary E Moody (Mrs Harding) 1910-1911
John S Dyson 1911
William L Nankervis 1911-1912
Jess E Patison (Mrs O'Connor) 1912
Kate N Game (Mrs W Davidson) 1912-1915
Elizabeth Hair
Miss Considine 1915-1918
Ethel Waller
Doris E Watson (Mrs Oppy) 1919
Blanch M Shapcott (Mrs Lovitt) 1919-1922
Miss White 1923
John S Shannon 1924-1927
Herman P Bey 1927-1928
George C Scanlon 1928-1929
Thomas W Erskine 1929-1930
Ronald A Lennox 1930
Charles E F Martin 1930-1932
James I Howard 1932
Norah J Hamilton 1942-1945
Beverley Hayward (Mrs Cook) 1945-1946
Phyllis J Bowley (Mrs Angus) 1947
Joan C Taylor (Mrs Jeffrey) 1947-1948
Jessie M Lidgett (Mars Adams) 1948
Brian A Hargreaves 1949-1951
Elizabeth Hair (Mrs Chester) 1951
Pamela Kennedy 1952-1953
Ray W Braggie 1953-1954
Ralph Zeuschner 1954-1956
Philip M Walker 1956-1958
B.J.L. Barley 1958
A.J. Eyles 1958
RE Newman 1960-1961
W A Black 1961-1962
A N Backstrom 1963
F C Heesh 1963-1965
C J Myers 1966
C J Tobin 1967
C G Fischer 1968
Alan Maxwell Bell 1969
Roslyn Mudge 1970-1971
Visited: 0810, Monday, 16 May, 2016