Aireys Inlet History
While many Victorian towns prospered from wealth generated from grazing ventures, this was not the case with Aireys Inlet. Since those early days, farming in the district had declined. Although produce from Loud’s and Lugg’s orchards won prizes at the Geelong Show, these rural enterprises have disappeared. The land around Aireys Inlet taken up for cultivation was soon found to be unsuitable for commercial crops and grazing. JR Hopkins commenced subdividing the Eaglehawk pre-emptive right as early as 1887. The Sunnymead block was split up, and Clarke’s farm at Eastern View sold. Tourism gradually enhanced the area as a popular holiday resort after the construction of the Great Ocean Road.
Early graziers were content to live inland, and used Aireys Inlet only as an out-station. Apart from Angahook, no ‘grand’ homesteads reflecting pastoral status were ever built. Pioneering structures are hard to locate. Over the past 100-plus years these remnants have been systematically destroyed by dreadful bushfires.
The Split Point lighthouse was opened in 1891. It was built by R Anderson & Sons of Richmond. Adjoining cottages were built for the head keeper and his two assistants. These premises became vacant when the manned light station was taken over by the Commonwealth Government, and converted to automatic control in 1919. The flashing light apparatus was changed to electricity in 1972.
The Aireys Inlet school was opened in 1893 in a detached room at Hasty’s boarding house in Bambra Road. A year later Esther Blake constructed the Grand Hotel in Bambra Road in anticipation of tourist traffic arriving from the Wensleydale station. The hotel burnt down in 1898. It was not until the early 1930s that the Anglican Church was constructed.In 1964 a Memorial Cairn was erected over the grave of two pioneers – Thomas and Martha Pearse at a location near the lighthouse. The place is now marked by a cairn with bronze plaque. Thomas, together with Robert McConachy had built Angahook’s Bark Hut located next to the present day Allen Noble sanctuary after the Black Thursday fire of 1851 destroyed the original. The structure stood the test of time and was restored by Barrabool Shire in 1979. It was classified ‘B’ by the National Trust. It was destroyed during Ash Wednesday in 1983 and a replica now stands in its place.
Bark Hut 1856
Lighthouse and adjoining cottages
Pearse Cairn