Wickliffe

History

In 1840 John Dickson Wyselaskie (1818-1883) took up the 'Narrapumelap' pastoral run in the Wickliffe district. In 1843 an Irishman named John Farrell established a public-house, the Hopkins Inn, at a crossing-place on the Hopkins River. The location was known by several names – Ford's Crossing, Hopkins Crossing and Farrell's Inn. By 1850 the settlement on the Hopkins River had been named Wickliffe. The first Presbyterian minister, Rev. John McLachlan, was appointed to the district in 1851. McLachlan lived on 'Narrapumelap' station and ministered at Wickliffe, Hopkins Hill and Dunkeld until 1856. Services were initially conducted in the Hopkins Hotel at Wickliffe. In January 1854 a post-office briefly opened at Wickliffe, but closed later in the year. In March 1856 the Wickliffe post-office was re-opened, serving the township and district residents until it closed in April 1988. From 1873 to 1878 J. D. Wyselaskie built the Narrapumelap homestead, a bluestone French Gothic-revival mansion, south-west of the township on his pastoral station. In August 1880 the body of a man was found in a paddock at Reedy Creek, about seven miles north-west of Wickliffe. The man, later identified as Michael Quinlivan, had been killed by a blow to the back of his head. Police investigations later revealed Quinlivan had been murdered by his companion, Robert Francis Burns, who was convicted of the crime in July 1883. Before his execution in September 1883 Burns made a hasty confession to the hangman, indicating Quinlivan's murder was just one of eight murders he had committed. In September 1901 Wickliffe township had only one store and one hotel. The only church in the township was Presbyterian. A public hall was built at Wickliffe in 1912. The Wickliffe public school was…

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  269
• Black Swan

  Cygnus atratus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  181
• Gray Teal

  Anas gracilis Buller, 1869 · Aves
  163
• Pacific Black Duck

  Anas superciliosa J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  154
• Masked Lapwing

  Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  148
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  147
• White-faced Heron

  Egretta novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  143
• Australian Shelduck

  Tadorna tadornoides (Jardine & Selby, 1828) · Aves
  143

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2011-06-01
  45 km NE of Hamilton, Australia