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Headstones in the Towaninnie Cemetery

The Forgotten Cornish Settlement

Towaninnie sometimes spelt Towaninny is now a farming locality in the Southern Mallee area of Victoria, approximately 19KM's North East of Wycheproof.

A community was settled there in approximately 1870 as it was proposed site for a railhead.

Many settlers took up land there in anticipation of this event. School, Church etc., were set up, but the railhead went to Wycheproof and gradually the area returned to a farming locality as it is today.

Amongst those who settled there were a group of Cornish miners and their families.

In 1869 these miners were working on the Goldfields at Durham Lead near Buninyong, not far from Ballarat.

Like others they knew the dangers of mining and when this land was being selected decided to increase the quality and quantity of their lives by reverting to farming as many Cornish miners did. So the Davy's, Ellis's, Harvey's, Hosking's, White's etc., packed their Wheelbarrows, Horse and Drays, crossed the Great Dividing Range and followed the Avoca River North.

The Cornish miners were by no means the only settlers in the area. Another prominent family is the McNicol's who still farm there today and have assisted the compilers with the history of the area.

The Harvey Family are relatives of both of the compilers. William was Libby's G. G. Uncle and his wife Jane nee Bolitho Tom's G. G. Aunt. The Granite Cemetery Gates were erected in their honour.

There is a wonderful song about this Cemetery and the Pioneers and a copy of the words along with many district photographs is on the CD