The township was originally known as Ballan, a
Post Office opening under that name around July 1844 (
Bacchus Marsh from July 1, 1850). The
Bacchus Marsh Road District Board was proclaimed on 30 September 1856, with one of its first tasks being to construct a gravel road through the town, as at that time the road was barely passable in winter.
Bacchus Marsh was created a district on 14 October 1862, and the Road Board was the governing body until the Shire of
Bacchus Marsh was proclaimed on 23 January 1871. The railway came to
Bacchus Marsh on 15 February 1887, and the through line to
Ballarat was built in 1890.
Image Could Not Be Found
Before white settlement three rivers flowed into the
Bacchus Marsh valley coursing through a delta of the most fertile soils. The original custodians, two Aboriginal tribes the Wurundjeri and Wathaurung luxuriated in this abundant basin teeming with fish and wildlife. The first European settler was Kenneth Scobie Clarke who brought his sheep to the valley in 1836, barely 12 months after John Batman decided
Melbourne was an ideal spot for a village. Two years later Clarke moved to higher ground in the Pentland Hills making way for Captain William Henry Bacchus and his flocks. The English captain of the Royal Surrey militia, built the manor house in 1847 overlooking
the settlement that carries his name.
The township’s early development was boosted by the discovery of gold at
Ballarat in1851 and many of today’s hotels played host to the travelling diggers. Navigating the valley in winter however was perilous journey until the aimless Lerderderg River was diverted into the Werribee. This helped drain the marsh, unlocking the fertile soils to a range of agriculture, from market gardening, lucerne, dairying, and apple growing. Today these flats are preserved for a verdant rural lifestyle for twenty thousand residents.
Image Could Not Be Found
The Avenue of Honour, an elm tree lined avenue linking
Bacchus Marsh to the Western Freeway. The avenue was planted in 1918, It is the last remaining Avenue of Dutch Elms in the world.
It commemorates soldiers from
Bacchus Marsh who served in World War I.
Image Could Not Be Found
Rupert Vance Moon V.C was born at
Bacchus Marsh, 14 August 1892 and grew up in Gippsland. He had been in the militia, and in 1914 enlisted in the light horse. He was sent to Gallipoli, then in September 1916 was commissioned and transferred to the 58th Australian Infantry Battalion to replace recent losses.
At Bullecourt on the 12 May 1917, Moon led an attack on an enemy strongpoint but was soon wounded. Not giving up, and continually calling, "come on boys", he was badly wounded twice more but still stayed to lead, inspire, and encourage his men. "We would have followed him anywhere, he was that game", said one. Only when he was wounded for a fourth time, severely now, did he finally agree to retire and seek medical help.
Moon returned to Australia but went back to Europe and ended the war as a temporary captain. Afterwards he worked in a bank and as an accountant. He was eventually one of the last surviving Australian Victoria Cross–holders of the war.
Moon was awarded the Victoria Cross, service medals for the First World War, coronation medals for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War
Memorial
The 164th tree in the Avenue of Honour was planted and dedicated to commemorate his service in the war.
Image Could Not Be Found
Image Could Not Be Found
In the middle of the photo above is the
cemetery signboard and to the left is the Rupert Moon VC
Memorial Garden.
.