Early Reminiscences: the origin of the Mia Mia

First published 14 January 1909, THIS account of how the Mia Mia area, south-west of Heathcote, was named was published in the McIvor Times in January 1909.

While modern historical writings rightly acknowledge a far more nuanced and complicated past, particularly in regard to interactions with local First Nations peoples, this edited extract provides a small window into the district’s early European settlement..

Brothers Patrick and Thomas Maine (also known as Main) were the third holders of the Spring Plains pastoral run, although their tenure was short.

No doubt the isolated and inhospitable conditions described below led to their departure in 1846, only three years after their arrival.

“In about 1843 Maine Brothers, whose father was the contractor for and builder of the Old Melbourne Jail, the Old Prince’s Bridge, and also the stone house at Moorabbee, had a cattle station out above the present Mia Mia on the plain, now called Spring Plains, where they had a stone house,” the paper reported.

“Their father in 1842 built the first stone cottage out where Newmarket now is, on the way to the Saltwater River, and the remains of it were to be seen there up to a few year’s ago, but whether they are still there cannot here be stated.

“He also built the first bridge himself above the present bridge at Flemington, on the Moonee Ponds Creek.

“The bridge consisted of four logs resting on a log at each end, the deck consisting of logs spiked down.

“It was on the Sydney-road of those days, and it went by the name of Maine’s Bridge for years, and after the diggings started, and was the favourite camping place the first stage out of Melbourne at the starting of the Forest Creek Rush.

“The place where the bridge was built was very boggy and drays were continually getting stuck there.

“The Maine Brothers had a stockyard at their stone homestead on the plain, and travellers passing up and down from the Murray used to put their cattle in it.

“It was a cold, bleak, muddy place in winter time, and foraging for the sliprails with the mud half-way up to the elbows, was one of the experiences.

“However, the cattle once in the yard were safe for the night.

“The Maine Brothers in 1845 had a small paddock, about 10 acres, fenced with a good three rail fence, in the bend where the present Mia Mia is.

“The men who fenced the paddock had built a good log hut about 12 x 9 feet, with a good stringybark roof and a nice little fireplace in it.

“The paddock was fenced for cultivation.

“Afterwards squatters travelling to and from the Murray with stock made it their favourite camping place, as they had the use of the hut as well as the paddock, and it was always called in laying the route out, as one of the stages, Maine’s Mia Mia.

“Subsequently the Maine was dropped and it was just called the Mia Mia–the name it has at this day.”