Red Cliffs is on the Murray River near Mildura in NW Victoria, Australia. Come visit us for our centenary celebrations in Oct/Nov 2021!
Do you have any memories of orange packing in Red Cliffs?
Please share them with us!
It has a colourful history from it’s beginnings as a soldier settlement to the vibrantly diverse community it is today. Named for the spectacular red cliffs on the Murray River, the land was famously cleared by a massive one-of-a-kind tractor called Big Lizzie. Pumps were installed and channels constructed, with the irrigation providing a fertile environment for growing sultanas and various other fruits and vegetables. Beyond the original irrigated area, huge paddocks of broad-acre crops now grow.
The Red Cliffs and District Historical Society works to preserve this rich history and bring the full story of Red Cliffs to life!
The Society is based in the old Red Cliffs Court House building, which we run as a museum. The museum is open to the public on the first Sunday of the month between 11 and 1 (the same day as the Red Cliffs Country Market and Red Cliffs Historical Steam Railway), and by arrangement. Come and explore Red Cliffs’ history through various historical items, photographs, newspaper articles, books, maps and other memorabilia. We also have books about the district for sale.
We have produced an online map of some of Red Cliffs’ most interesting locations.
We hold meetings every month, with a theme or guest speaker. Visitors are always welcome. We produce a newsletter each month on a different theme and they are available at various shops in Red Cliffs and on the News and Meetings page. We also hold special historical events, and are preparing for the 100th birthday of Red Cliffs next year on Melbourne Cup weekend.
Contributions of any historical items relating to the Red Cliffs area or donations are greatly appreciated. Click here for more information on becoming a member.
Big Lizzie is a massive tractor. Seriously, people lived on it. Also it cleared Red Cliffs for farming.
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The Red Cliffs Historic Steam Railway is a fun way to experience the rail history of Red Cliffs, including unique narrow-gauge tracks.
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The Murray River had a major flood in 1956, but luckily Red Cliffs was saved by ever-reliable Ferguson tractors, used to build levies.
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Growing sultanas: the grape that made Red Cliffs.
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Dad had a soldier settlement block at Cardross, so very interested in this site and info. Thanks..
Wonderful site.
Keep up the great work
My Mum grew up in Red Cliffs and will be very interested in your site. She is 93 years old and has a fantastic memory.
I have a large collection of red cliffs musical society programmes dating back to 1973. Would like to foreward these on to the musical society
Hi Lea!
Thanks for getting in touch. They are now the Musical Society Mildura and from what I can find can be contacted thru their President – Donald Mayne 0401 293 253. If the programmes are not required by them please be in touch. Thanks.
My grandfather was a soldier settler at Karawinna,Thomas and Mary Doherty. They had the store he died in 1927 and is buried in the Mildura cemetery.
Hi Teresa!
Thanks for sharing a story from your family history. Must have been tough on your grandmother to live in a remote area and be widowed, (I’m guessing) less than 10 years after her husband returned. Karawinna is not in our area of research – the Millewa Pioneer Park would be the keeper for this area.
Researching my Family Tree and have found that my great aunt- Annie Mary James – Nee Turner ( married Charles Roy James) lived here and had a family etc… I would love to connect with anyone or anything that could tell me more about her and her life.
Hi Maresha,
Can you give us an indication of the time period your great aunt Annie (and uncle Charles) lived in the Red Cliffs area?
Thanks for that. We are on to it. Are doing some changes and updates.
Both my grandparents were soldier settlers Lauders in Red Cliffs and Skipseys in Cardross. My mother Kathleen Skipsey (née Lauder) is 89 and we hope to bring her up to centenary in 2021
Hi Roger,
Thanks for contacting us. It would be great to have your mother visit for our centenary. We would value any family stories you would like to share. From what I can see, we have a great photo of Edmund Skipsey, as a first settler, but if you have one of him in his uniform that would be a great image to have for our Wall of Honour. We have photos of Edward Lauder (Blk 44) but not of Archie Lauder (Blk 192) should you be related to him we would value a photo to include in our Wall of Honour. Cheers. Chris.
Hi,
My grandfather was William Degnan (also known as William Porter). He had a Soldier Settlement Block at Cardross – Block 401. How do I send you photos of my grandfather? I can load them on Facebook.
My father was Murray Porter Degnan and was Postmaster at Red Cliffs in the early 1970’s
My name is William Murray Degnan and I was born in Red Cliffs in 1948. I attended Red Cliffs Primary School
Regards
Bill Degnan.
Thanks for getting in touch via our website. Your family has lots of Red Cliffs connections.
You can send photos to us via the email history@redcliffs.net While is can also be done via facebook, they are of low resolution, and we would prefer a higher quality for use in our Wall of Honour.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Chris
Research Officer, Red Cliffs & District Historical Society.
When in 2021 will the ‘100 year’ celebrations be held? I would love to come providing it is not in winter.
Thanks.
I started at the primary school there in 1954.
Robyn McClure
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for getting in touch. The Centenary celebrations are scheduled for the Melbourne Cup weekend (end Oct/begin Nov) 2021, as this is when the first irrigation ran which was deemed to be it’s birth, ie when the settlement received it’s life giving water.
Some past students from local schools are organising re-unions, (we don’t have details of these). If you are in touch with any others from your year level you might like to arrange a gathering. At these early stages of planning the primary schools are anticipating being open either on the Friday or Monday. The Secondary school will possibly be open on the weekend as it will be exam time for some of the senior students.
The Centenary Committee are currently working on a program for the celebrations, which will probably be over 4 days. If you want to contact the Committee their email is centenary@redcliffs.net
Hoping to have you visit in 2021
Chris
Do you know where i can get a copy of the photos of the blockies who are part of the clearing gang in front of Lizzie you have them displayed in front of lizzie if memory serves me right. My grand father is in one of the photos.
Hi, Thanks for contacting us. The photos in the Big Lizzie display in Barclay Sq have been put together by the Big Lizzie Committee. I will forward on your email to them and you can work with them direct. Chris.
My father in law John Otto shaw settled in red cliffs but did not take up land offer but started working for rural water
I have war photos of him if interested.
Regards Heather
Hi Heather!
Thanks for getting in touch. We are interested in your father-in-law’s life in Red Cliffs, particularly any stories or photos of his working life or community life or involvement he and the family may have had while living here, that they are willing to share. Look forward to hearing from you. Chris.
Hi,
My father-in-law spent the first few years of life on Block 400 (1926 – 1930?) How do I find the location of Block 400?
Thanks
Gary
Hi Gary,
Block 400 is near Cardross, between Pawson Ave & Twentieth St, and is bordered by Hollins Rd. See satellite image on Google maps – it is the large green property within those boundaries. Also I notice that your father-in-law’s father is an original settler of the block, and we are seeking photos of all our original settlers for a Wall of Honour. I have also emailed you directly and would appreciate you communicating further with us. Thanks.
Have a photo of Red Cliffs Central School Grade 4, 1940, if of interest? My sister, Betty Martin is in this photo. vivmartin37@gmail.com
We will appreciate receiving a copy of this photo, as the School will be celebrating their 100th Anniversary next year. Have emailed separately. Thanks for your offer. Chris.
Our family settled there in the last 60’s. Dad (Bob Dillon) worked for Victorian Railways. The last three of the ten of us were Red Cliffs raised (born in Mildura). We left in 1980 when Dad took a transfer to Warracknabeal. We kids were actively involved in netball and football clubs, swimming and diving clubs, went fruit picking each summer with the Bugno family and others. Mum (Vesta) and Dad were involved with auxiliaries and mothers club with St Joseph’s Church and School. We are working on getting as many of us there for the reunion – both Mum and Dad have died, Dad in 1993 and Mum in 2016, but we are all very keen to come back to be a part of the celebrations.
Hi Pete,
Great to hear from you and that you are planning to come to the centenary celebrations later next year!
The Football Netball Club has just had it’s 100th birthday but without any party, unfortunately. They are anticipating holding events next year.
The Historical Society works with the schools when they are doing local history in the curriculum, altho it has been a bit limited this year.
We are gathering photos and stories of Red Cliffs, and wonder if you have any you’d like to share. We have a facebook page, as does the centenary (Red Cliffs Centenary 2021), if you would like to see and connect with local places and people. Also we produce a newsletter each month, which is able to be downloaded from our website – we can email it to you direct if you prefer.
Thanks for contacting us. Chris.
Hi my grand parents and great grand parents had block 570 & 571 Cardross. Arthur Edgar Lambert he was in WW1. He married Kathleen Dorothy who was born at Ned’s Station. I have a photo of them as my great grand parents I am happy to share. I do not have much information about them. I would be happy to know if anyone out there may be able to share
Hi Amanda!
Thanks for contacting us and for offering us a photo of Arthur & Kathleen Lambert. We would be pleased to receive any photos of your family in Red Cliffs that you are happy to share. (A digital copy can be sent to history@redcliffs.net) If you haven’t already seen them, the original application & paperwork relating to your great grandfather’s allocation for the block are able to be viewed & downloaded from Battle to Farm (PROV) website. Also you will find mention of him on Trove (NLA) digitised newspapers. Search “Red Cliffs” Lambert, limit from 1920 till his death date. Information about the community they lived in can be found in a selection of publications that can be found at the local libraries or the State Library in Melbourne. You may like to post on the Historical Society’s facebook page or the Red Cliffs Centenary 2021 page. Hope that is helpful.