Stretching more than 60 km from the junction of the Woods Point Road near Cambarville, east of Marysville, to the Eildon-Jamieson Road in the north, the Big River Road was a major element in the expanded road network built by the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) throughout Victoria’s mountains in the post war period to access ash timber resources and for fire protection.
Records are sparce in FCV annul reports, but as far as I can tell the road was begun in about 1944/45.
But unlike the massive Tamboritha Road near Licola, which was completed in about three years, the Big River Road was progressively extended over time and works were still ongoing into the mid-1960s.
A series of workers camps were established along the way, and I believe that Ray Brown, a FCV overseer from Marysville, was the main construction supervisor after Roy Brown moved to Heyfield in about 1960.
Now a popular 4WD route, I’m keen to know a bit more about this history of this important road project and would welcome any additional information.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/268363765
Photos are from a variety of sources including the FCRPA collection and the Marysville Historical Society.
Victoria’s Forests & Bushfire Heritage 