Places of Interest in Arthurs Seat
Arthurs Seat Chairlift
On 27 July 1997, a plaque was unveiled at the Arthurs Seat Chairlift (near the cafe at the lower access point) as a tribute to Dr. Vladimir Hájek (1914 - 1976) designer and builder of the Arthurs Seat Chairlift which opened on 22 December 1960.
It was a leading tourist attraction providing spectacular views of Port Phillip Bay and surrounding features.
A TRIBUTE TO
DR VLADIMIR HÁJEK
1914 - 1976
A MAN OF VISION
DESIGNER AND BUILDER
OF
THE ARTHURS SEAT CHAIRLIFT
OPENED 22ND DECEMBER 1960
A LEADING TOURIST ATTRACTION
DROMANA AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC.
27TH JULY 1997
Australia Remembers
On 12 July 1995, in a moving ceremony, a plaque was unveiled on Arthurs Seat in memory of eight members of the R.A.A.F. who lost their lives in two aircraft crashes which occurred on Arthurs Seat in 1938 and 1942.
AUSTRALIA REMEMBERS 1945 - 1995
THIS PLAQUE WAS UNVEILED AND DEDICATED ON THE 12TH DAY OF JULY
1995, BEING THE 53RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE CRASH OF AN RAAF BEAUFORT
PLANE INTO ARTHURS SEAT. THIS MONUMENT IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY
OF THE TWO AIR CREWS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN SEPARATE AIR CRASHES
ON ARTHURS SEAT, WHILST UNDERGOING TRAINING TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA.
AT 9.45 A.M. ON THE 1OTH AUGUST 1938, AN AVRO ANSON A4-29 OF NO 2 SQUADRON
WAS FLYING IN LOW CLOUD WHEN IT CRASHED INTO THE NORTH WESTERN
FACE OF ARTHURS SEAT. THE FOUR CREWMEN KILLED WERE
P.O. ROBERT STANLEY SYMONDS 22 OF EASTWOOD S.A. PILOT
SGT. PILOT JOHN McMAHON GILLESPIE 28 OF ST KILDA VIC. NAV.
AC1 KENNETH CAMPBELL McKERROW 23 OF CARNEGIE VIC. W.O.
AC1 ROBERT WINDRAM MAWSON 28 OF TURRAMURRA N.S.W. FITTER
MIRACULOUSLY
AC1 JAMES GLOVER 21 OF HAWTHORN VIC. WAS INJURED BUT SURVIVED
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AT 7 A.M. ON SUNDAY 12TH JULY 1942 A BEAUFORT A9-64 FLYING IN MIST AND
LOW CLOUD JUST MANAGED TO CLEAR THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN AND
CRASHED IN SCRUB LAND SOUTH OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER, ALL CREW
MEMBERS WERE KILLED THEY WERE
F.O. ROBERT (TERRY) ELCOATE 24 OF MELBOURNE VIC.
SGT. DUDLEY MERTON WEHL 22 OF CAPELLA QLD.
SGT. JAMES ROBERT AXON 22 OF BRISBANE QLD.
SGT. CHARLES MARTIN REDGRAVE 31 OF GRAFTON N. S.W.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A DROMANA AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC. PROJECT 1995
Dromana - Arthurs Seat Road
On 14 December 1929 a new tourist road was officially opened from Dromana to the summit of Arthurs Seat. Five plaques were unveiled - at Bowen's Point (145m), Franklin Point (195m), Murray 's Lookout (247m), Chapman's Point (271m) and the summit (305m).
Bowen's Lookout - elevation 145 metres. The plaque reads as follows:
BOWEN'S POINT
TO COMMEMORATE
CHIEF OFFICER BOWEN
OF THE LADY NELSON
FIRST WHITE MAN TO ENTER PORT PHILLIP
ON 4TH FEBRUARY 1802
PRESENTED BY
J. H. KING ESQ.
14/12/1929
Franklin Lookout - elevation 247 metres. The plaque reads as follows:
FRANKLIN POINT
TO COMMEMORATE
SIR JOHN FRANKLIN
WHO ASCENDED THIS MOUNTAIN
IN 1802 AND 1844
PRESENTED BY A. V. SHAW Esq.
14/12/1929
Murray's Lookout - elevation 247 metres. The plaque reads as follows:
MURRAY'S LOOKOUT
TO COMMEMORATE
LIEUT. JOHN MURRAY
WHO NAMED THIS MOUNTAIN
ARTHURS SEAT
ON 15TH FEB 1802
PRESENTED BY L. CARRIGG Esq.
14/12/1929
Chapman's Point - elevation 271 metres. There is also an orientation table at Chapman's Point. The plaque reads as follows:
CHAPMAN'S POINT
IN HONOUR OF
A
PIONEER FAMILY
PRESENTED BY
MR & MRS G. R. DYSON
14/12/1929
Arthurs Seat summit - elevation 305 metres. The following plaque is on a pedestal at the entrance to the tower:
THIS TABLET WAS UNVEILED
BY
BARON SOMERS K.C.M.G. D.S.O. M.C.
GOVERNOR OF VICTORIA
To Commemorate
THE OPENING OF THE ARTHURS SEAT ROAD
ON 14TH DECEMBER 1929
THE FIRST TRIG STATION WAS ERECTED
ON THIS SITE IN 1853
PRESENTED BY SPENCER JACKSON ESQ.
Arthurs Seat Tower
The first light established at McCrae was a timber-framed structure. When in 1883 it was replaced by a steel-framed structure, the original timber structure was removed in sections to the top of Arthurs Seat for use as a lookout. It remained until the present concrete tower was built in 1934-5. A plaque commemorating the Shire Engineer and designer of the present tower is located on the North wall of the tower.
SHIRE OF FLINDERS
THIS TOWER WAS DESIGNED BY
G. W. BROWN C.E.
SHIRE ENGINEER & ERECTED
UNDER HIS SUPERVISION -
1934-5