Little Angels - Irrewillipe Tragedy

This is part of a series of geocaches that have been placed to remember the little lives that were lost to tragic circumstances and lost in history. Keeping their memories alive.

This story is about a young family that had only just moved into their new home at Irrewillipe only 2 days prior to this devastating disaster.

The house and property of just under 300 acres of heavily timbered trees and scrub was owned by Mr James Whitchell, and he had employed Mr Andrew Turnbull to work on this property. Mr Whitchell also stayed on the property staying in a makeshift camp.

Andrew was married to Mary, and they had two children, Charles and Annie. There was also 3 older children from Mary's first marriage, John, Ellen and William.

It was a hot Thursday afternoon on the 6th February 1879. James and Andrew had been working the land, clearing trees and scrub, when they decided to call it a day, and headed back to the house. But no sooner they got back, they heard the yelling of the neighbours workers saying there was a fire.

As they were trying to put it out, another fire started behind them which they didn't realise. Suddenly they were trapped...there was no escape. Realising they were in trouble, James and Andrew went to the house and ordered everyone to head for a nearby waterhole, about 300 metres from the house. Once they all got into the waterhole, it was realised that Andrew's wife Mary didn't make it. It is thought that she went back to the house. All the children were quite burned and in a lot of pain. Suddenly there was a loud crack, and with that a large branch fell, landing on one of the children killing him instantly. It also hit Andrew leaving him with a nasty head wound and in a rather dazed state.

For what seemed like hours, help finally arrived. They were all taken into Colac for treatment of their burns.

Mary Turnbull aged 31 died from being caught in the fire at Irrewillipe. Andrew Turnbull died almost a week later from burns in Colac, also aged 31. John Miller aged 13 died from being struck on the head by a falling branch. William Miller aged 7 also died at Irrewillipe. Charles Turnbull aged 2 died shortly after they arrived in Colac. Annie Turnbull aged 9 months also passed away at Irrewillipe. They are all buried in the Colac Cemetery.

The only survivors were Ellen Miller aged 8, and James Whitchell.