Bob Newton’s research and books on South Gippsland’s street names

There is one man South Gippsland residents can turn to to find out how their street got its name. He’s written two books on the subject — with plans for more.

HAVE you ever thought about how the road you live on got its name? What about the lane where you grew up? Or the street where you work?

For those who live in South Gippsland, there is one man residents can ask.

Bob Newton, who served as a local councillor for more than 20 years, has spent the better part of the last decade compiling the history of all the street names in the South Gippsland shire — and with it, a history of the families who settled there, and how the region has developed.

Bob himself is a third-generation resident of Korumburra, whose grandfather selected land at Arawata in 1882.

“We have a road named after my grandparents, and I decided to find out the history … and it’s fascinating how the streets and roads and lanes got their name,” says the 75-year-old.

History: Bob Newton from Korumburra. Picture: Andy Rogers

Bob served for the former Korumburra council, which was one of the four shires that amalgamated to become the new South Gippsland Shire Council in 1994.

He later served with the South Gippsland council itself, including a stint as mayor, until 2016.

Bob says he started working on the road names project about eight years ago. Initially he planned to cover only his old stomping ground of the former Korumburra shire, but it quickly expanded.

He has already published two books on the subject — Korumburra and District was released in 2018, while the second book covering Mirboo North and District was released earlier this year.

The planned third and fourth books, covering Leongatha and Foster regions, will mean there is one book for each of the four former shires.

“It’s a fascinating history and it’s got to be recorded,” Bob says.

Ironically, Bob says it is some of the newer streets that are the hardest to trace, as “developers come into the town and they develop a little area, and they name the streets and then they go away”.

Bob, who is president of the Korumburra and District Historical Society, clearly has a passion for history. As well as this project, Bob has previously written a book about the local golf course at Korumburra. He is also writing another book on blacksmiths, wheelwrights, farriers, coach builders and foundries in Victoria.

He is also an avid collector — back in 2013, Bob showed The Weekly Times his collection of fencing implements, some dating back to the late 19th century. His collection also included rabbit traps and Furphy water carts.

But when it comes to his current work, Bob says he has hit a roadblock, and appealed for help from current and former locals or anyone with old connections to Leongatha and Foster areas to get in touch.

“It’s a massive job, because there’s over 900 streets, roads and lanes in Leongatha, and I’m down to about 125 to complete,” he says. (He also has about 75 streets to go in Foster, out of nearly 200 all together).

COVID-19 restrictions mean Bob cannot get out to travel to meet with people to research the book, so the phones and emails have been getting a workout in the meantime.

“I’m not dead in the water, but I find it frustrating not to be able to get out and talk to people because that’s where you get the best information — you talk to people and you get the family histories and the family stories,” he says.

“I love it, it’s good fun and it keeps the old brain matter going.”

If you can assist Bob, email [e-mail]

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