Looking Back - Yinnar remains an attraction - Part 1

By Leo Billington

Recently, one was asked “Where’s Yinnar ?”. “Never heard of it”, added the Melbourne suburban dweller.

We all know that suburban people are more adept with knowledge of Chadstone, the MCG, coffee and cake in Lygon Street, busy traffic, and a highway to Lakes Entrance.

Yinnar could easily have been our main town instead of Morwell. More about that later.

Since 1988, Bensons Timber & Hardware Pty Ltd has been a mainstay in Morwell. Sometimes known as “Benos”, this family business occupies a site once used as a transport depot for Howes and Medew transport and then East Coast Transport, then Intermodal.

Now, Yinnar Hardware has been established by the Benson family, making excellent use of a trademark Yinnar store. It is correct to suggest this building is a Yinnar stalwart. Its’ history is amazing, and along with many other small businesses, unfortunately now not with us, Yinnar was a thriving commercial hub.

Researching a back story to Yinnar Hardware, and its building, entailed foraging through family histories realising all along that Yinnar was more than what was described in the late 1880’s as a town, then in the calico and bag stage, where society was very primitive.

Just as Yinnar boasts plenty of history, so does Bensons Timber & Hardware Pty Ltd.

William Turner advertised his Morwell based business during the late 1900’s. For example, on June 26, 1908, in the Morwell Advertiser, as a builder and contractor, William’s advertisement indicated he could provide estimates for all kinds of buildings. One contract he obtained was to build a billiard room at the Morwell Mechanics Institute costing ££135.

In November 1917, it was announced that William had secured a contract to build Morwell’s first fire station. The building was 50 feet x 22 feet and costing ££200. When the building was officially opened on Friday, February 1, 1918, the Country Fire Brigades Board declared it “as a memorial” to Victorian country fire brigades.

Before he left Morwell, William’s clearing sale held on Thursday, April 24, 1919 offered the whole of his land in Elgin Street, including stock, furniture and effects.

William’s son, Harold took over the building business from his father, and years later, Les Benson (with experience in hardware sales) joined as manager. Harold subsequently sold his business to Jack Gray.

Les remained on as manager and soon it became known as Turners Timber and Hardware, which opened in Buckley Street on December 8, 1955.

Then, in this evolving business mix it is necessary to make reference to W A Purvis Stores Pty Ltd. Between 1915 and 1960, this family grocery company had established about 24 stores across Gippsland. In 1962, a subsidiary company, Aussie Disposals commenced trading. Thirty years later, it had grown to 24 stores in Victoria plus two in Adelaide.

Amongst the 24 W A Purvis stores, there was a significant presence in Morwell. First, in 1931, the company established a “cash and carry” store in Commercial Road, and then, in August, 1933, following a take-over of a cash grocer business conducted by Ernest Gaston Rowell, to a larger store. Afterwards, in 1958, Purvis opened a brand new, larger supermarket in Buckley Street Morwell.

Other Purvis stores close to Morwell included Boolarra 1933, Traralgon 1934 and Yinnar.

The Purvis Yinnar store was founded in the mid-thirties when Jack Purvis rented a shop from the three Firmin sisters. The shop had a house attached and was situated in Yinnar’s Main Street.

Here we draw on words from Purvis for Survis : The history of the Purvis family, their staff and stores in Gippsland / by Mary C. Higgins ; edited by W.A. Purvis and A.P. Ringin; 1993.

“Today, the building still stands and is a hardware business known as J & S Payne Pty Ltd. The firm sells farming requirements, grain, produce and hardware.

Miss Sylvia Brown had previously worked at Purvis Stores in Moe before moving across to Yinnar. She married Jim Canavan who had a hairdressers shop at Yinnar. The time was during the 1930’s Depression and Jack Purvis offered to sell groceries in the Main Street shop, in order to supplement the newly married couple’s income. This was agreed to and the shop rented from the Firmins was divided into two compartments; a hairdressers and billiard room on one side and a grocery store on the other.

Stock was brought on the Purvis trucks from headquarters in Moe to Yinnar each week. The shop operated for about four years. Jim then relocated to Moe to his new shop as well as having another at the Brown Coal Mine.

Upon Purvis Stores moving away from Yinnar, the business was sold to Alwyn Welsh and his wife.”

Following war-time service in the RAAF, Les Benson moved to live in Yallourn. Here he met Jack Purvis, a friendship was immediate and Les was offered work in the Traralgon Purvis store hardware section. He was subsequently employed as manager from 1948 to 1955.

Les then went into a hardware partnership with his brother-in-law, Harold Turner in December 1955. When Harold later sold his share to Jack Gray, Les remained as manager and soon the business eventually became widely known as Bensons Timber and Hardware. Today, it is owned by Les’ son Rob Benson, and, it is Rob and family who have recently opened Yinnar Hardware in Main Street, Yinnar.

It is the same building once occupied by the three Firmin sisters and, for a few years, Purvis Stores.

Seemingly, the above narrative has more twists and turns than a cheap garden hose. Furthermore, there is more Yinnar history surrounding what is written above; and that will appear in the February 2024 edition of the Churchill & District News. The extended story is interesting and there are more twists and turns to keep the story moving.

Briefly, back to William Turner - basically being the main builder in Morwell in those early years, he sourced timber from sawmillers who had established themselves in the vicinity of Yinnar. What a twist - the Benson family have returned to Yinnar albeit via a circuitous historical route.