Frederick Charles Porter

Before a supply route from Sale was established, provisions for the miners at the Jordan River were carted infrequently from Melbourne through Jamieson and exorbitant prices were being charged.

[2] In mid-1862 Porter led a second party of seven men to test the value of his track and to bring the first supplies from Sale to the Jordan miners.

This party was composed of Fred Porter, Percy Lloyd, William Thomas, Jack 'Nob' Belcher, Louis Armstrong and two unknown men.

Albert Buntine originally said that he was the first to reach the Jordan from Sale, but he subsequently withdrew his claim in favour of Porter and Buhrow.

The sources suggest that Porter's Track was the first to be cut and quickly became the one preferred by the miners and carters from Sale travelling to and from the Jordan diggings.

[5] At a meeting held at the Royal Exchange in Sale on 21 July 1862, the reward committee announced that amounts of £20 would be awarded to each of the four claimants and that a further £30 would be given to the man, whose track proved to be the most popular.

But John Steavenson, the Victorian Commissioner of Roads and Bridges was unmoved, despite having awarded around £500 of public moneys in grants to individuals for Melbourne-based routes.