The Dandenong Journal and local Progress Associations

Trove, the National Library of Australia digitised newspaper website, are in the process of adding the Dandenong Journal from 1927 until 1954. You can access Trove at http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/

The Dandenong Journal has coverage of the old Shire of Cranbourne and Shire of Berwick so you can find lots of local content, it’s not all just about Dandenong. This post looks at the activities of local Progress Associations mainly through the correspondence they wrote to the local Councils. Many towns had Progress Associations from the late 1920s to the 1950s - Bayles, Clyde, Dalmore, Garfield, Hallam, Hampton Park, Koo-Wee-Rup, Lang Lang, Lyndhurst South, Pakenham, Pakenham South, Tooradin and Warneet to name some. Like many community organisations which rely on volunteers some formed, then were disbanded and then reformed years later. There was naturally less reporting on the Associations during the Second World War – I guess complaints about road conditions and drainage issues seemed trivial at the time, plus the community was involved with supporting the War effort.

Warneet Progress Association formed in December 1945 and one of their  activities in December 1947 was to fill the vacancies on the Warneet Foreshore Committee and to have  a site set aside for  a Public Hall (the hall still hasn’t been built). In 1953 the Progress Association asked for the construction of two ‘public conveniences’ (one at each jetty)  as even though the town had only five permanent resident families there was a big weekend population, with 40 to 50 car loads of visitors. The town had already received a grant of £1280 from the Tourist Resorts Fund but wanted the Cranbourne Shire Council to put in the remaining 25 per cent and to take responsibility for the buildings. The Council was happy to subsidise one building but felt that the Warneet Foreshore Committee should be responsible for the upkeep.

In another coastal town, the Tooradin Progress Association asked for assistance in 1928 to carry out works on the Tooradin picnic grounds but the Cranbourne Shire said no funds were available. In the same year, they complained about the state of the ‘main coast road’ – the South Gippsland Highway and also complained about the action of the Koo-Wee-Rup Progress Association in diverting traffic from Koo-Wee-Rup along to Pakenham (so thus avoiding Tooradin).

Tooradin Camping Ground, 1940s.

Dalmore Progress Association was established before the War and it re-formed in 1953 with 60 members attending the first meeting. Some of their first activities included holding a Ball, entering a float in the Coronation day procession at Koo-Wee-Rup, forming a badminton Club and notifying Council about the state of local roads and drains. In 1953 the Pakenham South Progress Association complained to the Council about Ballarto Road; they wanted it graded and the drains cleared out.

The Bayles Progress Association in 1928 asked the Cranbourne Shire Council for four lamps that they had promised them for street lighting. The same year they said that ‘approximately 20 services would be required in the sanitary area at Bayles’  -  as this would require the Council  ‘night man’ to empty the toilet pans at these properties, the Council decided that the service would be too costly. A year later they wanted a bridge built to give access to the Recreation Reserve; I am not sure where this Recreation Reserve actually was.  In 1947, they asked the Council to fence off the local bridges to assist farmers and drovers with cattle. They also asked the Council if they could take over some adjoining railway land to extend the park at Bayles, described by one Councillor as ‘a nice little park’ which had been established by the Association.

Looking west towards Harmer Road, Hallam, mid 1950s.

In August 1926 the Hallam Progress Association complained about the destruction of the red gum trees on the Princes Highway due to the construction of a telephone line by the Post Master General’s Department. They also advocated for the establishment of a branch of the Commonwealth Bank at Hallam. In July 1930, the Association was once again concerned about trees, this time, they complained about the type of trees being planted by the Country Roads Board and they felt ‘a more suitable tree should be used as the ones already planted seemed to make very little headway’. In February 1942 the Hallam Progress Association asked the Berwick Shire Council to apply to the Bill’s Trust for a water trough at Hallam. An interesting request as obviously there was still a large number of locals travelling by horse and cart, not motor vehicles, if they required a horse trough. In June 1953, the Progress Association, in conjunction with the Hallam State School ‘screened a colour film’ to mark the Coronation. In November 1954, the Association complained to the Berwick Shire Council about the lack of  a Recreation Reserve at Hallam. This was in response to the Shire purchasing land at Pakenham for a Reserve – the Hallam Progress Association ‘cannot see what development there is in Pakenham compared to Hallam in the future’ and they accused the Council of ‘lacking in foresight’ At the same Council meeting the Progress Association asked 'waht area constituted Hallam proper' -  Kays Avenue to Tinks Road, Heatherton Road to the Shire Boundary with Cranbourne Shire - the eastern section is now called Narre Warren and  the northern section is now called Endeavour Hills

Dandenong Journal November 17, 1954

In January 1944, the Pakenham Progress Association requested that the Berwick Shire widen the Main Street by reducing the size of the footpaths. The spokesperson said ‘that five feet of each footpath served no other useful purpose than to grow grass and there could be some serious accidents as some motorists parked four feet out from the kerb’

The Koo-Wee-Rup Progress Association in 1928 wanted permission from the Cranbourne Shire Council to plant trees in Rossiter Road from Denham’s Road to Henry Street. A year later they were complaining about the state of Moody Street. In June 1944, the Association put in ‘numerous requests’ to the Council - the Dandenong Journal uses this head line on more than one occasion.  ‘No less than seven requests’ were before the Council - amongst the requests they wanted a foot bridge over the Station Street drain for use of the flax mill employees; they wanted a section of Sybella Avenue sealed and they wanted Boundary Road put into a ‘serviceable condition’ The next month they put another long list of requests in including some repeat numbers from the last time, because they regarded the replies to the original list as not being satisfactory. In 1947, the Progress Association agitated for the re-location of the Shire Offices from Cranbourne to Koo-Wee-Rup which was ‘a more central situation’. There was bit of discussion about this issue and a Councillor complained that the Progress Association was always late with their correspondence (thus presumably this could not be read before the meeting) and had to be put into extra correspondence and that the ‘Association was very critical of the Council and what the Council doesn’t do’ and ‘it’s time they woke up to themselves’

Because the Dandenong Journal gave full reports on the Cranbourne Shire and Berwick Shire Council meetings including the names of people who wrote letters to the Council about various issues, and  there is also news about various local families including obituaries so if you have a long time connection to what is now the Casey Cardinia area then you might find some mention of one of your family members.  You can access the Dandenong Journal on Trove at http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/.

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Cranbourne Railway Station - electric rail service opening March 25 1995.

 Cranbourne was on the Great Southern Railway line which commenced construction in 1887 and was completed to Korumburra in 1891 and later extended to Port Albert. Passenger services beyond Dandenong ceased in June 1981 but goods services continued to operate. In 1992, the goods trains ceased and this is when the line beyond Leongatha was taken up. The passenger service was reinstated on December 9 1984 and continued to run until July 23 1993. After that every town beyond Dandenong was without  a train service, however trains returned between Dandenong and Cranbourne when the electric train line was established (there are still no trains beyond Cranbourne but that's another story) and these photographs were taken at the official opening of this electric train service to Cranbourne on March 25, 1995.

Two other stations have since been established between Dandenong and Cranbourne - Merinda Park Station opened  in conjunction with the new electrified line and Lynbrook Station opened April 2012.

Naturally at any official event there are a raft of politicians - this is Senator Gareth Evans at the podium, on the right is Robert Macellan who was then the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Pakenham. On the left is Alan Brown, Member for Gippsland West in the Legislative Assembly and Minister for Public Transport.

View of the Railway Station

Waiting for the train

A local band provided some entertainment for the occasion.

I presume this is the first train to arrive - it's nearly there!

It's getting closer!  I put this photo on our Casey Cardinia Heritage Facebook page and some-one commented that 'it was good to see that good to see that they sent down a a nice shiny train for the opening. You can still see where they washed the graffiti off it!'

 It's here!

Interestingly, the line to Pakenham was electrified from Pakenham to Warragul in 1954 and this was extended to Traralgon in 1956, due I believe to the traffic generated by the Yallourn open cut coal mines and power stations. This was  a full 40 years before Cranbourne, even though the line beyond Pakenham has now been de-electrified.

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Decimal Currency - 14th of February, 1966.

For those of us who are old enough to remember, it's been 50 years since Decimal Currency was introduced, which was on the 14th of February 1966. You may remember the catchy little jingle to the tune of 'Click goes the shears' that they used to promote the change - you can re-live it on You Tube - click on this link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZTeWLA1LAs

This is the first time I've seen it in colour - as it was before the days of colour TV. You can see another advertisement here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6JawKH2yaQ

The Decimal Currency Board also advertised widely in local papers - these advertisements are from the Pakenham Gazette and were sent to me by Andrew Trotter.

Pakenham Gazette February 18, 1966

(Courtesy of Andrew Trotter) 

The $1.00 note was replaced by  a coin in 1984; the $2.00 note was replaced by  a coin in 1988. If you happen to have a cache of these notes they are still legal tender and can be redeemed for their face value, but some are worth more, so check with a  member of the Australasian Numismatic Dealers Association. The $5.00 note was introduced in 1967. There is interesting information about our banknotes on the Reserve Bank website. 

Pakenham Gazette February 11, 1966

(Courtesy of Andrew Trotter)

The one cent coin was  last produced in 1990 and the two cent coin in 1989. They were both withdrawn from circulation beginning February 1992. The round 50c coin was replaced by the 12 sided (or dodecagon) coin in September 1969 as some people confused it with the 20 cent coin. The Royal Mint website has some interesting information about our coins. 

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'Endeavour' streets in Endeavour Hills

Endeavour Hills was officially gazetted as a suburb on July 14 1971, and the first land sales took place on November 24, 1973. The project was first conceived in 1970 when Lewis Land Corporation purchased the 1,032 acre site (about 420 hectares). As the suburb was being developed at the same time as the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Captain Cook in the Endeavour, it was considered fitting to name the suburb after the Endeavour. The Endeavour carried members of the Royal Society, who were on board to observe the Transit of Venus in Tahiti as well as sailing crew and military personnel,  as after leaving Tahiti, Cook was instructed to 'find' the southern continent.  Around 80 Endeavour Hills streets are named after the Endeavour crew and passengers and what follows is a list of these 'Endeavour' streets, the person they were named for and their position or role  on the ship.

ANDERSON - Anderson Court - Robert Anderson A.B (Able-bodied seaman - a seaman with four years experience - they start as a Boy, then two years as an ordinary seaman and  then a year as seaman and then you can become an AB)
BANKS - Joseph Banks Crescent - Joseph Banks (1743 to 1820) Natural Historian

Sir Joseph Banks painted by Thomas Phillips

(State Library of New South Wales image)

You can read more about Sir Joseph Banks in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

BOOTIE  - Bootie Court - John Bootie Midshipman
BRISCOE  - Briscoe Court - Peter Briscoe Joseph Bank’s servant
CHARLTON  - Charlton Court - John Charlton  Captain’s servant
CHILDS  - Childs Rise - Joseph Childs  A.B
COLLETT - Collett Rise - William Collett  A.B
COOK  - James Cook Drive - James Cook (1728 to 1779)  Captain

Captain James Cook R. N., F. R. S., from an original engraving published in London, 1784 

State Library of Victoria Image  H96.160/298 

You can read more about James Cook in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

COX  - Cox Court - Matthew Cox A.B
DAWSON  - Dawson Court - William Dawson A.B
DOZEY  - Dozey Place - John Dozey A.B
DUNSTER  - Dunster Court - Thomas Dunster  Private
EDGCUMBE  - John Edgcumbe Way - John Edgcumbe  Sergeant
ENDEAVOUR  - Endeavour Crescent - Name of ship
GATHREY  - Gathrey Court - John Gathrey Boatswain or Boson -  foreman of the seaman - they were the link between the Officers and the seaman.
GOLDSMITH  - Goldsmith Close - Thomas Goldsmith  A.B
GOODJOHN   - Goodjohn Court - John Goodjohn  A.B
GORE  - Gore Rise - John Gore 3rd Lieutenant
GRAY  - Gray Close - James Gray A.B
GREEN - Charles Green Avenue - Charles Green  Astronomer
HAITE  - Haite Court - Francis Haite  A.B
HARDMAN - Hardman Court - Thomas Hardman Boatswain’s mate
HARVEY  - Harvey Place - William Harvey  Zachery Hick’s Servant
HICKS - Zachary Hicks Crescent -  Zachary Hicks 2nd Lieutenant
HOWSON - Howson Close - William Howson Captain’s Servant
HUGHES  - Hughes Close - Richard Hughes A.B
HUTCHINS  - Hutchins Avenue - Richard Hutchins A.B
JEFFS  - Jeffs Court - Henry Jeffs A.B
JOHNSON  - Johnson Place - Isaac Johnson  A.B
JONES -  Jones Court - Thomas Jones W illiam Monkhouse’s servant  (1)
JORDAN  - Jordan Court - Benjamin Jordan A.B  (2)
JUDGE  - Judge Rise - William Judge Private
KNIGHT  - Knight Court - Thomas Knight A.B
LEGG  - Legg Court - John Legg A.B
LINDSAY  - Lindsay Close - Alexander Lindsay A.B
LITTLEBOY  - Littleboy  Rise - Michael Littleboy A.B  (3)
MAGRA  - Magra Place - James Magra A.B
MANLEY  - Manley Close - Isaac Manley Robert Molyneux’s servant
MARRA  - Marra Court - John Marra A.B
MOLYNEUX  - Robert Molyneux Avenue - Robert Molyneux Master
MONKHOUSE  - Monkhouse -  Drive William Monkhouse Surgeon  (4)
MOODY  - Moody Place - Samuel Moody  A.B
MOREY  - Morey Rise - Nathaniel Morey John Gore’s servant
MORGAN  - Morgan Court - Peter Morgan A.B
NICHOLSON  - Nicholson Close - James Nicholson A.B
NOWELL - Nowell Court  - George Nowell A.B
ORTON  - Orton Rise - Richard Orton  Clerk
PARKER  - Parker Court - Isaac Parker 27 A.B
PARKINSON -  Sydney Parkinson Avenue - Sydney Parkinson (1745 to 1771) Natural History Artist

Sydney Parkinson

(National Library of Australia image) 

You can read more about Sydney Parkinson in the Australian Dictionary of Biography 

PAUL - Paul Court - Henry Paul Private
PECKOVER  - Peckover Court - William Peckover A.B
PERRY  - William Perry Close - William Perry Surgeon’s mate
PICKERSGILL  - Pickersgill Court - Richard Pickersgill  Master’s mate
PONTO -  Ponto Court - Antonio Ponto  A.B
PRESTON - Preston Avenue - Daniel Preston  Private
RAMSAY - Ramsay Court - John Ramsay  A.B
RAVENHILL  - Ravenhill Crescent - John Ravenhill  Sailmaker
REARDEN  - Rearden Close - Timothy Reardon  A.B
REYNOLDS - Reynolds Court - John Reynolds Charles Green’s servant
ROBERTS  - Roberts Court - James Roberts Joseph Bank’s servant  (5)
ROSSITER  - Rossiter Avenue - Thomas Rossiter Drummer (interesting occupation!)
SATTERLEY  - Satterley Close - John Satterley Carpenter
SIMMONDS  - Simmonds Place - Thomas Simmonds  A.B
SMITH  - Isaac Smith Street -  Isaac Smith Master’s mate
SOLANDER  - Daniel Solander Drive - Daniel Solander (1733 to 1782)  Naturalist

Daniel Solander by Harriet Gunn

(National Library of Australia image)

You can read more about Daniel Solander in the Australia Dictionary of Biography

SPORING - Sporing Court - Herman Sporing Assistant Naturalist
STAINSBY  - Stainsby Close - Robert Stainsby A.B
STEPHENS  - Stephens Close - Henry Stephens A.B
SUTHERLAND  - Sutherland Court - Forby Sutherland A.B
TAYLOR  - Taylor Court - Robert Taylor Armourer
TERRELL  - Terrell Close - Edward Terrell  John Satterley’s mate
THOMPSON  - Thompson Court - John Thompson  Cook
THURMOND  - Thurmond Court - John Thurmond  A.B
TRUSLOVE  - Truslove Court  - John Truslove  Corporal
TUNLEY  - Tunley Close - James Tunley  A.B
WILKINSON  - Wilkinson Way - Francis Wilkinson A.B
WILSHIRE  - Wilshire Court - William Wilshire Private
WOLF  - Wolf Court  - Archibald Wolf  A.B
WOODWORTH  - Woodworth Close - John Woodworth A.B

(1)  There were three Jones on the voyage. One was Samuel Jones, A.B. The third one was Thomas Jones, also an A.B.
(2)  There were two Jordans on the voyage. The other one was Thomas Jordan , a boatswain and Gathrey’s servant. I’m not sure which one the Court is named after.
(3)  There were two Littleboys on the voyage. The other was Richard Littleboy, A.B.    A copy of the “Endeavour Gazette”, the Endeavour Hills community newsletter lists Littleboy Rise as being named after Michael.
(4)  There were two Monkhouses on the voyage. The other was Jonathan, the brother of William. He was a  Midshipman.
(5) There were two Roberts on the voyage. The other was Daniel Roberts, a Gunner’s servant. I’m not sure which one the Court is named after.

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Jessie Traill - Harkaway Artist

Jessie was born on July 29,  1881 to  a well off family in Brighton. She was the youngest of four daughters  of George Hamilton Traill and Jessie Frances Montague Neilley. George was the Manager of the Oriental Bank in Melbourne. We have an account of Jessie's life written by her cousin, Bethia Foott (nee Anderson) in 1966. Bethia writes that when Jessie was young she was playing on the beach at Black Rock and met 'a younger friend of her father, Tom Roberts. The little girl admired him greatly. She loved to watch him painting those charming sketches he made of Port Phillip Bay, and when she grew up she formed a lasting friendship with him and his wife and little son, often meeting them when they lived in London'

Jessie Traill, c. 1920, proofing an etching by subdued light. 

State Library of Victoria Image H2000.63/6

The Traill family travelled overseas on a regular basis; when Jessie was about twelve her mother took the four girls to England and they all went to School in Switzerland. Her mother,  Jessie,  died on October 1, 1893. Bethia Foott records that when Jessie was nineteen (so about 1900) her father took Jessie and her sister Minna to Italy and sadly George died when he was overseas and the sisters had to organise his funeral. This doesn't actually tally with George's probate papers which states that he died on April 7, 1907, but this discrepancy doesn't diminish Bethia's account of Jessie's life. Thus by 1907 the four sisters were orphans  but had inherited enough to allow them to have a secure income and live independent lives. Interestingly, Bethia records,  after the death of their father, two of her sisters, Kathleen and Minna, then entered the Community of the Holy Name at Cheltenham in Victoria as Church of England nuns. Kathleen died in November 1952 and Minna in September 1964.

Jessie attended the National Gallery Schools in Melbourne from 1902 to 1906, where she was taught by Frederick McCubbin. She was one of the first women to practice etching in Australia and studied this further in London and Paris. In 1909 Jessie held her first one-woman show in Melbourne.

Review of Jessie Traill's show from Table Talk May 27, 1909

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147570341

When the Great War broke out, Jessie went to England and joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment and nursed in a military hospital in Rouen, France from 1915 until 1919.  The State Library of Victoria has a photograph album, which belonged to Jessie, of images taken in Rouen of the hospital, the nursing staff, the soldiers and also various post cards of local towns. Click here to access the album. The State Library of Victoria has also digitised Jessie's autograph book, which is more of a sketch book rather than a traditional autograph book, you can access it here.

After the War, Jessie joined the Australian Painters-Etchers Society and had regular exhibitions. Her subjects included the Sydney Harbour Bridge, factories and mines and landscapes. Jessie and Elsie lived together at Sandringham and Elsie formed the first Red Cross shop in Melbourne where wounded war veterans could sell some of their work.  Elsie later donated money to have the E.M Traill Wing built at Janet Clarke Hall (the first Women's College)  at Melbourne University, from where she had graduated, with a Bachelor of Arts in 1898. You can read more about Elsie, here.

Shire of Berwick Rate Books entry from 1918 (click on image to enlarge) 

Jessie and Elsie  had  a local connection. According to the Shire of Berwick Rate Books (see above) Jessie and her sister Elsie purchased land at Harkaway in 1913/1914. The property consisted of  a house, and 5  acres and was part of Lot 3, Parish of Berwick ( the actual address is 238 Harkaway Road) The property was named Harfra.

Possum time: Harfra at Night etching by Jessie Traill. 

http://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/works/13841/images/1872/

Jessie spent time at Harkaway when she was not travelling overseas or in Australia and had a studio built on an adjacent block in 1924. Elsie died in December 1946. Harfra was sold in 1948 to her friend, Enid Joske, who was a teacher at Melbourne University and Principal of Janet Clarke Hall, but Jessie kept the the Studio on one acre of land.

Shire of Berwick Rate Books 1948 (click on image to enlarge) 

Jessie later sold the Sandringham house and lived in her Studio at Harkaway, until she died on May 15, 1967,  having lived an amazingly interesting and worthwhile life. Bethia wrote this lovely tribute to Jessie in 1966, the year before  she died.

Whether she is in England, France or Australia, Cousin Jessie, with her keen blue eyes and graceful flexible hands is loved by us all and I know of no-one elsewhere in the course  of so long a life  has done more good or helped more people,  than she has done. In all her many exhibitions she has always donated the proceeds to charity.  She has sponsored migrants, helped those in their distress; and as for us if some one needs to add a  room, replace an old car, paint  a house or buy a ram - who is that helps us? Cousin Jessie.

Deeply religious, selfless in her wants and ways, she is indeed the  truest Christian I have ever known.  And although she no longer works at her craft, those lovely hands, moving so expressively, so decisively and so surely are still as flexible and lissom as they were when she was a girl.

Jessie Traill, c. 1965  outside her house in the north of England, aged 84.

State Library of Victoria Image H2000.63/7

There is an exhibition of Jessie Traill prints on at the Geelong Gallery until February 14 2016. You can read about it here.

Jessie Traill Nature Reserve in Harkaway is on land partly donated by Jessie to the Council and is named in her honour. There is also a bell tower at the Christ Church Anglican Church in Berwick which was dedicated to the memory of Jessie on November1, 1970.

You can read more about Jessie Traill here in her entry, written by Mary Alice Lee,  in the Australian Dictionary of Biography. 

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A day in the Fen Country: Mr Lyall’s Breeding Stations by R. M'D.

The Leader newspaper of March 14, 1868 had a lengthy account of William Lyall's agricultural pursuits in the Fen Country. The Fens in England was a large area marshland which was reclaimed by drainage from around the 1650s to the 1800s. As Lyall's land bordered the Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp it was logical name for the area. This article is of interest for  a number of reasons - it gives  a great description of the land between Cranbourne and Tooradin and Lang Lang before the Swamp was drained - it's a landscape that is much different from today when you drive doen the South Gippsland Highway. Secondly there is the total acceptance of aims of the Acclimatisation movement - where fauna from the United Kingdom was introduced into Australia  (the rabbit being the 'best' example of this). Thirdly, I like the rivalry between Cranbourne and Berwick displayed by 'mine host' at Cranbourne.

I have edited the article , you can read the full article on Trove here http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197424726

It is once in seven years that I visit the fen country. That period I hold to be about the proper interval of time between one visit and another to a district that one is not intimately connected with by either birth or business. It is sufficiently long to note any progressive changes that have taken place in the scenes around one; and it is sufficiently short to enable the memory to recall the exact state of former things. My late visit has been superinduced in this way. Having occasion to penetrate into the County of Mornington the length of Cranbourne, not so much to refresh myself as the little nag that carried me thither,  I pulled up about midday at a respectable place of entertainment 'for man and beast.'
After the usual salutations, ‘and something more’ with mine host, this town, said I, inquiringly, is the capital of Mornington. 'It ought to be' said my sonsie [healthy, robust] friend but at present it is stripped of its dues.' 'How so?' said I. ' Not,' replied he ‘because it lacks any of the natural advantages that are essential to constitute a fine inland toon. We have around us the  finest agricultural land, plenty of wood, and water, honest men and bonny lasses; but that outlandish place, Berwick, has taken the agricultural show from us, for this season.' 'Is Berwick not equally suitable as a showground?' said I. 'Bless, you’ said my friend, 'will William Lyall, with his hares and pheasants and partridges; with his ponies and racers and Punches [type of draught horse] and with his enormous English sheep, and white-faced cattle, go there? Not he; it is too far away, and what can be the good of the show?'


I stood the whole of this lively recital with admirable composure, until mention was made of the ' white-faced cattle,' when former recollections of 'Old Star' and her offspring rushed in upon me, and the disposal of the morrow was very summarily' decided. A few more minutes and I was jogging on my way….. in the direction of- Tooradin, the nearest homestead or 'head station’ as we used to call such establishments, of the father of acclimatisation in Victoria - William Lyall.

This is the Acclimatisation Society's medal - which shows some of the animals introduced to Victoria - deer, ostrich, pheasant, swan, rabbit and  hare.

State Library of Victoria Image IAN20/06/68/8   

My way, for a considerable distance after leaving 'the toon o' Cranbourne,' lay through a track of country extremely dreary and suggestive of immediate action on the part of the Acclimatisation Society, in stocking its heathy hummocks with grouse and blackcock from the 'Land o' Cakes’ Then I wended on through a stunted forest of the unenviable sort of  timber commonly called ‘bastard box,' from which I at last emerged into a prairie of considerable extent, and, as far as I could judge perfectly level. This plain, through some agency that I do not here undertake to explain, is evidently year by year becoming larger.  The trees are decaying all around its margins, and stand there in thousands, branchless and bleached with the action of the weather. And here, as everywhere, else, where this decay of the forest sets in, the pasturage is very perceptibly improved. The surface soil,  in the first place, is being materially enriched with the deposit shed from dying timber; while the subsoil is not only spared the former exhaustion through the medium of the root, but is actually benefited by the presence of that root now in a state of decomposition. 

The improvement which  took place in this Plain of  Sherwood [Parish of Sherwood], since my former visit, may therefore be partly ascribed to this mysterious decay of the forest, partly to the present treatment of the pasturage (sheep grazing), and in a great measure to the free and fertilising action of the sun upon the surface. This plain, in fee simple, I am informed, is the property of an old and well known colonist, who is now for some years absent from the colon - Mr John Bakewell. It does not require the precision of prophecy to foretell that it will become, at some future day, a princely estate. It already, in natural richness and levelness, invites the presence of the steam plough; but while in a sort of reverie…. I arrived at my destination for the day, Tooradin.

This is William Lyall (1821 to 1888) on the left and John Mickle (1814 to 1885), taken in 1853. 

Photo from The Good Country: Cranbourne Shire by Niel Gunson

Mickle, Lyall and John Bakewell (1807 to 1888) were business partners who in 1851  acquired the Yallock Run (based on the Yallock Creek, south of Koo-Wee-Rup). In 1852 they acquired the Tooradin run and in 1854 they acquired the Great Swamp run and at one stage they occupied nearly all the land from Cranbourne to Lang Lang.  Lyall's sister Margaret was married to John Mickle. 

I had the good luck of finding the 'Laird' at home; but the day was too far gone to admit of seeing anything in the way of stock, beyond what some fashionable writers of  the day call 'the sires of the season'  The writer then goes on to describe the horses, including the redoubtable Dockin, famous in every show yard as the first prize Shetlander. He was supposed to be good when first purchased, in his native little island….twelve or thirteen years ago; but he is now known to be good, not wholly for winning so many fields, but for getting an innumerable race of crack animals.

The next day Lyall and the writer reviewed the sheep - These are exclusively of pure Romney Marsh blood, and spring from six or seven ewes and a ram of that breed imported  by Mr Lyall nine or ten years ago. He was induced, I believe, in a greater degree to try this breed on the Fen country from the adaptability its name indicated, than from any personal knowledge he has had of this variety of sheep; however that, maybe, the experiment has resulted to his satisfaction.  The little 'mob' now amounts to about seventy head and all of them, from the patriarch of the flock to the youngest lamb, are in fine blooming health.

They then go to view the white faced cattle and …there beamed the lovely countenances of 'Old Star' and her numerous offspring. There, the old cow stood, on the eve of bringing the thirteenth calf (her fourteenth, should she bring twins) within ten years. At the R.A.S show at Salisbury in 1857, where she stood first as the ‘best heifer in milk in calf’ she was probably as perfect a specimen of the Hereford breed as was ever seen.

The writer then has a number of paragraphs about Lyall’s cattle when they then went to see Lyall’s house, Harewood, which was under construction. Here tradesmen were busy in finishing a mansion, intended for the laird's residence. This is built of brick, on a sand hill, on the very shore of Western Port. We soon toddled up stairs to get a survey of the outlines of the district.  The dimensions of the windows were just sufficiently liberal herein to gratify my curiosity. These I found, when my surprise subsided a little to be somewhere about eighteen inches in breadth, and about four feet in height. 'What on earth' said I, 'induced you to have the windows so small?' 'This, my good fellow, in our climate, is the right sort,' replied the laird.' You never saw a more absurd or unprofitable thing' continued he ‘than first to make large windows to let in the whole blaze of day light and heat upon you, and then to send off the dray for a load of 'soft goods' to keep that light and heat out again’.

Harewood. Photographer: John T. Collins, taken April 1975. 

The photo clearly shows the windows that are about eighteen inches in breadth, and about four feet in height  that raised the curiosity of  the writer.  

State Library of Victoria  Image H97.250/1833 

My eye, by this time, was ranging to the far north, where the Dandenong mountains towered up to the clouds. Nearer to me, in that direction, not a feature was sufficiently prominent to attract my attention.  The whole expanse was one dead solitude….On turning to the south, there, away in the distance, gloomy and sombre, lay French Island and the whole bosom of the calm bay between us, thickly dotted with sea fowl and waterfowl of several varieties, whose names were as unknown to me as was their gabble, which, at moments of apparent excitement, became a perfect 'Babel.' In fact, the whole scene became too grand for a person of my temperament. I began to get a little melancholy.

Off we were again to Yallock, Mr Lyall's furthest away station. It is here the sheep are washed and shorn, for here is a running stream of fine soft water [Yallock Creek], and clean pasture to preserve the fleece, in the interval between washing and shearing, in a state of purity. The woolshed is here, too, but at the present juncture, it is converted into a stable for the colts which are undergoing a slight modicum of training, ere being brought to the hammer during the present month. ….. And, to be candid, I saw something else here that please me more than any sight of thorough-bred colts would. 'The man who makes two blades of grass grow where one grew before is a benefactor to his country.' But at Yallock, four blades are growing now to the one that grew there during my former visit. The various kinds of clovers sown around the swamp and on the sheepfolds are spreading fast and taking possession of every spot of broken surface. The close and cutting treading of the flocks too is polishing and consolidating the surface, and thus effecting a constant improvement. In fact so rapid, now-a-days, is the march of improvement in the Fen country that henceforth I see clearly, if I am , to keep myself properly posted up, I must reduce the period between my visits to one-half its former duration, that is, from seven to three and a-half years.

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Mr Ablethorpe's orchard at Gembrook

The Leader newspaper of March 14 1903 had an interesting report on the Beaconsfield, Gembrook and Pakenham Horticultural and Fruit Growers' Association. The report said that it was one of the 'most progressive of  its kind in Victoria' and was one of the largest in the State. The article continues on describing some of the orchards in the area and finishes up with an interesting description of Mr Ablethorpe's farm at South Gembrook, which grew a veritable cornucopia of  fruits and berries.  You can read the full article here on Trove.

Charles and Emma Ablethorpe are listed in the 1903 Electoral Roll at Gembrook South. Charles died in 1904 at the age of 67 and is buried at Pakenham Cemetery. Emma is listed in the 1909 Electoral Roll and Emma is still at Gembrook South in the 1913 Rolls. Emma married Henry Lello in 1919, and they lived in Northcote and she died July 5, 1922 and Henry died three years later. We have met Emma before in this blog as she was one of 30,000 Victorian women who signed a petition agitating for female suffrage in 1891. You can read more about this here.

Here is the account of Mr Ablethorpe's orchard

Twelve years ago Mr. C. Ablethorpe established a 9-acre orchard at South Gembrook, and, in conjunction with his son-in-law, Mr. Warren, this small plantation has been worked without the aid of outside labor. There are some remarkable examples of the district's adaptability to fruit culture, as the trees and plants comprise apples, pears, peaches, oranges, lemons, plums, quinces, grapes, wineberries, tree tomatoes, chestnuts, white and red currants, gooseberries, Cape gooseberries,

raspberries, strawberries, figs, cherries, loquats and other fruits. Some apricot trees were chopped out, and black currants fail to set. Peaches and gooseberries form the leading fruits in this compact but prolific orchard, and the results are attained solely by means of hand cultivation. A vine hoe (a five pronged implement) is used. The orchard  being on a steep slope the soil is pulled over once a year by means of the long prongs, the only other implement used being an ordinary hoe. The growth of tree tomatoes here is remarkable, and as Mr. Ablethorpe often receives up to 14/ per case, and never less than 4/, it is surprising that more attention is not given by gardeners to this ornamental and profitable plant. There are 4000 gooseberry bushes, producing an annual average of 10 tons of fruit, the yield sometimes reaching as high as 15 tons. The fruit trees are planted at 24 feet distances with gooseberry bushes 8 feet apart in two rows between the trees. 

Mention might be made of the work carried on by several other growers in Gembrook and Beaconsfield, but at present Mr. Ablethorpe's orchard may be noted as a remarkable example of what can be done on a few acres in the Gembrook and Beaconsfield districts. Nine acres have practically supported two families for the past twelve years, and the limit of production is certainly not yet in sight.

Gathering gooseberries at Gembrook (c. 1882 to 1902)

Photographer: Charles Rudd  

State Library of Victoria Image H39358/73

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