This old apple tree situated beside the Plenty River Trail at Greensborough has been associated with Melbourne Founder John Batman. Known as Batman's Tree, this apple tree is on the bank of the Plenty River near Leischa Court, Greensborough. It is said that Melbourne Founder John Batman may have planted the tree and later signed his treaty here with the Aboriginal people. It still bears fruit and its recorded on the National Trust's Register of Significant Trees, as the oldest apple tree in Victoria. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p7 Was This John Batman's Tree? An apple tree on the bank of the Plenty River near Leischa Court, Greensborough, is believed to have belonged to Melbourne’s founder, John Batman. It could also stand where John Batman signed his famous treaty with the Aboriginal people.1 Known as Batman’s Tree, it still bears fruit and is recorded on the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees, as the oldest apple tree in Victoria. It is ‘Believed to have been planted by either John Batman, (c1837) or Martin Batey (1841)’.2 In 1966 a Horticultural Adviser, Mr Rolfe, after extensive questioning of aged Greensborough residents, wrote: ‘it thus seems fairly certain that the old tree on the banks of the Plenty River is an original Batman apple tree’. Mr Rolfe said that the tree stood on a spot formerly called Wattle Bend: ‘one of the sites claimed to be where John Batman signed his famous treaty with the aboriginals. ‘My main source of information has been interviews with people who attended school in the Greensborough area from 70 to 80 years ago. Their parents were close to the days when Melbourne was founded so information passed on by word of mouth.’ Around 1920 the tree was struck by lightning and a concrete block was placed in the split. The concrete is inscribed with the date 1841 when the tree was thought to have been planted. Not everyone agrees with Mr Rolfe however. Former secretary of the Nillumbik Historical Society, Kevin Patterson, said there was no written evidence to support the claim. But he said the tree had been known to locals for decades as Batman’s Tree. In the 1920s a holiday resort in the area advertised: ‘Come to Greensborough and see John Batman’s tree’. Mr Patterson said it was thought that when Batman died in 1839 his land was sold and a Greensborough man Frederick Flintoff bought seedlings from his orchard for £1 each. This was the only one left.3 Mr Rolfe said: ‘If planted in 1837, or even a few years later, it undoubtedly is the oldest living apple tree in Victoria. Title records of the property on which the tree grows show that the land was a crown grant of F D Wickham in 1840. Mr Wickham was reputed to be a friend of John Batman. All the early settlers prior to the crown grants were squatters, by virtue of Batman’s treaty. This treaty was revoked by the then New South Wales Government, so it is likely that Wickham or an agent was in occupation before 1840. ‘According to Mrs Mavis Latham (John Batman – Great Australian Series, Oxford University Press) when Batman came to Port Phillip in 1835 he brought fruit trees with him. He failed to get a crown grant for his selection on Collins Street, which included 20 acres (eight ha) of orchard and cultivation. His residence became the Government Office and Melbourne grew from wild bushland in 1835 to a town of over 20,000 people by 1841. It is possible Batman visited Wickham and presented him with a tree.’ However a Flintoff descendant in 1933 said Frederick Flintoff ordered his bailiff Martin Batey to transplant the Batman Tree from the Spencer Street orchard to its present site as a memorial to his friend Batman.4 Mr Rolfe spoke to many people, including descendants of the Bateys and Flintoffs and pupils at the Greensborough Primary School. Many had gained their information from a ‘very highly respected’ head master Lewis Amiet at the Greensborough School from 1895 to 1917. He must have gained this information from residents in the district and had this information been incorrect, the parents of the children would have promptly corrected him.’ One woman who attended the school before Mr Amiet’s appointment, said the previous teacher also taught that the tree on the Plenty River was a Batman tree, Mr Rolfe said.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, greensborough, john batman tree, plenty river trail

Thomas Stoddart (1828 - 1905) bought 12 white marble statues during a visit to Italy. Stoddart arranged for them to be shipped to Victoria and placed on pedestals of Sicilian marble and on bases of Victorian granite. These statues were unveiled in the gardens on Queen Victoria's birthday, 24th May, 1884. His intention was for the statues to adorn and add interest to the gardens. The Roman Goddess of fruit trees, Pomona, is shown holding a vessel and fruit to illustrate her care and cultivation of trees and the bearing of fruitful abundance.The artwork is of historic and aesthetic significance to the people of BallaratWhite marble figure of a woman holding a vessel and fruitPomona by B. Raggipomona, stoddard, botanic gardens

1. Booklet issued by Dept. of Agriculture. Includes: Name, Size, Use, Quality, Season, Colour, Origin and Remarks. dated June, 1892. 2. Exercise book with a cover stating "List of Fruit Trees, etc., Grown at the Royal Horticultural Gardens, Richmond Park, Burnley. 1893. but nothing in it except a prospectus. 3. Small card with the logo of the Department of Agriculture Victoria and Burnley Horticultural College Burnley Gardens Swan Street, Richmond, 3121 Phone (03) 81 1346.1.With Compliments handwritten and stamp Geo. Neilson, Curator, R. H. Gardens, Richmond Park.department of agriculture, department of agriculture victoria, george neilson, list of fruit trees, 1892, marketing of fruit trees, canning of fruit, drying fruit, exporting fruit, prospectus 1893

George Brunning was born in Suffolk, England, on 2 October 1830 and settled in St Kilda in June, 1852. He was a gardener and became part-proprietor and manager of Rule's Nursery in Richmond before establishing the first nursery of his own in 1861. Following his death on 5 June 1893, his sons continued the business. An article published in Punch in 1907 observed 'Nearly all the flowers grown in and around Melbourne, indeed, throughout Victoria, which are not native to Australia, had their origins in the nurseries of George Brunning and Sons. The statement is a large one to make, but it is literally true.'Single page black and white photocopy of advertisement from an unidentified publication for G Brunning & SonG Brunning & Son, St Kilda Nurseries, Near Melbourne, Beg to announce they have the Largest and Most Extensive Nursery Stock in the Australian Colonies. Ten acres of our ground are under cultivation with Flowers and Shrubs, upwards of two acres being covered with pot grown plants. We are the biggest Importers of new florists flowers in the Southern Hemisphere, always adding to our Stock all the Novelties as they appear in Europe. Our nurseries are particularly noted for the fine collections of roses, show, fancy and zone pelargoniums, fuchsias, picots, carnations, and other leading Plants, Shrubs, etc. In addition, we cultivate extensively the best and most popular kinds of fruit trees, of sorts suitable for private gardens, or for market purposes. Priced Catalogues are published annually in May, and will be forwarded gratis on application to G Brunning & Son, St Kilda Nurseries, Near Melbourne. Visitors to Melbourne are respectfully invited to inspect our Nurseries.g brunning and son, plant nurseries victoria, st kilda, 19th century

Mountain Grange homestead with the great barn. Left are remains of tree clearance. Fruit tress at right angle to the house. Other cultivation evident. This is the earliest of the 3 views in the collection.mountain grange, kalorama

View of Mountain Grange Homestead with Great Barn. Tree stumps still visible. Fruit tress still present. Less cultivation near house. Fences more uniform and indication of a road.Woman in dress and bracken in foreground.kalorama, mountain grange

TH Kneen and EB Littlejohn note that the Principal's House has been extended. This was done for J P McLennan, Principal 1917-1921. Note "Bird Cage" in Orchard, dwarf fruit trees, shed where tobacco was stored. Photo taken before Plant Research Institute was built in 1929. Photo shows there had been cultivation outside the College grounds, beyond the orchard area and hedge.Colour photograph of black and white photograph. Aerial view of Burnley Campus. Cultivation outside Burnley Campus burnley campus, principal's house, jp mclennan, bird cage, orchard, dwarf fruit trees, plant research institute, principal's residence, tobacco storage sheds, cultivation outside campus