Physical description
Thomas William Cavey was born in 1871, he was the youngest of his family and the only child that was born in Australia.
He was first employed at the lime kilns in Geelong, before moving to Queensland for 4 years where he worked as a Boundary Rider.
Thomas returned to the Lilydale area to be the driver of a buggy and pair for David Mitchell of David Mitchell Quarry in Lilydale.
He selected land in Seamer Road in Monbulk in about 1898, but was working for the railways in Melbourne at the time and would come up to Monbulk at weekends to clear and cultivate the land.
He met Lillian Eager, probably through relatives of hers, the Wingates, who lived in Monbulk. He and LIllian were married in 1910.
They bought a 22 acre property in what is now called Cavey Road. They had two sons Thomas Charles, born in 1918 and George William Born in 1923.
Initially the property in Cavey Road was farmed for vegetables, fruit and berries. The land used for this was over a creek on steep land away from the house. Once the produce was harvested it was taken by flying fox, back across the creek to where it could be prepared for sale. It was then taken to the Emerald and Belgrave markets each week.
Later 10 cows were purchased, and the main income from the property was the dairy which produced approximately 25 quarts of milk a day, they produced Cream and Butter and together with the milk they were delivered fresh daily in the horse and cart.
Deliveries were made to Monbulk, The Patch and to the canvas town at Silvan Dam, where the workers building the Silvan Dam lived.
Thomas William Cavey died in 1959 aged 89.
Lillian Blanche Cavey died in 1949 aged 68.
