AV0005 - Dorothy Meagher

Talk given to Nunawading and District Historical Society
By

DOROTHY MEAGHER (Blackburn Lake Advisory Committee)
13th April 2OO2

BLACKBURN LAKE SANCTUARY
SPEAKER_06: The following is a talk given to the Nunnawatting and District Historical Society on Saturday 13 April 2002 by Dorothy Maar of the Blackburn Lake Advisory Committee. Dorothy speaks on her association with the Blackburn Lake, its committee and the development of a successful educational program using the environment of the Blackburn Lake Sanctuary. Dorothy was awarded the Order of Australia for her contribution to the sanctuary, the girl guides and to the community.
SPEAKER_01: When he was a very little boy his great grandfather was Philip Cummins who had part of the property and he lost that and Kio is acquired it because he happened to lend some money to his nephew and the nephew's butcher business went by. So but my husband has lived within the city of Nunnawatting except for about six years when he went to the country. So it is a big move for him and we've been married 52 years and we have actually lived in the city. None: Is he right?
SPEAKER_01: Yes, he is.
SPEAKER_06: But I don't know whether I am right or not Dorothy, do you know what truth or something things are going on? No, it sounds good.
SPEAKER_02: Stay until we're all right.
SPEAKER_01: Do you want me to start? Yes, here you go. Prior to 1835 the Wurundjeri-Willong group actually lived in this area moving as the food supplies diminished to another campsite within their boundaries. The Yarra River, Gardniss Creek, Port Phillip Bay and the Daninongs, and incidentally they used to call Vermont Happy Hill and Von Muhler actually called it Green Hill. They could actually see the Daninongs or they could see Port Phillip Bay. And of course the Daninongs was very significant because they felt that Bundjeri, their totem, the same as the Vanirong actually lived up in the mountains. So both groups used to meet them. A batman signed a treaty with the Aboriginal people in June of 1835. And you returned in September with 500 sheep, 50 herafood cattle, my husband would be pleased about that, wife and seven girls. He actually died in 1839 which was four years later in poverty and lonely and died bersifless. He was very not cruel but very, very unkind to his wife and family. The first census in 1838 saw 3,511 white people of these 3,080 males, 435 one females. Oh wonderful. 310,946 sheep, 13,272 head of cattle and 524 horses. The land of the Aboriginal hunters and gatherers now used for grazing sheep and cattle, growing in the mountains and for new ports, stores, homes, churches and schools built by the European settlers. By 1839 settlers had occupied south of the Yarra to Yerri. In 1841 the parish of Nunnawati in the county of Burke was recorded. March of this year special surveys carried out by draftsman Thomas Nutt, although it was known as Elgar's Survey. Henry Elgar met the set foot in Australia but was able to select land up to eight square miles for 5,120 pound giving only a deposit. August of that year this practice ended and new regulations reintroduced selling land by auction. In 1854, 273 inhabitants in the Shard of Nunnawati. In 1863 the Wurundjeri people were departing for the Coron-Dirk mission. The formation of the Nunnawati district board was recorded and I haven't been able to find out very much information on that. Incidentally looking at the population that I just mentioned of white men and the women, there were only 104 Aboriginal people that actually went to Coron-Dirk. Up in the 1850s the local area was known mainly for a source of timber and charcoal. Mrs Watson when we bought the block of land at Vermon mentioned that through the little piece of land that she donated at the back where about five of our properties actually butt onto, that the furrows of the wagons could actually be seen. I've sort of hunted around and I'm not sure exactly where it is and of course things have happened over the years. But a man of the horse and cart could make a little money from carting wood from here to Melbourne, quite often sleeping under the cart at night in the bush. Later they found that this was a little bit time consuming so they then stacked the wood and turned it into charcoal and the painting by Tom Roberts there that you've got actually depicts the wood splitters. In 1851 the gold rush started in Warren-Dott and beyond and at that time was 6.6 million sheep in Victoria. In 1858 petitioned to the governor to establish a bound to control untethered animals which were causing heavy losses and serious inconveniences. This is another thing, toll gates were introduced progressively from 1866 providing funds for road building and maintenance. This is quite interesting, generally any interested person over 18 except any married woman living with a husband, well I don't know what you do if you're married and you weren't living with your husband, were able to peg out and apply for an allotment before or after their survey. The license to occupy was granted for three years, two shillings per acre per year. The lessee had to fence the land, cultivated at least one tenth. End of three years he was expected to pay the remaining 14 shillings an acre, that is the overall cost of one pound per acre. Costs were quite considerable including fencing, tools, horse food, housing, etc. In 1882 the railway from Hawthorne to Lilydale was built. It was quite an amusing story in the book published by the late Jean Field who was very much involved in the historical aside and work of Scottish, also friends of the lake at Blackburn. So to die she tells the story about the coach and horse's area where they were building the railway line, it was a cutting. And of course it was a hot day and the men sort of go to the coach and horses and have a lot of refreshment. And of course the horse and wagons used to go with you. And on this day the man with this, I'll call him Mr. Spillsmith, actually thought he'd have another quick drink, but his horse was a creature of habit and of course the horse went back taking the wagon back with all the workers. And so the foreman of ordering said where's Mr. Bill Smith? All they said he's still back at the pub. So he ordered another man, can you drive? And he said yes and he told him to get up and start driving and keep right on driving. Paration was given without fuss. Put this man on his feet and he never looked back. One man's loss is another man's gain and there was no strike over the matter either. And that was actually the quote that she had in the book. Interesting enough if they had, you supplied your own tools, you got seven shillings a week if you had a horse and cart or think you got ten shillings. So that was quite an amusing story. A couple of others she used to tell too because when the railway line of course there was a steam train going along. And if you were having to walk along the railway line and the engine was coming chuff chuff chuff with the carriages behind it and saw you were making say for Blackburn, the engine driver would stop and let you get on. If you're coming up Blackburn Road and you know what Blackburn Road like at those days was a bit of a dog track, the station master would see all the guard at the back and they'd blow their whistle and the train would stop and let you on. Gee to die you put your money into slot with dancing jams, you'll wear your go for ticket, you go on and you get the gate slammed in your face and you're lucky to get on the train. Oh for the good old days. It was used to be tentants and one in tapants with affairs in those days. So that was a couple of interesting stories that she actually mentioned in her book. And that was actually dedicated to the women within the city, in the shore of Nunnawaling and it was actually printed about 1950s. I'd always remember Jean Phil as you just see the top of the head in the car because she was only a little tiny lady. And Mrs. Faggot who I knew her we went through a luncheon near one day Ryan eye and she was very keen on herbs and whatever. So Jean Phil and a few other ladies were involved in what we call the friends of the late in the mid 60s. And in five years they had 3,000 children out from the inner suburbs and they didn't know what a tree looked like. Oh, like this. And when I started the program the volunteers at Blackburn Lake in 1985 we had 5,000 in three years. So it was just a reverse number. But they gave generously the time was about six ladies. Anyway, we'll go back to in the 1880s. The Freehold Assets Realization Company purchased 28 farms around Blackburn. And of course they had a lot of money from the Gold Rush period and they were land speculators. And Mr. Goodwin was responsible for drawing up the concept for a model town of high class suburb, Turak of the Eastern suburbs. The lake was formed, refreshment room, boats for high wide streets, landscaping, planting trees, etc. Shop sites and residents. And of course the hall where the Blackburn Library is now, where dance is used to be held. And Lovers Lane of course was down Allendale Street, so I'm told. As you walk down to Blackburn Lake, that was a long way around. And a cricket pitch. The lake actually I believe was built for the water for the orchardist fire carts and for the town. After land boom burst, 140 acres belonging to them, was offered to the Shire of the Day, who refused the offer. Another attempt in 1934, negotiations actually fell through and that was by the Shire of Blackburn. At the same time as Freehold Asset Realization Company Limited was involved in creating this model town, the electric tram began running between Boxhill and Doncaster. And of course exciting times were also the Boxhill Artist Camp began. Frederick McCubbins, Tom Roberts and Louis Abrahams actually went there. They used to stop over and out. Of course the women were allowed to stop over and out. They went out by train and they went back on the same day and I think one of the ladies was known as Joan Sutherland. But of course the three men used to camp there, there's been lovely paintings done of it. And they used to chop some tomatoes and gooey too. And of course McCubbins then actually went to Blackburn and lived at seven wallsly crescent. His favourite painting, he always maintained, was this one of his wife feeding time. And you can actually see the roof of the house in the background and this has been actually feeding the chooks. And that is his favourite portrait involving his wife. It's in private collection but that book was given to me by a girlfriend. Of course this one is the bush idol. You can actually see the lake in the background. You can see the vegetation that was relevant in those days. We know the name of the little girl but the little boy we don't know. But he did do another painting of the boy with the ching whistle and it was on his side fence in a wall-stick crescent. So and then we'll go on to how the farm was actually purchased. Mr Ernest Abrahams was a magazine editor of the British Deaf Monthly. And this was in England and he was very impressed with the report from Parafield in South Australia of 280 acres which were donated by Mr John Howard Angus, a prominent citizen. For Deaf Mutes to earn a living with light work, gardening, tending cattle, minding the poultry and later developing a piggery. Training was eventually led to employment. So he thought that was a pretty good idea. And when he came to Australia about three years later after that, that was in 1901, he brought up this idea of perhaps a flower farm of some sort for the farm for the feeble-minded and deaf people. So Thomas Bent in a forward policy listed £2,000 for the provision for the farm providing £2,000 was raised by the Deaf Society. So they actually had a three-day bazaar in the Melbourne Town Hall in June 1907 and raised sufficient funds to plan for the future project. And the site was purchased in November of 1907. Now there were two sites considered. It was where the Q Cottages were and Blackburn Lake. Q Cottages they felt was too close to transport and didn't have the same atmosphere. They didn't want to purchase 70 acres. That was a little bit beyond their money, but they decided in the end. And luckily for us that they had bought the whole piece, I think it was 75, and they lost so many acres because of the road being made along Central Road. So in 1908 the Blackburn Lake area was actually chosen. He actually travelled to Adelaide to see the farm at Parafield to get some good ideas on it. And 40 acres were cleared and the residents for the superintendent, which two-story in the men's wing, which actually built. Now that's the superintendent's home. That's the end-golf where it's in front of the present visitor centre. And that's the men's wing. About three years after it was built, of course they said they didn't have enough money to build a women's wing. And there was a Councillor Scott in the shore said, well if you hadn't spent so much money on this building, you could have been the women's wing. But of course then they said there were so many rooms there for the inmates and Maitrin to look after them. In dry weather you can actually go down there and actually see the foundations of the main building, the men's wing and cottage. You can't see the women's wing because that was removed when a temporary car park was put in there in the early 70s, 1970s when we purchased the land from the Deaf Society. But it's quite interesting to see how far it goes, right past where all the swings are, incredible. And this of course is there growing with the flowers. They had 14 acres. And I'll read some excerpts out of this is actually packing these misdabriams there with these sharper lads taking them to market. And here's one having a rest. Now the trees were planted here after the women's wing was built in about 1912 and you can actually see the lake there. This is boats for hire. They actually had vandals in those days. The refreshment room was smashed in 1915. It was built in 1900 until it was upgraded because it was there when the realization company, the land speculators actually had them. So you can actually see the little hut there. And this is when the women's wing was on and the main building. And this is the boat house and the jetty. All right. Now we're going back to the single story residence next to hole proof was a temporary residence for the superintendent and the eight residents while they're actually clearing the land. And the superintendent received two pound a week in wages and 12 shulings for each residence for their maintenance. Clearing of the land by day label was seven shulings a day and 20 pound for propagating the house in a tool shed. Cost to the home was $2,980 in brick. $35 was added for the cost of brick from the rendering. So for another 35 pound they were able to get a solid brick home. The boats they paid 50 pound for two boats the landing and the shorter for the picnic area. And also I'd like to read out some funny excerpts. On the opening day in December 1909 and you can get a copy of this leaf that failed us very kindly photocopied some I've developed this a few years back in conjunction with the council. And you'll get some funny reading but I'll just do some little excerpts out of it. The flags were flying everywhere at the railway station places of business private houses and along the road leading to the park. For upwards of two hours there was a continuous stream of people on foot and in conveyances filling the path and roadways from the station to the entrance gate. The attendance total close up to 8,000 people and on the day was an ideal one for the outdoor picnic. There was a look of anticipated pleasure on every face. The railway department experienced considerable difficulty in dealing with the extra traffic. Some of the trains taking an hour and 40 minutes to do the 11 mile run from Melbourne. Well we had a steam train now a while back and he sure took a lot longer than that he broke down. Anyway on the left the tent in the bush house Gailie decorated with flags and poppies. A little further was the miners camp hotel and men loved this. This interesting encampment attracted a good deal of notice for it was complete in every detail. The public were informed of here bitter beer, cheese and biscuits could be untamed and that you could have a drink in a billie or a pile. A few glasses were cool kept for the toffs. The ladies in attendance were pretty an innumerable. All this was actually handwritten in beautiful copyright writing and I went into the library in the city and I actually took photocopies of certain things and I went back to refer to something and it was in a terrible looking old box all collapsible and I had to tie a string around it and when I handed in I said I think you should take a little bit more care of this because there's some valuable information here and this is the only access and when I went back they couldn't find it. And a lot of the material that the Deaf Society actually had was given to the Latrobe University because they had a department there that covered this type of work with Deaf Society. I took the work with Deaf people in it and I believe it's been taken off the university and is now in the State Library. So I hope nothing has lost because I was able to get access to a lot of those photos in that one stage. Of course in the centre of the park were many amusements including America around shooting gallery, Arty Sally swings etc and that was under the management of the Deaf people. Members of the Blackburn Progress Association acted as stewards for the carnival. Close on £200 was raised from the fair. Another one, they had a wonderful way of encouraging donations and I think it was really an active gift. I think you might learn from this, the poultry farm. In response to our appeal made last month Mrs. Noorger has kindly led on off with a gift of a rooster and two hens. The house is now inhabited but the fowls look very lonely in their great mansion and extent of their country is greater than they can cultivate and have whispered their desire for a great increase in the population. With other friends be good enough to send along or instruct us to send for more immigrants suitable for this newly found colony. They also had a monkey, which is one of their pets. A farm bids fair to become a miniature zoo and this was 12 months after the official opening. As well as a botanical gardens which was a lot of planting, there was waffles, there was ferns, lists of that all in these articles that I actually saw. It now boasts two horses, a cow, a calf, a dog, a fowls cat, a parrot, a canary innumerable lizards, jackasses, magpies and other wild birds with fish in the lake. The latest arrived, it was a young monkey, the gift of Mr. Truen. She is already very much at home and believes herself to be of supreme importance. There are other things where this gives you an idea of what the terrain was like. Early in this was after they came out and had a picnic, these were deaf mutes. In the early evening the visitors departed for home with great bundles of flower. A lantern was brought out to show them the way over the treacherous roads. Every now and then they tripped or dipped their feet in the pools of water. The result was that nearly every pair of boots and shoes nicely coated with the mud were seen in the train, but the owners were too happy and tired to mine. They were well pleased with their outing and reached home in a satisfied frame of mine. That was in September 1911. There are other things there and I'll go on. It does tell you in 1913 that the palm trees were actually planted along the upper windprow. How many more minutes have I ever heard? Just quickly, I'll go through a few of their points. They transported flowers to the Victorian market. First, they sent them in by the shore. They went in and learned the tricks of the trail. They had to leave at 2 o'clock in the morning. Then they used to arrange for a horse and wagon to pick the flowers up when they got to Melbourne and transported them to Stan 57 in Shed Sea. The sails arranged from 8lb 8 shulings to 15lb 5 shulings depending on the seasons. Later, they were transported to Sydney. Their flowers were so beautiful and the people actually paid for the transport costs. In 1910, the first mention of rate charges from the shore of Nunnawatting. The rate issue finally resolved in August 1924. The rates amounted to 83lb 15 shulings. The council made a grant of 20lb. In 1911, a property known as Lake Park, Blackburn, officially. In 1914-18, we saw a lot of soldiers recuperating there with the nurses and they used to be seen on the north bank. Electricity was installed in 1916. In 1917, we saw 2,000 feet of 4-inch wood mains with certain fittings installed. That was to pump the water up from the lake. The first reference of selling the property was in 1921. They offered it to the council at various stages and finally it ended up with the board of works purchasing it in the mid-60s. It was also considered in 1922 that the water pump from the lake wasn't fit for water consumption or washing purposes. So it was just used for the garden. The water was from the yan-yen actually came on in 1926. The flowers, because of the court cases that they had with the shore of Nunnawatting, they won the first case. But the shore wasn't happy about that. So they went back to the high court because it was in Melbourne, not in Canberra and those days. And the shore actually won the second case. So they decided to let the flower farm just run down and they supplied enough food for themselves. It was a great shame that perhaps the foresight of handicapped people having an occupation and looking after themselves. Our real-to-school had a very severe breakdown. And of course, anything that can encourage them to be occupied, particularly at that initial period, is very, very important. She's made a niche now in the local church and she works in the community house. She's in a little choir and she can't sing a note, but she's in charge of the tambourine. So she leaves it all over the tent. So it's an occupation that makes them happy. And that was... Anyway, I'll tell you a couple of funny stories. There was Lord Nelson, it was one of the inmates, and he used to dress up in a jacket, an oculary military, and used to sort of walk around the late doctors. And this story, he had a certain trade. And I'll tell you this funny story. And it did actually happen. This day, perhaps, went to the city and he was late home from meeting and it was a nice moonlit night and he came along central road. And as he came to the property and he saw a sinness, white cloud, and it sort of was moving around and he thought, oh gee, it's a bit spooky tonight. I hope it's not the ghost. He'd heard of the Messiah, and I'll tell you about the Messiah in a minute. I hope it's not a ghost. I've heard about the Messiah. So one place of investigation, he found it was Lord Nelson. He'd got up during the night and he had a very keen eye on throwing the lime around to catch the snails and slugs. It was actually him walking across the paddock. And that was the ghost. Percy Swain was a jack of all trades. He could then pay as a boots groom or horse and do his share in the garden and take pride in driving the chaplain to Box Hill on Sunday to officiate. This meant eight journeys on duty from 8.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sam Bue's expert with the axe and the jack enjoyed working with Archie in work where his muscle strength is needed. William Skews a night of the hoe and wheels his weapon with fine skill. He's delight the violet patch. He is our champion picker. In 1833 Mr Butterfield kept on the property and he got £2.10 a week provided. He sold £6.00 a flouse because that had to allow for a McClellan's wages. So if he didn't sell £6.00 a flouse he got less than £2.00 a month to get a certain figure. Now you always heard of messiahs. Well we had one at Blackburn Lake and I like to dramatize it a bit. But it is true. This gentleman was called James Cowley Morgan Fisher. And he was a very attractive man and I'll read out what he looked like later. But he had a following, a great following of the few shots. And he used to perform miracles and he said, you know I can perform a miracle. And they said, yes, hallelujah, hallelujah. He said, you've seen me cure Mr. Sarnsar and Mr. Sarnsar. Oh, yes, hallelujah. Well he said next week I'm going down to Blanchard Lake and I'm going to walk the waters. Do you believe that I can cure the miracle? Oh yes, they said, hallelujah. Oh, so down they went and they all stood on the lakes edge. And he said, now you've all come here to see me do a miracle. Yes, they said, hallelujah, hallelujah. And you know I can do miracles. They said, yes. Well he said, if you do, I don't have to really do it, do I? And it is in, believe it or not. Now I'll tell you what the fellow looked like. He could heal the sick, raise the bed, walk on the water. He also performed minor miracles with controlling both the weather and it seems no less than three wives. Fisher bought land in non-awarding and set himself up in business as a charcoal burner and married Miss Chamberlain who died two years later. His second wife, Mrs. Kefid's mother, was head of a sect with one of its Australian branches of the Church of Christian Isulets. Fisher certainly looked a part of a prophet. Great long hair and wood in a bun. What's different? He had a magnificent beard. Women were especially attracted to Fisher and many a quiet, none-awarding night was disturbed by the sound of the Messiah, wandering through the countryside followed by a band of singing, shouting women. He would gather them up on a moonlight night and with kerosene tins and other implements he would tramp through the paddocks, driving the devil out of them by making an infernal noise. Fisher's most brilliant performance was given on the shores of Blackburn Lake. Fisher headed a household of three women, legally married to one and the others were either concubines or house guests depending on whose version of the truth you chose to believe. Fisher told the court that polygamy was accepted from men advanced in faith. The magistrate who heard these charges against Fisher were more at home with petty licensees and neighborhood squabbles and they were clearly out of their depths with messiahs and miracles. Victory for Fisher but the publicity and the ridicule that the whole affair had attracted signal to the end of his Church. Fisher eventually moved to Western Australia where he died in 1913. I believe his Church was down which Fisher Street is named. I might be wrong, this is one interpretation I've had of it. So interesting enough, that's a little bit of story. I think I might have covered most of it, the early part. I used to go to Blackburn Lake in the 60s when children were able to walk, not able to get taken in cars, we used to walk from forest hill over to Blackburn Lake. I used to dance around the toadstools with the brownies and I'm sure the neighbors thought I was a screwball loose. Actually, I remember the homestead that was there, we actually lived in a wedding at that stage when it was removed. It was a shame because that building would have made a beautiful museum. It was a two story and I believe the stairs inside would really support, on every resort inside. So I joined the committee in 73 and I saw the acquisition of the land right through up until the present stage. A little bit sad to go but I think your health must come be a consideration and also my husband being on the farm. He did have a four one day when I was there luckily and I thought now things can happen. I think it could be out in a paddock. I'm not there and I would never forgive myself. So we are vigorously shifting house after being 27 or 8 years from the last time and trying to squeeze into a smaller house but never mind. Thank you very much for inviting me along, this is my swan song. It won't be my last effort in the city of Bightaus. I have a guide coming up four days after we've got to be out of our house, out at Longreach Park. And I've done the environment for 20 years and I've been in the Gods 35 and I will be retiring after June. Thank you very much for your attention, it's greatly appreciated. Thank you.
SPEAKER_03: One of the questions I'd like to ask you is, we did that first go to the one with the staircase.
SPEAKER_01: It was removed in 1973. Pulled down. I thought you made transport in some areas. No, it was actually removed from the site. You can still see the foundations there but as I say it would have made a beautiful museum.
SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_04: Norma? I think the whole thing in our report is we have something bad that is quite a considerable amount of literature written in one another about gold being found in the area.
SPEAKER_01: Well I've seen that, another one said it was a spring where they hit the spring and that performed the likes. Here, incidentally, while I think of it, Robin Dukasko is actually going to do a reprint of her book next year.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, thank you. Oh, sorry.
SPEAKER_05: Francis. Oh, I will. I just remember, it's very hard to see people. As a child at school in Vermont, and it used to be an amphibian had to go somewhere else and he was a youth lawyer. And we used to say, right, right, mutual rights. And I guess who was one of those?
SPEAKER_00: Could have been one of them. Because he died in, what does that bit, 1912, 13?
SPEAKER_04: I've got a feeling that I know that my life was still a bit of a phone that or that I've got a goal.
SPEAKER_01: There was a publication in the age and I think I actually got some of that information from Beryl. And you have it in your records and that's how I got some of that information about Mr Fisher.
SPEAKER_03: There's actually, we might say, there's been a man that's done a more in dead research in Todor, which we've got here. And he's about some of the things that was said that he's done quite a more detailed one, because of me. And it kind of here a few times.
SPEAKER_01: But this is only what I've taken care of the news article. So there could be alterations, or many referring to material that I've got from the society. And also the flower farmers for the extracts from this news, which might be available now in the state library. No, not, they might have found it, I don't know.
SPEAKER_03: Could I just go back to the house, which is just a lovely one, so substantial. And it wouldn't have been that old when it was demolished. So who will have authorised all that? Was it still in the ownership of the board of works?
SPEAKER_01: No, the deaf society actually owned that. The board of works, if you know the lake, I'll try and draw this fashion. The piece around the lake was actually acquired by the board of works. It was offered to the council and they didn't know what to do with it. So the board of works actually purchased it. And a ponding basin, and of course that wall was built at Edna Walling's suggestion that the wall be put in instead of it making a flash flooding area and removing the damn wall. So, now, whilst we're trying to torture us, we'll try and get the whole thing done. They actually owned the property. And they had a subdivision in for the lake. That piece of land, when I came onto the committee, where the visitor centre was, they had a subdivision for that. And they isolated one of two places where they'd have their home. None: And it was either down that end where I used to dance around the closed doors.
SPEAKER_01: They actually owned the property. And they had a subdivision in for the lake. That piece of land, when I came onto the committee, where the visitor centre was, they had a subdivision for that. And they isolated one of two places where they'd have their home. And it was either down that end where I used to dance around the closed doors. And it was at the east end, or where the home is now. So, they selected that because it was nearest to the barwell line. So, I think I might be wrong. They removed the house and the buildings to put in the subdivision to force a situation to be evolved, if you know what I mean. And it took three years for the council to actually purchase that land with three tiers of government. But it was the Deaf Society, and it was their decision to remove and actually had subdivision plans actually in the book. And no longer by gas light by Mr. Flynn, it has actually got the plan with the subdivision in the book.
SPEAKER_03: Shane, is this that?
SPEAKER_01: Yes, well, luckily, Campbell grammar purchased the land on the other side. And if it hadn't been, and they'd subdivided it back in the 50s, we wouldn't have been like as it is today. None: Yes.
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
SPEAKER_04: I understand that my opinion is involved in some children's projects.
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_02: It's a little bit bad.
SPEAKER_01: Yes, well, when I was on the advisory committee, busloads of children used to come in with the teachers, and I lived off Central Road in Brenda Court at that stage before we went to Burma. And I'd go past and I'd see busloads, and the teachers would be sitting under a tree or something, and children sort of running around nearly really, and picking wildflowers and this sort of thing. And I went in and I used to say, look, please don't pick the wildflowers. I was there to teach all strum on the ground, you know, this sort of thing. And I thought it was very important for them to do something to encourage children to be aware of the value of the sanctuary. And of course, prior to that, I'd started the environment with the Girl Guards in 1981-82. So I was talking to some local residents, and one was Bear of Stokes, and she said, well, look, I'll do an audiovisual. If you get an activity sheet, you know, I was talking about an activity sheet, so they got something in their hand. And I mentioned to it what I basically wanted to cover. So I went through Alan Reed, and I said, could you help me draw up because at that stage I hadn't developed any skills to draw up activity sheets, which I did later on in the soil. So initially we had that one, and then a teacher from St Thomas worked in with one of the volunteers, so Debussy and they did one for the Prips One Two. And our audiovisual clicked right in with everything we had on our activity sheets. In November I had a meeting. We started in March. I had a training session with half a dozen volunteers, and we had experts in birds and so on, showing them what these things were that they had to show the children on the activity sheets. And then we invited a school in, a black bird lake was the first one. We then invited La Burnham. The whole school came down, and we asked for constructive criticism, because we had an audiovisual, and we hadn't pulsed it at that stage. And as each sentence finished, it was very amateurish. I mean, we just flicked the slide onto the next one. And Brian Bolce actually sold us the machine, and he pulsed it for us eventually. So they gave criticism, but it was nicely said, it wasn't like, well, at this, because it was quite unique. I run by volunteers free of charge. And so we incorporated quite a few of those. And from that primary we needed a secondary tertiary adult group, and I don't know what the council was doing at the moment. I gave notice March of last year, and in November they hadn't done anything except it a little bit of a survey.
SPEAKER_06: Did any of those programs actually become part of the school curriculum?
SPEAKER_01: Yes, yes. Originally what Alan read was just to observe nature. Then we incorporated, particularly in the secondary level. I had biology. I did geography cats until the assessors found out the students were cheating, and copying from the previous year. But a lot of the students I had at A's and A pluses. And they come with one young lad from Vermont High, and I had people who were like these faces. And he said, I bought you a box of chocolates. He said, I got an A from my assignment, of course, getting help from now. They can't get help from the libraries. And that is like on Blackburn Lake, which I was able to give, because I had how much it cost for maintenance, the work, you the people that work on it. All this was the Aboriginal program. I developed that in 88. And that extended right into secondary level as well as primary. So I was given permission to tell the Dreamtime stories from all this from the Wuringjoury. And that all comes into environmental education. I never knocked back a school or group. Didn't matter if it was Monday night. I only had volunteers for Wednesday and Thursday, and I covered all the other dies. I would tell the teachers, I haven't got volunteers, but I'll do a one-to-one. And I'll show you where to go or do something like that. But yes. None: Very good.
SPEAKER_03: Thank you very much. You should just tell us about the extension you've got on to the Information Center. You know, it wrote your refunded, so your education program would be...
SPEAKER_01: Yes. There was a workman's shower, and that sort of thing, because John Brandenburg was a council officer then. And of course, the fellows using sprays had to have a shower before they go home, sort of thing. And my husband, and there was a kitchen. And my husband was on council and they said, oh, why don't we add on a 20 by 20 room? There's a meeting room for the committee. He said, I know my wife was always trying to get a room up at the council, instead of being in people's homes, because that was distractive. You know what I mean? It's more business-like. They've got a table noise. But then to get the proper room from the council, it's been a lot of sort of who-how. And so that was past. And I started the program up in that 20 by 20 room. Now, the Aboriginal program, I had 1,200 kids through that 20 by 20 room. In one week, and 500 on a Sunday. And that proved to council that we needed it. I was carrying books from home to there, and I lost two or three very valuable books from my husband, and I'm Black and Lake. Luckily, I was able to get copies. And so we got the extension. The first off was three sets of plans, and my daughter-in-law did the third set. And that was the one John Brandenburg was happy with the others who wouldn't. She had to hand a plan, Zola, because she was only a draftswoman, to an architect, he got money to actually do the in-solo of it. The council actually charged us $750 for the tree that I got all the birds on. So...

Talk given to Nunawading and District Historical Society
By

DOROTHY MEAGHER (Blackburn Lake Advisory Committee)
13th April 2OO2

BLACKBURN LAKE SANCTUARY

Dorothy speaks on her association with the Blackburn Lake, its Committee, and the
development of a successful educational program using the environment of the Blackburn
Lake Sanctuary. Dorothy was awarded the Order of Australia for her contribution to the
Sanctuary, the Girl Guides and to the community.

DM: ......fishing when he was a very little boy. His great-grandfpther was Phillip
Cummings (Cumins?) who had part of a property. He tost that and Keoh's(?) acquired it
because he happened to lend some money to ltis nephew and the nephew's butcher
busrness went bung. But my husband lived within the City of Nunawading except for about
6 years when he went to the country. So lf is a big move for him, and we have been
married nearly 52 years and we have actually lived in the City.
Prior to 1835, the Wurundjeri/Kulin group actually lived in this area moving as the food
supplies diminished to another camp site within their boundaries - the Yarra River,
Gardiners Creek, Port Phillip Bay and the Dandenongs - and incidentally, they used to call
Vermont "Happy Hill" and Von l/ueller actually called it "Green Hill". They could actually
see the Dandenongs or Port"Phillip Bay. And of course the Dandenongs was very
significant because they thought Bunjil, their totem - the same as the Bunurong, actually
lived up in the mountains.
Batman signed a treaty with the aboriginal people in June 1835 and he returned in
September with 500 sheep, 50 Hereford cattle (lVIy husband will be pleased about that!),
wife and 7 girls. He died in 1839 - 4 years later - in poverty and with syphilis. He was
very unkind to his wife and family.
The first census in 1838 saw 3,511 white people - of these, 3;080 males,435 females.
310,946 sheep, 13,272 head of cattle, and 524 horses. The land of the aboriginal hunters
and gathererYfidrifused for grazing sheep and cattle, growing crops and for new ports,
stores, homes, churches and schools built by the European settlers. By 1839, settlers had
occupied south of the Yarra to Yerring. By 1841. the Parish of Nunawading in the County
of Bourke was recorded.
ln March of this year, special surveys carried out by the draughtsman, Thomas Nutt.
Although it was known as Elgar's survey, Henry Elgar never set foot in Australia but was
able to select land up to 8 square miles for 5,120 pounds giving over a deposit. In August
1841, this practice ended and new regulations reintroduced selling land by auction.
In 1854, 273 inhabitants lived in the Shire of Nunawading. ln 1863, the Wurundjeri people
were departing for the Coranderrk Mission. The formation of the Nunawading district
board was recorded (but not much information available). Looking at the 1854 population
figures, there were only 104 aboriginal people who actually went to Coranderrk.
Up in the 1850's, the local area was known mainly as a source of timber and charcoal, and
I\Irs Watson, when we bought the block of land at Vermont, mentioned that through the
piece of land she donated at the back, where about 5 of our properties buffinto, that the v
furrows of the wagons could still be seen (although I haven't been able to find them
myself). A man with a horse and cart could make a little money by carting wood from here
to Melbourne, quite often sleeping under the cart in the bush. Later they found that this
was time-consuming so they stacked the wood and turned it into charcoal - as in the
painting by Tom Roberts which depicts the wood-splitters.
ln 1851 the gold rush started in Warrandyte and beyond and that time, there were 6.6
million sheep in Victoria. An 1858 petition was sent to the government to control
untethered animals which were causing heavy losses and serious inconveniences. Toll
Gates were introduced progressively from 1866 providing funds for road-building and
maintenance. Generally any interested person over 18 except any married woman living
with her husband (! - I don't know what you do if you are married but not living with your
husband), was able to peg out and apply for an allotment before or after the survey.
Licence to occupy was granted for three years at 2 shillings per acre per year. The lessee
had to fence the land and cultivate at least one-tenth. At the end of three years he was
expected to pay the remaining 14 shillings an acre - that is, the overall cost of one pound
per acre. (THIS DOESN'T ADD UPI) Costs were quite considerable including fencing,
tools, horse, food, housing etc. ln 1882, the railway from Hawthorn to Lilydale was built.
There is quite an amusing story in the book published by the late Jean Field (who was very
much involved in the Historical Society, Schwerkolt's Cottage, and Friends of the Lake at
Blackburn). She writes that at the Coach and Horses area where they were building the
railway line, there was a cutting and as it was a hot day, the men were going to the Coach
and Horses and have some light refreshment. The horse and wagons used to go with
them. On this day this man (l'll call him Bill Smith) thought he would have another quick
drink but his horse was a creature of habit, so it took the wagon back carrying all the
workers. On their return, the foreman said "Where's Mr. Bill Smith?" "He's still back at the
pub", the other said. So the foreman ordered another man "Can you drive?" "Yes", he
said. So the foreman told him to get up on the wagon and "keep right on driving".
Probation (???) was given without fuss. Put this man on his feet and he never looked
back. One man's loss is another's gain and there was no strike over the matter either.
And that was the actual quote she had in the book. lnterestingly enough, if you supplied
your own tools, you got 7 shillings a week. lf you had a horse and cart, I think you got 10
shillings.
A couple of other railway stories. The steam trains would stop and pick you up if you were
walking along beside the line making e.g. for Blackburn! And if you were coming up
Blackburn Rd., (which was a bit of a dog-track at the time), the stationmaster would see
you, or the guard would blow his whistle, and the train would stop and let you on. Gee,
today, you put your money in the slot, the darned thing jams and where do you go for a
ticket? Oh forthe good old days!! lt used to be 10p. and 1 shilling and 2 pence in those
days.
The book was dedicated to the women who lived in the Shire of Nunawading and was
printed in the 1950's. I always remember Jean Field - she was only a little tiny lady, and
you could just see the top of her head in her car. Jean Field and a few other ladies were
involved in what was called "the Friends of the Lake" in the mid-60's and in five years they
had 3,000 children out from the lnner Suburbs - and they didn't know what a tree looked
like. When I started a programme with the Volunteers at Blackburn Lake in 1985, we had
5,000 in three years. The volunteers gave generously of their time, and there were about
6ladies.
To return to the 1880's, the Freehold Assets Realization Company purchased 28 farms
around Blackburn and of course they had a lot of money from the gold rush period, and
they were land speculators. A t\4r Goodwin was responsible for drawing up the concept of
a model town of high class suburb - the Toorak of the Eastern Suburbs. The Lake was
formed, refreshment rooms, boats were hired, wide streets, landscaping, planting trees
etc., shop sites and residences, and of course, the Hall, where the Blackburn Library is
now, was where dances used to be held. Lover's Lane was down Alandale St (so l'm told)
as you walk down to Blackburn Lake. Also a cricket pitch. The lake was apparently built
to supply water for the orchardists, fire carts and the town. After the land boom burst, 140
acres belonging to them was offered to the shire of the day who refused the offer. Another
attempt in 1934, negotiations feel through and that was by the Shire of Blackburn.
At the same time as the Freehold Assets Realization Company Ltd was involved in
creating this model town, the electric tram began running behrrreen Box Hill and Doncaster.
And of course, exciting times - the Box Hill Artists Camp began. Frederick McCubbin,
Tom Roberts and Louis Abrahams actually went there and stopped overnight. Of course,
the women were not able to stop overnight - they went out by train, and went back by train
at night. One of the ladies names was Jane Sutherland. The three men used to camp
there - there has been lovely paintings done of it. They used to eat chops, tomatoes and billy tea. The McCubbin's actually moved to Blackburn and lived at 7 Wobeley Crescent
and his favourite painting he maintained, was this one of his wife at feeding time. (Painting
shown) You can actually see the roof of the house in the background. And this is Mrs
tVlcCubbin feeding the chooks. lt is in a private collection now. ln "the Bush ldyll" you can
actually see the Lake in the background and you can see the vegetation at the Lake in
those days. We know who the little girl is, but not the little boy. He did do another painting
of the same boy with a tin whistle and it was on his side fence at Wolseley Cres.
Then we go onto how the farm was actually purchased. Mr Ernest Abrahams was a
magazine editor of the "British Deaf Monthly" in England. He was very impressed with a
report from Parafield in South Australia of 28A acres which were donated by Mr John
Howard Angus a prominent citizen, for Deaf Mutes to earn a living with light work,
gardening, tending cattle, minding the poultry and later, developing a piggery. Training
eventually led to employment. lvlr Angus thought that was a good idea, so when he came
to Australia about three years later in 1901, he brought up the idea of a flower farm of
some sort for the "feeble-minded and deaf people". Sir Thomas Bent, in a forward policy,
listed f2,000 for the provision of the farm providing f2,000 was raised by the Deaf Society.
They held a three day bazaar in the tVlelbourne Town Hall in June 1907 and raised
sufficient funds to plan for the future project and a site was purchased in November 1907.
There were two sites considered - the first was where the Kew Cottages were, and the
second,75 acres at Blackburn Lake. Kew Cottages they felt was too close to (DOES SHE
MEAN 'TOO FAR FROM'?) transport and it didn't have the same atmosphere. They didn't
want to purchase 70 acres which was a little beyond their resources, but they decided in
the end and they bought the whole 75 acres. They lost 5 acres when the road was built
along Central Road.
ln 1908 the Blackburn Lake area was actually chosen. Mr Angus traveled to Adelaide to
see the farm at Parafield to get some good ideas. 14 acres were cleared and the 2 storey
residence for the superintendent and the men's wing were built. (Photos of
superintendent's home, men's wing and flowers at site of present Visitor's Centre shown.)
About 3 years after it was built, they found they didn't have enough money to build a
women's wing, and a Councillor Scott in the Shire commented that the money spent
already could have been more wisely used to afford a women's wing. lt was decided that
there were enough rooms in the present wing for the lVlatron to look after them. ln dry
weather, you can go down and see the foundations of the main building, the men's wing
and a cottage. You can't see the women's wing because that was removed when a
temporary car park was put in during the early 1970's when we purchased the land from
the Deaf Society. lt is interesting to see how large it was - it goes right past where the
swings are.
The had 14 acres of flowers growing. (Photos shown) This shows of packing the flowers,
Mr Abrahams taking the flowers to market, and here is one of them having a rest. The
trees were planted here after the Women's wing was built in 1912, and you can actually
see the Lake there. This is boats for hire. The vandals smashed the Refreshment rooms
in 1915. lt was upgraded in 1912 from the original Rooms built by the Freehold Assets
Realization Company. And this is when the Women's Wing was occupied, plus the l\ilain
Building. This is the Boathouse and the Jetty.
The single storey residence next to Holeproof was a temporary residence for the
superintendent and the 8 residents while they were clearing the land. The superintendent
received 2 pounds a week in wages and 12 shillings for each resident for their maintenance. ?
Clearing of the land by day labour was 7 shillings a day and 20 pounds for propagating the house
and a tool shed. The cost of the home was 2,980 poounds (or dollars?) in bricK, 35 pounds was added
for the cost of the brick for rendering of the home. They paid 50 pounds for the 2 boats, the
landing and the shelter for the picnic area.
I would like to read out some funny excerpts from a leaflet I wrote distributed by the
Council:
"On the opening day in December 1909, the flags were flying everywhere at the railway
station, places of business and along the road leading to the park. For upwards of 2 hours
there was a continuous stream of people on foot and in conveyances, filling the path and
roadways from the station to the entrance gate. The attendance totaled close up to 8,000
people, and the day was an ideal one for an outdoor picnic. There was a look of
anticipated pleasure on every face. The railway department experienced considerable
difficulty in dealing with the extra traffic - some of the trains taking t hour and 40 minutes
to do the 11 mile run from Melbourne. (We had a steam train there a while back and it
certainly took a lot longer - it broke down). On the left, the tent and the bush house, gaily
decorated with flags and poppies, a little further was the ltfliners Camp Hotel (the men will
love this!). This interesting encampment attracted a good deal of notice for it was
complete in every detail. The public were informed that here bitter beer, cheese and
biscuits could be obtained and that you could have a drink in a billy or a pail. A few
glasses were kept for the toffs! The ladies in attendance were pretty and innumerable."

All this was actually hand written in beautiful copperwrite writing. I went in to the Public
Library in the City to do some reference work and copied some of the documents. A later
visit found them all in a terrible old box all collapsible and I had to tie string around it.
When I handed it back, I suggested that they take more care of the contents as there were
valuable documents in there and this was the only access fo them. When I went back,
they couldnt find the box.

Many of the material the Deaf Society actually had was given to LaTrobe University
because they had a department that specialized in Deaf education. I believe it has been
taken off the University and is now in the State Library. We hope nothing rs /os[ because
many of the photos I have were from their records.
"ln the centre of the park were many amusements including a Merry-Go-Round, Shooting
gallery, Auntie Sally, swings etc. and that was under the management of the deaf people.
The members of the Blackburn Progress Association acted as stewards for the carnival.
Close on f200 was raised from the fair."
Another extract shows the wonderfulway of encouraging donations - a real gift.
"The Poultry Farm. ln response to the appeal made last month, Mrs Morgan has kindly led
off with a gifi of a rooster and two hens. The house is now inhabited, but the fowls look
very lonely in their great mansion and the extent of their country is greater than they can
cultivate and have whispered their desire for a great increase in the population. Will other
friends be good enough to send along, or instruct us to send more immigrants suitable for
this newly found colony."
They also had a monkey as a pet. "Our farm bids fair to become a miniature zoo (12
months after the official opening) as well as a botanical garden. (There were lots of
plantings of wattles, ferns - listed out in the articles I saw). lt now boasts two horses, a
cow, a calf, a dog, fowls, cat, a parrot, canary, innumerable lizards, jackasses
(kookaburras), magpies and other wild birds, with fish in the lake. The latest arrival is a
young monkey, the gift of Mr Truon. She is already very much at home and believes
herself to be of supreme importance."
This extract shows what the terrain was like: This is a description of a picnic in September
1911 held by deaf-mutes at the Lake. "Early in the evening, the visitors departed for home
with great bundles of flowers. A lantern was brought out to show them the way over the
treacherous roads. Every now and then, they tripped or dipped their feet in the pools of5
water. The result was that nearly every boot or shoes nicely coated in the mud was seen
in the train, but their owners were too happy and tired to mind. They were well pleased
with their outing and reached home in a satisfied frame of mind."
ln 1913, the pine trees were planted as a wind break.
They transported flowers to the Victoria Market, firstly by horse and wagon, and then they
sent them in by train, but the sharper lads went in and learnt the tricks of the trade - you
had to leave by 2.00 in the morning. The flowers were picked up when they got to
Melbourne by a horse and dray, and took them to Stand 57 in Shed C. The sales ranged
from f8l8l-, to 81515/- depending on the seasons. Later they were transported to Sydney.
The flowers were so beautiful, and the people actually paid for the transport costs.
!n 1910 there was the first mention of the Rates Charges from the Shire of Nunawading.
The rate issue was finally resolved in August 1924. The rates amounted to f83/15/- - the
Council made a grant of t20. In 1911, the property was known as Lake Park Blackburn
officially, and in 1914-18 saw a lot of soldiers recuperating there with the nurses and they
used to be seen on the north bank. Electricity was installed in 1916, and 1917 saw 2,000
feet of 4 inch wood mains with certain fittings installed - that was to pump the water up
from the Lake.
The first reference to selling the property was in 1921. They offered it to the Council at
various stages and finally it ended up with the Board of Works purchasing it in the mid-
60's. lt was also considered in 1922 that the water pumped from the lake wasn't fit for
water consumption or washing purposes, so it was just used for the garden. The water
from the Yan Yean came on in 1926.
Because of the court cases they had with the Shire of Nunawading, they won the first case
but the Shire wasn't happy about that so they went back to the High Court (in h/elbourne,
not in Canberra in those days) and they Shire won the second case. So they decided to
let the flower farm just run down, and they supplied enough food for themselves. lt was a
great shame, for it provided handicapped people with an occupation and ability to look
after themselves. (Our eldest girl had a very severe breakdown and of course, anything
that can encourage them to be occupied, pafiicularly at that initial period, is very very
important. She has now made her niche in the local church, is in the community house,
and is in a little choir although she can't sing a note. She is in charge of tambourines and
leads them all wittt the tambourine. So if is an occupation that makes them happy).
Here are some stories about the Farm:
"There was Lord Nelson, one of the inmatqs, and he used to dress up in a military jacket
and march around the lake. Mr Abrahandb went to the city and he was late home from a
meeting. lt was a nice moonlit night and as he came along Central Road to the property,
he could see this white cloud moving around. He thought "Gee, it's a bit spooky tonight. I
hope it's not the ghostl I have heard about the Messiah" (see below). On closer
investigation he found it was Lord Nelson who had got up during the night and was out
throwing lime around to catch the snails and the slugs. lt was him walking across the
paddock!
Percy Swain was a jack of all trades - he could mend boots, groom a horse, do his share
in the garden, and take pride in driving the chaplain to Box Hill on Sunday to officiate at
services. This meant 8 journeys - on duty from 8.30am to 1 'lpm.
"Sam Buse (??)'s expertise with the ax and the jack, enjoyed working with Archie in work
where his muscle strength was needed. William Skewes, a knight of the hoe, wields his
weapon with fine skill- his delight is the violet patch. He is our champion picker."
ln 1933, Mr Butterworth kept on the property and he gott2l10/- a week provided he sold
f6 of flowers because that had to allow for McClelland's wages which was fixed. So if Mr
Buttenuorth didn't sell fG of flowers, he got less of his own wage.
So you have all heard of Messiah's. We had one at Blackburn Lake. This is a true
(dramatized!) event. This gentleman was called James Cowley Morgan Fisher. He was a
very attractive man who had a great following - the Fisherites He used to perform miracles
- "You have seen me cure so-and-so." "Yes, hallelujah!" "Well, next week l'm going down
to Blackburn Lake and walk the waters. Do you believe that I can do this miracle?" "Yes,
Hallelujah!" So they all went down and stood on the Lake's edge to see him do the
miracle. "So you know I can do the miracle" he said. "Yes, yes" they all replied. "Well, if
you know I can do it, I don't have to do it, do l!" he said. This is quoted in "Believe lt Or
Not!" Fisher is described as: "He could heal the sick, raise the dead, walk on the water.
He also performed minor miracles with controlling both the weather, and it seems no less
than three wives! Fisher bought land in Nunawading and set himself up in business as a
charcoal burner and married Miss Chamberlain who died two years later. His second wife,
Mrs Kefford's mother, was head of a sect with one of its Australian branches the Church of
Christian lsraelites. Fisher certainly looked the part of a prophet - great long hair worn in
a bun, he had a magnificent beard. Women were especially attracted to Fisher and many
a quiet Nunawading night was disturbed by the sound of the Messiah, wandering through
the countryside, followed by a band of singing, shouting women. He would gather them up
on a moonlight night, and with kerosene tins and other implements, he would tramp
through the paddocks, driving the devil out of them by making an infernal noise. Fisher's
most brilliant performance was given on the shores of Blackburn Lake.
He headed a household of three women - legally married to one, the others were either
concubines or house guests, depending on whose version of the truth you chose to
believe. Fisher told the court that polygamy was accepted for men advanced in faith. The
Magistrate who heard the charges against Fisher were more at home with petty larcenies
and neighbourhood squabbles, and were clearly out of their depth with Messiahs and
miracles. Victory for Fisher, but the publicity and ridicule of the whole affair had attracted
signaled the end of his church. Fisher eventually moved to Western Australia where he
died in 1913. I believe his church was down at Fisher St. but I might be wrong, 013 6,{ 4
I used to go to Blackburn Lake in the '60's when children were able to work and not get
taken in cars. We used to walk from Forest Hill over to Blackburn Lake, and I used to
dance around the toadstools with the Brownies and l'm sure the neighbours thought I was
a screwball loose! I remember the homestead that was there. We lived in Nunawading at
that stage when it was removed (pulled down - in 1973). lt was a shame as that building
would have made a beautiful museum - it was two storey and I believe the stairs inside
were really superb. I never saw it inside.
I joined the Committee in '73 and I saw the acquisition of the land up until the present
stage. A little bit sad to go, but I think your health must be a consideration. Also my
husband had a fall when he was on the farm one day (when I was there luckily). I thought
"Things could happen. He could be out in a paddock, l'm not there, and I could not forgive
myself." So we are vigourouly shifting house after being 27-8 years in the last home and
trying to squeeze into a smaller house. Never mind, we will get there.
Thank you very much for inviting me along. This is my swansong - my last effort in the
City of Whitehorse. I have a Guide thing coming up 4 days after we have to be out of our
house out at Longridge Park, and l've done the environment for 20 years, and l've been in
the Guides for 35 years, and I will be retiring after June.

Questions:
Question: There is quite a considerable literature written about gold being found in the
area.
DM: Yes, l've seen that. Another one said that it was a spring. They hit the spring and
that formed the lake.
Robyn D'Costa is going to do a reprint of her book next year.

Question (Frances): I remember as a child at school in Vermont, there used to be a man
that lived down Canterbury Rd. somewhere, and he was a Fisherite and we used to say
"Right Right Fisherite" and I guess he was one of them.
DM: There was a publication in the Age where I got some of my information about Mr
Fisher,

Question: There has been a man who has done more in depth research into the Fisherites
and we have that in our records.
DM: All my material about the Fisherites and the flower farm has come out of the Age
article.

Question: Going back to the house, it was so substantial so who authorized its
demolition? Was it owned by the Board of Works?
DM: No, the Deaf Society actually owned that. A section around the Lake was actually
acquired by the Board of Works. lt was offered to the Council but they didn't know what to
do with it. The Board of Works built the ponding basin and the wall, as suggested by Edna
Waling. The wall was put in instead of making it a flash flooding area and removing the
dam wall.
The Deaf Society actually owned the property and they had a subdivision plan for their
land and where the Visitor's Centre now is, when I came onto the sub-committee. They
had isolated one of two places where they would have their home - either down that end
where I would dance around the toadstools (the East end) or where the home is now. They
selected the latter because it was nearest to the railway line. I think that they removed the
house and buildings when they planned the subdivision to force a situation. lt took three
years for the Council to actually purchase that land - three tiers of government were
involved. But it was the Deaf Society that removed the buildings and had the plans for the
subdivision. ln the book "No Longer by Gaslight" by l\ilr Flynn, it has actually got the plan
with the subdivision in it.
Luckily Camberwell Grammar purchased the land on the other side. lt they hadn't, and
they had subdivided it back in the 50's, we wouldn't have Blackburn Lake as it is today.

Question: I understand that you have been involved in some children's programmes. Can
you tell me a bit about them?
DM: When I was on the Advisory Committee, busloads of children used to come in with
the teachers. I lived off Central Road in Brenda Court at that stage and I would go past
and l'd see a busload, and the teachers would be sitting under a tree, and the children
would be running around willy-nilly and picking wild flowers etc. And I'd go in and say
"Please don't pick the wild flowers." And the teachers would throw them on the ground
etc. I thought it was very important to do something to encourage children to be aware of
the value of the Sanctuary.
Prior to that, l'd started the environment programme with the Girl Guides in '81-'82, so I
was talking to some local residents, and one was Beryl Stokes and she said "l'll do an
audio-visual if you will do an activity sheet." I mentioned to her basically what I wanted it
to cover. I went to Alan Read and asked his help to draw up an activity sheet. I learnt to
do my own later on. Then a teacher from St Thomas' worked in with one of the volunteers,
Sue Dempsey, and they did one for Preps, 1 and 2. Our audio-visual clicked right into
everything we had on our activity sheets,
ln November I had a meeting, we started in March and I had a training session with half a
dozen volunteers and we had experts in birds etc. showing them what the things were on
the activity sheets. We then invited a school in - Blackburn Lake PS was the first one.
We then invited Laburnum PS - the whole school came down and we asked for
constructive criticism because we had an audio-visual and we hadn't polished it at that
stage. As each sentence finished, we flicked the slide onto the next one - very
amateurish! Brian Bolsh actually sold us the machine and he polished it for us eventually.
They gave criticism but very constructively and helpfully, because it was quite unique - run
by volunteers free of charge. We incorporated quite a few of those ideas, and from that
primary level, we went into secondary, tertiary, adult groups.
I don't know what the Council are doing at this moment. I gave notice in [tlarch of last year
and in November, they hadn't done anything other than a small survey.

Question: Did any of those programmes actually become part of the schools curriculum?
DM: Yes. Originally Alan's writing was just to observe nature and then we incorporated
secondary level Biology, Geography CATS until the assessors found out the students were
cheating and copying from the previous year) but a lot of my students were A's and A+'s.
One young lad from Vermont High came and brought me a box of chocolates. He got an
A in my assignment. They now can't get help from the libraries, but I was able to give
them lots of information and statistics e.g. how much it cost for maintenance, I knew the
people that work on it. I also developed an aboriginal programme in '88. That extended
through primary to secondary levels. I was given permission to tell the Dreamtime stories
from the Wurundjeri and this all comes into Environmental Education. I never knocked
back a school or group, even if it was Monday night. I only had volunteers for Wednesday
or Thursday, and I covered all the other days. I would tell the teachers "l haven't got
volunteers, but I could do a one-to-one and l'll show you where to go or whatever is
needed."

Question: Could you tell us about the extension to the lnformation Centre? lt was Rotary
funded.
DM: Originally there were workmen's showers, kitchen etc. because John Brandenburg
was the Council officer then, and the fellows using sprays had to have a shower before
going home etc. I\Iy husband was on Council and he said "Why don't we add on a 2Ax20
room as a meeting room for the Committee? I know that my wife was always trying to get
a room up at the Council instead of being in people's homes which was distractive and no
as businesslike." So that was passed by Council, and I started the programme up in that
20x20 room. The aboriginal programme - I had 1,200 kids through that 20x20 room in
one week, and 500 on a Sunday. That proved to the Council that we needed it. I was
carrying books home from there and I lost two or three very valuable books on Blackburn
Lake. So we got the extension after drawing up three sets of plans. IVly daughter-in-law
did the third set and that was the one John Brandenburg was happy with. She had to
hand her plans over because she was only a draughtswoman to an architect. .(end of
tape) to actually do the inside of it. The Council actually charged us $750 for the tree that I

have the birds displayed on. So it was all by donations virtually. A wonderful collection of
photos etc have been donated by Beryl Stokes and a lot of others would remount the
photos for the cost of the materials. Another chap used to put shelving in for me for the
cost of the materials. People were very generous.
But I think if you started to charge the schools for the programme, we were very definitely
against that. We were mothers or grandparents, we were not trained teachers or rangers
or professionals. We gave of as much time as we could and helped the teachers as much
as we could with resource material etc. But we believed that it wouldn't have the same
impact if we asked for money as they went out the door. I hope it continues to be manned
by volunteers - especially to help the secondary and tertiary students. The resource
material is there. I have handed the scrap book over to the Historical Society - l've been
doing the scrap book for over 20 years. There is a copy for the Lake committee, but the
building is damp where the photos etc. are, and I had mildew on the cover a couple of
times, so I thought it was best to come up to the Historical Society.
On the audio-visual that Beryl Stokes did in 1985, it has you (?) painting at the edge of the
Lake!

Official thanks from Peter Simmenauer