Thursday, November 5, 2015

Cora Lynn Church

The Presbyterian Church and the Methodist Church used to hold services at the Cora Lynn Hall from around the 1920s to 1960.  Most people attended every Sunday regardless of which religion they were. The average congregation was around 25.  Sunday School started first at 1.30pm and Church was at 2.30pm.

Dad and his sisters and brother all went to Sunday School and Church at Cora Lynn, initially driven by horse and jinker, until the family got their first car in 1948. 


  
Cora Lynn Sunday School 1948
Back row - Fourth from left is Frank Rouse, far right is Nancy Rouse, to her left is her sister Dorothy and in front of her is another sister, Daphne. Do you recognize anyone?

Apart from Cora Lynn there was a Methodist Church at Five Mile and one at Garfield and Modella. Garfield and Modella were serviced by the Drouin Minister and Cora Lynn and Five Mile by the Koo-Wee-Rup Minister. The only Methodist Ministers Mum and Dad can remember is a Mr Rosewarne and the Rev Blainey - the father of historian Geoffrey Blainey. There was also a Presbyterian Church at Iona and Bunyip.

The Presbyterian Minister from around 1953 was the Reverend Quentin Huckson. He lived in Bunyip with his wife Peggy and their four children - Judith, John, Peter and Andrew.  Rev Huckson had a service at Bunyip every week; then went to Iona which was an 11.30am service then alternate weeks did Cora Lynn and Longwarry at 2.30pm. He also conducted a monthly service at Tonimbuk and a service at Longwarry North. He drove to these services in a Peugot 203 and Dad said he was happy to talk about his car for hours. It was an unusual car in this area as it was the first foreign car they had seen in the district.

The Reverend Huckson left the Parish on August 25 1957 but the week before he left on August 18 Mum says he ‘rounded up’ all the babies in the area that were due to be christened and did a ‘mass baptism’ of about 12 babies all at once at Iona, including my sister Megan and our cousin Bruce Forte.

Before the next Presbyterian Minister came there was a period of about 16 months where retired ministers filled in. They often came by train the night before and then on the Sunday had at least three services to conduct. The next minister was the Reverend Ron Traill who came around the end of 1958 and almost immediately closed down Tonimbuk and Longwarry North Churches, but Cora Lynn lasted a bit longer and closed at the end of 1960.

Getting back to Cora Lynn - the big occasions at Cora Lynn were the Harvest Festival and the Sunday School picnic. The Harvest Festival would receive two to three tons of potatoes, onions, pumpkins etc that would all be taken to the Presbyterian Kildonan or Canterbury Babies Home or similar Methodist Homes. The Sunday School picnic was held at Glen Cromie and many of the children got there on the back of a truck owned by Ern Wilkinson.

This brings us to the Cora Lynn congregation - here is a list of people that Dad and Mum remembers attending the Cora Lynn Church. Ern and Elsie Wilkinson and their son Keith; Jim and Mabel MacDonald and their children Lorna, Jack, Bob and Joyce; Mrs Whitta and her son Donald; Mrs Julia Clapperton and her son Keith; Dan and Corrie Kinsella; Norman and Lorna Kinsella; Mrs Aileen Higgins of Toner Road - she had 5 or 6 children including Merna, Maurice, Ron, Joy and Wayne; Mrs Jocie Clay who lived on the Nine Mile and had young children; Mrs Nell Leamon, the wife of Clarrie the Scout Master. After Mr Leamon passed away she married Cr Dick Wakenshaw, the father of Bob and Don; the Slater family - the children were Euan and twins Andrew and Mary; Jack and Grace Huntingford and children Garry, Pam and Gwenda; Harry and Florence Huntingford and children Elaine and Jim; Mrs Harker and her children Frank and Joyce; Mrs Pearl Townley, Mrs McKenzie (wife of Les), Alan and Audrey Reid and Win Reid, who was the Sunday school teacher. Win was a cousin of Alan and Audrey.  Sorry, we don’t know all the first names.

There was also the Cora Lynn Combined Church Ladies Guild which continued on for several years after the services were stopped at Cora Lynn.


This is the Cora-Lynn Combined Churches Ladies Guild c.1965

Left to Right - Mabel McDonald (nee Wilkinson), Elsie Wilkinson, Rene Huntingford (nee Stephenson), Mrs Benham, Pearl Townley, Audrey Reid, Nell Wakenshaw, Mrs McKenzie, Grace Huntingford, Corrie Kinsella and Eva Rouse (nee Weatherhead, my grandma).

I am indebted to Bruce Stephenson for identifying Rene Huntingford, as we had her listed as unknown.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

100 years ago this week - Kirwan's store

100 years ago this week - John Kirwan, store owner, was caught illegally selling alcohol.  Kirwin's store was on the corner of the Thirteen Mile and the Main Drain. It was later taken over by James and Edith McMannis.

Dandenong Advertiser September 23, 1915

Thursday, September 3, 2015

100 years ago this week - Dalmore Roads

100 years ago this week comes this report from the Lang Lang Guardian  of September 8, 1915 about Dalmore ratepayers prepared to pay extra to get their roads fixed.  Apparently Dalmore was a 'quagmire covered with scrub'  The roads were partly bad as a great many tons of potatoes were being sent to the Dalmore Station. Dalmore Station had opened on October 1, 1888, it was originally called Peer’s Lane, then Koo-Wee-Rup West, then Dalmore. 

The School at 'the end of Ballarto Road' was the Cardinia State School, No. 3689, which had opened on November 3, 1911. The Church they are referring to is the Cardinia Presbyterian Church which was completed in October 1915.



Lang Lang Guardian  September 8, 1915.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

100 years ago this week - Junior teacher position available

Want a job as a teacher? Then apply to the Bunyip State School. You must be over 16, apply in your own hand writing, and prepared to pay a fee of 2/6 to sit the examination!


Bunyip Free Press  August 26, 1915

100 years ago this week - Iona citizens support the War effort

It's always interesting to read local newspapers and see how they either make or report pronouncements on international matters. This report looks at the meeting of Iona citizens held around the anniversary of the declaration on the Great War.



Bunyip Free Press August 19. 1915

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Mr Rodger the baker at Bunyip - 100 years ago this week

Hers is  a great advertisement from Mr Rodger the baker and general storekeeper at Bunyip in the Bunyip Free Press of July 22, 1915. In keeping with the nationalistic and imperialistic times, Mr Rodger advertises No fancy Foreign cakes kept on my counter


Henry Rodger is listed in the Electoral Rolls as a baker in Bunyip from 1903 until 1924. In 1928 he is listed as a retired baker. He was married to Hannah and she died August 10, 1926 and is buried at Bunyip Cemetery. Henry died December 17 1937 and he may well be buried with his wife but he is not on the gravestone. They  had three children Aldred (died 1969, aged 72, buried at Bunyip), Ada and Jessie.

Boys' football match - 100 years ago this week.

From The Lang Lang Guardian of July 21 1915, comes this account of a a football match between the boys at Yallock and Yannathan State Schools. Yannathan won the match 8.8. to 2.3.


Lang Lang Guardian July 21, 1915

Lots of familiar names - McCraw, McKay, Lineham, Games etc.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

100 years ago this week - Potatoes

100 years ago this week, The Australasian, in the Country Gleanings column reported on the good potato season on the Swamp.

The Australasian  June 26 1915
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142975577



This is how the potatoes would have been loaded. 26 tons, 310 bags, loaded from Garfield.
State Library of Victoria Image H92.301/92.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

The beginnings of the Royal Hotel, Koo-Wee-Rup

The January 8, 1915 issue of the Powlett Express reported on the hearing at the Wonthaggi Licensing Court  held on December 18, 1914. There were applications for ‘certificates authorising the issue of victualler’s licences’ at various towns, including Koo Wee Rup. The applicants for Koo Wee Rup were - Edmund J. Hayes, Denis McNamara, Alf E. Edney, Lyman Wildes, William Clews, Sarah Ann Kraft. The Presiding Magistrates at the hearing were Messrs P. Cohen, Bevan, and Gray. 

Opening remarks
There were six applications for conditional certificates authorising the issue of victuallers' licences in Koo Wee Rup. Three of the sites were in Station street and three in Rossiter's-road. All of the applicants agreed that only one licence was required. Mr. E. Brayshay appeared for Edmund J. Hayes, whose site was in Rossiter's-road. Mr. Shelton (for the Licensing Inspector) in this and the following applications, formally objected that the licence was not required. Mr. J. Meagher: Mr. Shelton means that six licences are not required. Mr. Brayshay: We can agree with Mr. Shelton there.

In opening his case, Mr. Brayshay said he concurred with Mr. Shelton's remarks regarding discretion of the Bench as to number of licenses that should be granted at this sitting of the court. He submitted that in coming to a decision the Bench should consider (1) The site or position of the proposed house, from the point of view of convenience of the residing and travelling public, and particularly the travelling public. In a railway town, proximity to the railway station was important. (2) The personnel of the applicant and fitness to conduct the hotel; and (3) That the applicant has the means and ability. An applicant was not entitled to speculate. Wonthaggi, as they knew, had been handicapped by want of accommodation, and people had been put to great straits to obtain it; the same in a lesser degree applied to Koo-Wee-Rup. It was a large fertile plain, and there were about 500 people within a 4 or 4½ mile radius, and about 200 residents in the town.  [Read original on Trove, here]

Edmund Hayes
He would put in a plan of the locality, and plan of buildings, containing 30 rooms, which it was proposed to erect at a cost of £3750, within 9 or 10 months. The applicant had 14 years' experience in different parts of the State, and had never been summoned for a breach of the Licensing Act. Colin Campbell, clerk of courts, and Licensing-Inspector Costelloe, admitted on oath having received the various notices, and evidence was given by L. J. Flannigan, architect, E. J. Hayes, .applicant, who kept hotels at Drouin, Nhill, and Watchem. A financial statement was submitted to the Bench. The area of the site was 3 roods 5 perches. Constable Ryan, in charge of the Drouin police station, and Cr. C. N.
Byrrell, Poowong East, gave applicant an excellent character. 

Albert Woodman, Koo-Wee-Rup, said there was a demand for accommodation. The traffic came along Rossiter-road from lona, Modella, Yannathan to Langwarrin. The area of the swamp was 90,000 acres; dairying and agriculture was the chief business. There was room for one hotel. Arthur Wm. Stevens, storekeeper, said the site was a good one, and would suit the public convenience. Constable Cole, Lang Lang, said the nearest hotels were Lang Lang and Pakenham, nine miles, and Tooradin, about six miles away. [Read original on Trove, here]

Denis McNamara
Mr. J. S. Meagher appeared for the applicant, and observed that he could show that many things that Mr. Brayshay claimed for his client, and much more in addition, appertained to his client, who was a pioneer of the district, and supplied the navvies and settlers with provisions, wading at times through icy water to do so. Settlement could not be achieved without the co-operation of a man like that. He had conducted a hotel at Carlton, and had taken an active part in procuring the petition for the local option poll. The site was in Station-street, at the corner of a street, and opposite the railway goods sheds. All business interest centred in Station-street. In view of his work as a pioneer and representative man, this applicant was entitled to a hotel.

Theo. Lyall, farmer, Koo-Wee-Rup, said the bulk of the traffic came along Station-street. McNamara's site was higher than the the Rossiter-road site, and one hotel was needed, as the place was growing. Jas. Mornane, station master, Koo-Wee Rup gave evidence of traffic transactions, which increased 50 per cent, in two years. A survey of a new line to Yannathan and Poowong had been made. It might interfere with gate near Rossiter-road. M. D. Dalley said McNamara's site was the most central. It would be a public benefit. Though the passenger platform was on the other side, people would take a risk and cross the rails. Mr. Cohen, P.M.: After leaving an hotel.

Other evidence in support of the application was given by C. J. Moody, who said Hayes' site was no place for a hotel ; the swamp was under water four years ago, but McNamara's was high and dry. The Government had promised drainage works, but they were not yet carried out. W. C. Moody, T. J. Burhop, H. C. Hamilton, Alex. Moorey, ex-sergeant of police; D. Pollock, H. Beattie, and A. B. Backhouse (a Rechabite), Clarke, and D. J. Bourke, J.P. (Pakenham), also gave evidence. It was stated that 75 per cent. of the traffic came along Station-street. A. Fritsch, architect, said the building would cost £4000.

D. McNamara, applicant, said he was in Koo-Wee-Rup in 1893, store-keeping for six years. He had conducted a hotel at Carlton, and was now storekeeping at Koo-Wee-Rup. He got up two petitions for local option polls. He had no encumbrance on his property. (Title produced.) Mr. Meagher: Yours in the best site? Witness: I suppose that is a silly question to ask. (Laughter.) Mr. Meagher: Not at all. You have other land?—Yes, in Rossiter-road, which I bought four years ago. I bought the additional block in Station-street 12 months ago. The Station-street site was the best, and I have means to erect it.

To Mr. Shelton: He had held a wine and spirit license. Mr. Shelton: Is that your only experience of selling liquor?—I was bar-man for two years. Were you ever convicted? Mr. Meagher objected to the question. Provision was made in the Licensing Act that no conviction over three years could be used in evidence. Mr. Cohen, P.M., directed to Section 91 of the Act, regarding testimonials. They had the inspector's report. Witness stated that he was convicted for selling a less quantity than his license entitled him to sell. He was fined £30. Plain-clothes Constable Campbell said applicant had conducted the Albion Hotel, Carlton, satisfactorily. Mr. Shelton drew attention to the fact that the notices were not proved, and the necessary evidence was given by Colin Campbell, clerk of courts, and L. C. Meagher, solicitor for the applicant. Mr. Meagher asked that the Bench should not consider the conviction when coming to the decision.  [Read original on Trove, here]

  
Pumping the water out of the hotel cellar with  a Fordson tractor, 1934.  In spite of the evidence presented at the Licensing Court, the Royal Hotel site was obviously not immune to flooding.
Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society photograph

Alf E. Edney
Mr. Sutherland appeared for applicant, whose site was in Station-street, near Rossiter-road. A.W.Stevens said that there was no excessive water lodgment in Rossiter-road, along which 75 per cent, of the traffic came. The site was dry. Mr. P.Cohen, P.M.: The Bench have evidence that 75 per cent, comes the other way: 150 per cent, altogether! A. Woodman gave evidence, and the formal notices were proven. Alf. E. Edney, retired storekeeper, Leongatha, said he was purchasing the land. He proposed to erect a house of 34 rooms, at a cost of between £2000 and £3000, with ample sanitary and
other accommodation, air gas, etc. To Mr. Shelton: Vickery had a hotel at Longwarry, and suggested to witness to apply. No one except witness had a beneficial interest in the hotel. [Read original on Trove, here]

Lyman Wildes
Mr. Barham (instructed by Messrs. Boothby and Booth by, Loch and Melbourne) appeared for applicant. The site was in Rossiter-road, south-east of the railway line. Counsel stated that hotels were more particularly for the convenience of travellers, as, for instance, the inns of older times. His client had option to purchase at £2 per foot, and the cost of the building would be £3700. C. G. Kempson, architect, said the hotel would contain 24 rooms, and take nine or ten months to erect. Mr. Cohen, P.M., pointed out that there was no provision made for a bathroom for females, in many of the plans. It was very necessary to have two bathrooms.

Cr. Hardy, Cranbourne Council, said applicant was well fitted to conduct the hotel. His hotel at Lang Lang was well conducted. The council had improved the drainage at Koo-Wee-Rup. The Government had a big drainage scheme in hand. Cr. Angus Cameron, Yannathan, said the drainage was sufficient to meet ordinary requirements. Wildes' site was well suited for Koo-Wee-Rup. Applicant had an excellent character. Lyman Wildes, applicant, said he was licensee of the Lang Lang Hotel, and trade would be reduced by half if he got a license at Koo-Wee-Rup; he would get rid of the Lang Lang license if successful. His site was higher than McNamara's, and well drained and dry; he had means and ability to build.

H. C. Smith, managing clerk, Messrs. Boothby and Boothby, produced the documents regarding ownership of the land and serving of notices. Patrick William McGrath, farmer, Glen Forbes, formerly licensee of Poowong Hotel, said he had known applicant at Lang Lang. The hotel was well conducted. Wildes was a hard-working, popular man, and a suitable man to hold a license in Koo-Wee-Rup; the site was very suitable, high and dry. Mr. Shelton directed attention to the Licensing Act, and cases regarding a person holding a beneficial interest in more than one license. He did not think it was an absolute bar. Licensing-Inspector Costello said the applicant's hotel at Lang Lang was well conducted. Constable Cole, Lang Lang, gave the applicant and his house a good character; he would be a suitable man to hold a license; he verified the testimonials given to Mr. Wildes by Messrs. Blake and Le Roux. Mr. Barham said that no license would be issued until the conditional certificate became absolute. Nothing should be done to debar hotelkeepers and license holders applying for a new license. [Read original on Trove, here]

William Clews
Mr. P. H. Conant, solicitor, Wonthaggi, instructed by Messrs. Croft and Rohden, appeared for applicant, the site was in Rossiter road. McNamara's site was hidden by the goodsheds, and one had to travel three sides of a square to find it. It would take a Philadelphia lawyer to find it on a dark night when it was raining, and there were no lamps. The formal notices were proved. William Clews said he was connected with hotel business for 23 years; he had held licenses for 16 years, and owned hotels at Sale, Ballarat, Traralgon and Moe; he had had no prosecutions against him; he had an option over the site of half an acre in Rossiter's-road, near Mr. Hayes' site; he proposed to build the hotel according to plans and specifications produced, at an estimated cost of £3500. He had means of his own, and was capable of carrying out the work. His property in Sale had been delicensed, and he got £490 compensation. To Mr. Shelton: The contract of sale was the only title he had to the land, of which Mr. Meikle was the owner. He had paid 10/- to Mr. Meikle for the option. The hotels he had been in were successful, but they were not fit to live in; they were good financial houses. In some of them one got wet in the beds from rain coming in. It was absolutely true. The owners got notice to put them in order. It would not pay him to do them up; he was only the licensee. He could not buy the freehold. Mr. P. Cohen, P.M.: Could not get out of the rain. [Read original on Trove, here]

Sarah Alice Kraft.
Mr. Dunn appeared for the applicant, whose site was next to Mr. Edney's in Station-street. Koo-Wee-Rup was not a holiday resort; people went there on business, which was mostly transacted in Station-street. He submitted that it was not so much the building that should be considered, it might be a big imposing house where no one would feel at home, but they should take into consideration comfort and convenience, and the experience of the applicant to make people at home. His client had many testimonials from travellers, doctors, Government officers and others. Sarah Alice Kraft, married woman, said she had 30 years' experience of hotel life; owned and conducted the Bunyip Hotel 14 years; had experience and catered satisfactorily for conditions in the Swamp. No one else was interested in her application. She had purchased 66 feet, and had an option over 14 feet. The building would cost £2700, and be finished in eight or nine months. Inspector Costello said a great many testimonials had been investigated. [Read original on Trove, here]

Concluding remarks.
This concluded the cases. Mr. Shelton said that the attention of the court might be drawn to some aspects of the cases. Mr. Dunn had put the thing on a proper basis when he referred to the convenience of the public. Reference had been made to old inns previously. He submitted that having regard to travellers and future possibilities the court should consider the (l) site of the building; (2) class of building with regard to requirements of the locality; (3) personal character of the applicant and ability to conduct the business.  [Read original on Trove, here]

Who was the winner? It was Denis McNamara. I can’t find any reports as to why he was selected over the other applicants, however he wasted no time. Tenders were invited for the construction of the Hotel in February. Mr A. Oliver won the tender for the contract price of £3,305. The finished building was a fine commodious building of nearly 30 rooms, according to the Lang Lang Guardian, and one of the finest edifices of the kind in Gippsland. The rooms were fitted out by Mr McKee of the Royal Arcade in a most up-to-date and luxurious manner.   It was officially opened on Thursday, September 9, 1915. You can read more about the Royal Hotel and Denis McNamara and family, here.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

100 years ago this week - St Joseph's Convent School Iona opened

St Joseph's Convent School at Iona opened one hundred years ago, on April 11 1915. A report two weeks later  said that three Sisters of St Joseph on the teaching staff and sixty children attend daily,


Bunyip Free Press April 15, 1915



The opening of the Convent in 1915, from 100 years of a Catholic Faith Community: St Joseph's Iona 1905-2005 by Damian Smith.


A more detailed report, some of which is reproduced here,was in The Advocate, of April 17, 1915. the full article can be read here - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page17855840


Here's some description of the  building, from the same Advocate article.



Here's more description of the new Iona Convent from The Advocate, of April 17 1915.




Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Growing up on a dairy farm in the 1940s and 50s.

Small family Dairy farms used to be the predominant farm on the Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp until the 1970s or so. In the 1920s, for instance, it was estimated that there were close to 12,000 dairy cattle in the Parishes of Koo-Wee-Rup, Koo-Wee-Rup East and Yallock (approximately Koo-Wee-Rup to Bunyip and south to Bayles, Caldermeade and Catani) at the same time the human population would have been maybe 4,500.

My father, Frank Rouse, grew up on a small dairy farm on Murray Road at Cora Lynn and this is his story.  Family farms relied on the (generally unpaid) labour of family members and Dad, his brother Jim and their two older sisters were expected to take part in the daily chores on the farm.

The family milked cows and separated the cream which they sold to the Drouin factory to make butter; the rest was fed to the pigs, which when they were fat enough were sold at the Dandenong Market.  This wasn’t especially profitable and around 1949 when Jim was 18 and Dad was 16, Jim got the family a milk contract.  This meant they no longer had to separate the milk; it was sold as whole milk for the Melbourne market for a much higher price and thus the family income increased by 250 per cent.  Jim had arranged the contract through Campbell Buchanan, of Cora Lynn, who was also the carrier.



Lucy Rouse (Dad's aunty) and the little girl is Dorothy Rouse (Dad's sister), c. 1938. 

When they got the milk contract the family began the change from Jersey cows, which produced less milk but more cream to Friesians, they were bigger cows, had less trouble calving and produced more milk.

However, this meant that they had to build a new cow shed. The original cow shed had been built by Frank and Jim’s grandfather when he took up the block in 1903. It had six single bails, 25-30 cows were milked daily by hand, before school and after school.  Neighbours, including Joe Storey and Johnny King had milking machines. Maybe not everyone did but Dad feels fairly sure that they were the last dairy to become mechanised.



Rouse family farm, 1928.  Dad remembers it as 'acres of mud'

The new cow shed was built by Frank and Jim and, because of the conditions of the milk contract, the shed needed concrete floors and walls. For the concrete they needed sand, so they had to take the horses and dray up to the end of Dessent Road to the Main Drain. There was no levee bank then so they walked the horses, attached to a scoop, down into the drain where they pulled the scoop along, filled it up with sand and pulled it up the bank where Dad and Jim shovelled it onto a flat section then later shovelled it all into the dray, which belonged to their neighbour the aforementioned Johnny King, take it home and shovel it out.

They had purchased a second hand 2hp Rosebery petrol engine which powered the concrete mixer, thus the floor and lower wall (five feet high) were built (using formwork, not bricks) and the rest of the walls were timber, with a corrugated iron roof. The dairy, connected by a 6 ft wide breezeway also needed to be concreted.   Once the shed was built, Joe (Jim and Frank’s dad) purchased a second hand Mitchell milking machine plant from a farm in Koo-Wee-Rup. It took 90 minutes to get to Koo-Wee-Rup with a wagon and three horses – then Frank and Jim had to take the plant apart, load them and then they had to put them back together and install the machines. The plant was powered by the Rosebery engine.  After this, the family milked 45-50 cows. The Rouse family had four horses, which Dad describes as ‘3 reasonable and one mongrel’ – the best two were called Ned and Rats.

Dad had been used to working with horses as when he was 15 he worked a team of horses for Sandy Priest who lived near Bayles. He used to plant crops, scuffle spuds etc. Sandy was also a top cattle breeder and often topped the sales at Newmarket. Dad was actually paid for this work which was a bonus as they never got paid at home.  Sandy Priest, who lived somewhere on the Bayles - Longwarry Road had 100s of acres, his land backed up to the Railway Line, but he lived in a small shed.  His bed was two spud bags stretched over poles, there was a stove in the shed and a windmill outside which filled a trough for water.  When Dad was about 16 he grew some spuds on Sandy’s land and which he rented and then paid the rent in labour.


Rouse farm at Cora Lynn, c. 1930s

Around the time of the construction of the cow shed, Jim and Frank also began growing potatoes together, at home. Initially, all the work was done by horses but it wasn’t long before they purchased a brand new grey Fergie tractor - it was petrol, 16 hp and even though they were only aged 19 and 17, the Company financed them.  Four years later, in 1955, they purchased 60 acres from Johnny King, in Sinclair (now Bennetts) Road at Cora Lynn. It was, we believe, about £6,000 but he allowed them to pay it back a certain amount per year – he had always been a good support to them. Jim and Frank milked cows for a year or two after that, then other family members took over and the Rouse dairy farming came to an end on June 22, 1960 when all the cattle and plant were sold at a clearing sale. 




Friday, March 6, 2015

100 years ago this week - Cora Lynn Ball

This report of one of the best balls ever held in Cora Lynn comes from the Bunyip Free Press of March 11, 1915.


Bunyip Free Press March 11, 1915

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Flood photos Koo-Wee-Rup

These are some photographs of  Koo-Wee-Rup and surrounds in what maybe the 1924 flood or the 1934 flood from the  Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp Historical Society collection.









This is the Railway bridge, there  are people at either end of the bridge. 


Rossiter Road


Four people in a row boat



I have seen this one dated 1916 and 1924.


Andrew Colvin's Shackcloth cycle factory



Stranded cars



Drying out after the flood, this is possibly the 1934 flood.

Country Women's Association - Koo-Wee-Rup Branch 1963

This is the booklet produced by the Koo-Wee-Rup Branch of the Country Women's Association for 1963.




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Cora Lynn Races - March 28 1932

Here's the  programme from the Cora Lynn Race meeting held on March 28, 1932.