Friday, February 24, 2023

Tynong - a short history

Tynong is a town on the edge of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp in West Gippsland. The area was opened up in the 1870s for farming and timber, which was used for sleepers for the construction of the Gippsland Railway line. The line, from Melbourne to Sale,  was opened in stages - Morwell to Sale - June 1, 1877; Oakleigh to Bunyip - October 8, 1877; Moe to Morwell - December 1, 1877; Bunyip to Moe - March 1, 1878 and the last stretch from South Yarra to Oakleigh on April 2, 1879 (1).  In this area the original railway stations were Dandenong, Berwick, Pakenham and Bunyip.

The first reference I can find in the newspapers to Tynong was a  May 1876 marriage notice between John M'Keone, of Tynong and Ellen Bourke of Pakenham.  Michael and Kitty Bourke, the parents of Ellen, had taken up Minton's Run,  a property of 12, 800 acres on the Toomuc Creek in Pakenham in 1843. Around 1850, they established the La Trobe Inn, more commonly known as Bourke's Hotel, on the Gippsland Road (now called the  Princes Highway) and Toomuc Creek.

Marriage notice - the first reference I can find to Tynong in the newspapers

The next reference I can find to Tynong also relates to the M'Keone family - in October 1876 their farm was advertised for sale. The Shire of Berwick Rate books lists William McKeone as the 'person rated.'  John and William were the sons of Dudley and Eliza (nee Nesbit) McKeone. John died in Narrandera, N.S.W., in 1895 and William had died in 1877, aged 31. (2) Whether William was ill and this prompted the sale of the land or the McKeones just made the decision to  move on from the Swamp, the property was put up for sale in October 1876.


The M'Keone farm for sale at Tynong
The Argus, October 26, 1876 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5907125


M'Keone's farm was re-advertised in December 1876.

As we can see by the advertisement above the farm was near the main Gippsland Road and adjoining the Koo Wee Rup Swamp - it was one of the nicest little farms within many miles around and and was located south-east of Tynong and south-west of Garfield.  The farm was purchased by Melbourne engraver and artist, Cyrus Mason (1829 - 1925).  I have written about Cyrus  here

The early residents in the area were actually mainly at North Tynong and the 1962 publication From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen (3) lists these settlers as Rogerson, Brew, Jolly, Pharoah, Lamb, Ingwerson, Middleditch, Robertson, Kerr, Lungrum, Mazenti, Mentiplay, Davis, Parkes, Ewart, Doomsday, Highton, Rutledge, Kersey, Cunningham, Rowlerson, Orack, Linborg, Noble, Brockway, Burke, Weatherhead. The book notes that Sleeper cutting, eucalyptus distillery, milling and grazing were the main activities. 

There was agitation from the settlers for a railway station at Tynong after the line opened up. It was reported that in August 1880-
On Wednesday last, a deputation introduced by Mr Mason, M.L.A., and Mr. Buchanan, M.L.C., waited upon the Commissioner of Railways, and asking that a siding should be constructed at the intersection of Kelly-road with the Gippsland line, near Tynong. It was represented that the convenience  of the settlers who lived in the direction of the neighbouring mountains would be greatly served by the stoppage of the trains at that point, and it was stated also that the traffic on the line would be much increased if accommodation such as that requested was provided. Mr Patterson replied  that he would issue instructions that the siding should be made (4).  I do not know where Kelly Road was. 

Mr Patterson, the Railways Commissioner was a man of his word and a stop was opened at some time in early 1881 (5). 

After the station opened tramways were constructed from the mills. Mike McCarthy, in his book Settlers and Sawmillers: a history of West Gippsland Tramways and the Industries they served (6)lists the early mills and their establishment -  Maffey and Sons, c. 1882; William Fraser, 1884,  who sold to David Smythe in 1886. And as noted by McCarthy - From 1895 the firewood industry at Tynong declined rapidly. It wasn't until Horatio Weatherhead and his sons arrived from Lyonville (near Daylesford) late in 1908  that timber again became an important  commodity in the economy on this part of Gippsland (7)


Horatio Weatherhead's Mill in North Tynong in 1910.

Horatio Weatherhead (my great-grandfather) was granted a license by the State Forests and Nursery Branch of the Department of Lands and Survey,  to mill 2,000 acres of forest in North Tynong. He shifted his operations from Lyonville and his first mill commenced around December 1909 at Wild Dog Creek.  From that date,  Horatio and his sons Fred, Arthur, George, Frank and Alf all operated various mills in North Tynong, either together or separately. From 1947 Arthur's sons Roy, Max and Cyril had a mill on Cannibal Creek until it finally closed in 1979 (8).


Original sub-division of the town of Tynong, 1883, as you can see the original allotments were south of the railway line. 
Village lots at the Tynong railway station, Parish of Bunyip, County of Mornington / surveyed by J. Lardner, Assistant Surveyor, 11.6.83 ; lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey, Melbourne by F. Kelly, 12.9.83.

During this time the town of Tynong, based around the railway station, was growing. In November 1882, a Post Office was opened at the Railway Station (9). A school opened part-time with Garfield, in the Mechanics' Institute in August 1887, but closed in 1892. The Mechanics' Institute opened in 1885 and I have written about this and the other Tynong Hall (or was it Halls?) here

The next school (No. 2854) opened on May 1, 1905 in the Tynong Hall and in 1908, the Cardinia school was shifted to a newly acquired site on the west side of the road that went from the railway line to the  Highway (where St Thomas Aquinas School is now located).  This building soon proved to be too small and new school was built, opening in April 1915. The Tynong School closed in April 1951 and the school population moved to Pakenham Consolidated School.  A school at Tynong North (No. 4464) operated from June 1930 until December 1951, when both the building and the students were transferred to Pakenham Consolidated (10).


Tynong, possibly 1920s
Image: North of the Line:  a pictorial record (Berwick Pakenham Historical Society,  1996)


In July 1917, a Memorial Grove, to honour the local men who had served in the War was planted at the Tynong State School, you can read about this here


Aerial of Tynong, 1985 - the treed site is the old school site.
Shire of Pakenham photographer

In July 1903, it was reported that - 
the land for the first shop opened in Tynong was surveyed on Friday last, so we shall have a store at last. I am in formed that it is for Mr. Harcourt of Bunyip and Garfield (11). This was Edwin Harcourt. Other Tynong shopkeepers include Alfred Watson from around 1906/1907 until 1917/1918; he then entered a partnership with Henry Coombs to become a Land and Estate Agent.  Harriet Snell, in the 1920s and from 1927 until 1931 she leased the store to  Francis Ryan (more of whom below). Harriet died in March 1932, aged only 47 and Ernest Oram then took over the Store (12) Ernest Oram was also a foundation member of the Tynong Plumpton Club also called the Tynong and District Coursing Club, formed in 1941. I have written about this here

Around 1908 John Mappin had a blacksmith and coach-building operation on the corner of North Tynong Road and the Highway and George Rowlerson also had a blacksmith business at Tynong.  In 1920, George Cousins opened a butchers shop, on the south side of the railway line in 1920. The old Feed Store was built in the 1940s (13).  The town  really didn't get much bigger than this. 



Sadly, Tynong never rose to become the Queen City of the East


Tynong also supplied the granite for the Shrine of Remembrance which was built between June 1928 and November 1934 to honour the soldiers who served in the First World War. There was a competition to design this memorial to the soldiers of the Great war and it was won by Philip B. Hudson and James H. Wardrop. It was built by the Company, Vaughan and Lodge and was officially opened by the Duke of Gloucester on November 11, 1934 (14).


Granite for an everlasting Shrine
The Argus, November 14, 1928 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3968930

This is a not very clear photograph (above) of the Tynong Quarry - transcription follows - 
Granite for an everlasting Shrine - 
Certain that the people of the State will approve fully, the National War Memorial Committee has now decided that the Shrine of Remembrance shall be built, not of freestone, which is subject to weathering, but of granite, the most lasting of structural materials. Beautiful silver-grey granite of an eminently suitable kind is available at Tynong, in Gippsland, and workmen are shown in the photograph hewing the blocks of granite from the hillside. Inset:-A fine heap of granite blocks ready for dressing. They measure from six cubic foot upwards.


Tynong Granite Quarry, 1929


The Quarry ended up supplying 100,000 cubic feet of granite for the Shrine of Remembrance, which was valued at from £50,000 to £60,000 (15).   Not only was important to the economy of the town, but it  had the added benefit of bringing electric light to both Tynong and Garfield at the end of August 1929. On September 6,  1929, The Age reported -
Messrs. Vaughan and Lodge's granite quarry, which has been opened to supply stone for the Shrine of Remembrance, has commenced operations under power supplied by the Yallourn Electricity Commission. The whole of the machinery is driven by electricity, and when the undertaking is fully developed 32,000 volts will be used. The firm has installed a large steel saw 12 ft. in diameter, which cuts the stone into blocks from four to ten Ions in weight. It is said to be the only implement of its kind in Australia, and works with eight "teeth" on chilled steel revolving shot, cutting through a block of stone six feet by three feet deep in thirty minutes. Six compressed air drills, technically known as "hammer jacks," capable of drilling holes twenty feet deep, are used in the breaking-down process, and three electrically-driven cranes are employed in carrying the blocks to the saw benches. Up to the present blocks of flawless granite containing up to 40,000 square feet have been unearthed. The stone is said to be equal for building and monumental purposes to anything of its kind in the world. This discovery was made some years ago, when the stone was in demand for additions to the Melbourne Town Hall. The quarry is expected to keep eighty men permanently employed (16). 

The book, From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen, referred to previously, says Mrs Mary Ryan, who lived at Black Rock, first noticed the granite stone when a war memorial was being discussed, and through her it came to the notice of those responsible  for the memorial (17).  A plaque that was unveiled  at the Tynong State School on Remembrance Day in 1934 to commemorate the contribution of the Tynong Granite to the building of the Shrine. It was removed in 2005 to Railway Avenue, near the War Memorial, and re-dedicated (18).  


The plaque commemorating Mrs Ryan's role in the use of Tynong Granite for the Shrine of Remembrance.
Image: Heather Arnold, 2023

The plaque describes Mrs Ryan as a local amateur geologist. It is possible Mrs Ryan was living at Black Rock in 1962 when the book was published, but between 1927 and c. 1931 Mary Ann Ryan and Francis Michael Ryan were listed at Main Street, Tynong, his occupation being storekeeper (19). In fact, in December 1930, Mary Ryan applied for a Victualler's Licence for premises at Tynong. If successful she was going to build a brick hotel with ten bedrooms for the use of the public, three bathrooms, diningroom, &., at a cost of £4000. The application was refused on the grounds that there were only 200 people in the locality and other hotels near by (20). 

In 1931, The Age had a short report on fossils found at Tynong by Mrs Ryan - 
Tynong.....has of recent years come into prominence as n place where vast supplies of flawless granite have been found..... It is, of course, nothing more than a slender coincidence that another kind of stone has been found there which may prove to have considerable scientific interest, namely, a number of fossils, including the skull of a native bear, and various bones, the property of Mrs. M Ryan. If, as is thought, one of the stones is fossilised whale bone, the fact should be of exceptional interest to geologists. The fossils have not yet been subjected to the discerning scrutiny of the scientific eye, fortified with a microscope, but a photograph has been sent to the Australian Institute of Anatomy at Canberra, the director of which (Sir. Colin Mackenzie) has expressed his interest in them. (21).  I wonder of it was actually a fossilised whale  bone? 

The 1940s in Tynong saw the Fire Brigade established  in 1942 and  the  Infant Welfare Centre opened in the Hall, in September 1943, with Mrs Ritchies as President and Mrs D. Jolly as Honorary Secretary. (22).

The opening of the Tynong Infant Welfare Centre. 
You can read about Dr Vera Scantlebury Brown, Director of Infant Welfare, here.
Dandenong Journal, September 22, 1943 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214309754


Tynong Office bearers of the Infant Welfare Centre from the 1943-1944 Annual Report 
of the Victorian Baby Health Centres Association, see here.


Another interesting fact about the area is that in March 1949, 540 acres of land in North Tynong off Snell Road, was sold by Reg Sykes to Father Wilfred Pooley, to establish a 'City of God' in the bush. This was part of a broader movement in the Catholic community, encouraged by the Melbourne Archbishop, Dr Daniel Mannix, for Catholics to move away from the distractions of the city to a rural environment and become closer to God. The  North Tynong rural settlement, St Mary's, was based on the principals of faith, family life and co-operative enterprise. To that end, Catholic families would move to the community, own a few acres of land to build a house and work in  the co-operative industries which were established including a housing co-operative, a joinery, hardware store and an aerated water factory. The cornerstones of community life, the Holy Family Church and the Holy Family School, were both opened by Archbishop Mannix on September 3, 1950 attended by more than 3000 people. With the arrival of a Post Office in 1955 the name of the settlement changed from St Mary's to Maryknoll, to avoid confusion with other towns named St Mary's (23).


A trestle bridge in North Tynong, 1912, Eva Weatherhead is standing on the bridge. 

Before we leave Tynong - When Horatio and his sons left Lyonville in 1908 for North Tynong, his wife Eleanor (nee Hunt) and their youngest child, Eva, remained in Lyonville until she finished Grade 8 at the end of 1913. When she was 16,  Eva travelled by train to Melbourne to attend Stott's Business College and then worked in town, boarding in South Melbourne. Eva returned home in early 1919, to look after her elderly mother and became the Post Mistress in Tynong, renting her office  from Mrs Julia Hollingsworth, who operated a coffee palace for 17/6 per month. At the time the Post Office was on the south side of the railway.  Eva held this position until she married Joe Rouse, a farmer from Cora Lynn, in November 1922.  They had seven children, including my Dad. Grandma was always very proud of the fact that the Shrine was made of Tynong Granite and used to tell us about this when we were young. 

Trove list - I have created a list of articles on Tynong, which I have used for the research for this post. access it here.

Footnotes 
(1) These dates are from Victorian Railways to '62 by Leo J. Harrigan (Victorian Railways, 1962)
(2) McKeone family information from the Victorian and New South Wales Indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages; Family trees on Ancestry.com


Death notice of William McKeone, late of Western Port, a term used at the tome to describe much of West Gippsland, including Tynong.
The Argus, October 13, 1877 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5940970

(3) From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen: a brief history of the Shire of Berwick (Historical Society of Berwick Shire, 1962).
(4) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, August 18, 1880, see here.
(5) It was there in April 1881 - The Argus, April 13, 1881, see here.
(6) McCarthy, Mike Settler and Sawmillers: a history of West Gippsland Tramways and the Industries they served (Light Railway Research Society of Australia, 1993)
(7) McCarthy, Mike, op. cit, p. 18
(8) McCarthy, Mike, op. cit, pp. 18-22
(9) Victoria Government Gazette, November 17, 1882, p. 2705   https://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1882/V/general/122.pdf

Opening of the Tynong Post Office

(10) Vision and Realisation: a centenary history of State Education in Victoria, edited by L.J. Blake. (Education Department of Victoria, 1973)
(11) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, July 22, 1903, see here.
(12) Shire of Berwick Rate Books, Electoral Rolls, newspaper articles and advertisements. Francis Ryan is not listed in the Shire of Berwick Rate books as owning the store, Harriet Snell is listed as the owner  in the years the Ryans were in Tynong.
(13) The 1908 Electoral Rolls list John James Mappin, Coachbuilder at Tynong and George Walter Rowlerson, Blacksmith at Tynong; neither are listed in the 1906 Rolls. Mappin's address -  corner of North Tynong Road and the Highway - comes from From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen, see footnote 2. The butchershop information is from Cardinia Shire Heritage Study, volume 3: Heritage Places by Graeme Butler & Associates (Cardinia Shire, 1996). The Feed Store information is from Cardinia Local Heritage Study Review 2008 - Volume 5: Stage B Individual places, Draft June 2008, Context P/L.
(14) History of the Shrine of Remembrance https://www.shrine.org.au/history-shrine-remembrance
(15) The Herald, January 25, 1932, see here
(16) The Age, September 6, 1929, see here.
(17) From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen, op. cit. p.44.
(19) Electoral Rolls on Ancestry - the Ryan's weren't in the 1926 Rolls at Tynong, but they were listed there from 1927 to 1931 and not listed at Tynong in the 1934 Rolls. They are not listed in the Shire of Berwick Rate Books as owning the shop.
(20) The Age, December 23, 1930, see here
(21) The Age, August 19, 1931, see here
(23) White, Gael Maryknoll: history of a Catholic Rural Settlement (The Author, 1982, republished in an updated and expanded version by Artistic Wombat in 2002). I have written about Maryknoll, here,   https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2023/04/maryknoll-early-history-and-buildings.html

Monday, January 23, 2023

Richard Beuhne's Bee Farm at Garfield

The Leader newspaper of September 3, 1893 had an article on bee keeping in Garfield which also gave some interesting insights into the development of the town, described as a little wayside hamlet which as yet gives no promise of future greatness.  It is reproduced below. The interview was with R. Beuhne, who was Frederick Richard Beuhne, known as Richard.

Richard Beuhne

Richard applied to be naturalised in August 1914 and his application papers tell us that he was born in Dresden, Saxony, in Germany on January 11, 1859 and arrived in Victoria on September 22, 1880, when he was 21 years old. His occupation was an Apiarist, and he had lived at Garfield for 15 years and then at Tooborac for 19 years. Richard married Annie Maxwell in 1883, and they had a son Claude Ralph born in 1887 and a daughter Hilda Bertha Rhoda, born 1891 (1). There is more information about the family in footnote 1.

The first mention of Richard that I can find in the Shire of Berwick Rate books was in 1884 where he is listed as owning 226 acres, Crown Allotment 71, Parish of Bunyip.  CA 71 fronted what is now called the Princes Highway and was on the west side of North Garfield Road. He sold the land in 1896 to Ernest Thompson and moved to Tooborac.  


Parish Plan of Bunyip - the township of Garfield on the railway line is bottom, centre. Crown Allotment 71, owned by Frederick Richard Beuhne, is north of the town on the Gippsland Road or Princes Highway.
Click on image to enlarge.
See the full Parish Plan at the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/112025

Mr Beuhne died on June 24, 1933 and an obituary in The Argus tells us something more of his life including the fact that he worked at the Department of Agriculture as their apiculturist and was editor of the Australian Bee Journal -
Mr. F. R. Beuhne, secretary of the Victorian Apiarists' Association, which has just finished its annual conference in Melbourne, was found dead in his room at the Victoria Palace, Little Collins street, on Saturday morning. Apparently he had had a heart seizure. Mr. Beuhne, who was aged 70 years, was one of Australia's leading authorities on bees. He had been a member of the Victorian Apiarists' Association for 41 years. His term as secretary began about six years ago, on his retirement from the office of apiculturist to the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Beuhne's first association with the department was as consultant on apiculture. In that capacity he did most valuable work, and when the industry grew to one of importance he was appointed a full-time officer. His two text books on beekeeping and honey flora are much valued by apiarists in Australia and overseas. Mr. Beuhne had been editor of the "Australian Bee Journal'' since its inception. He was the Victorian Apiarists' Association delegate to the Chamber of Agriculture, and was the judge of honey at the Royal Show. He was also a member of the Field Naturalists' Club (2).

The State Library of Victoria has three books or booklets by Richard Beuhne - Bee-keeping foul brood in bees and transferring bees (8 pages, published 1913); Bee-keeping (12 pages, 1913)  and Honey flora of Victoria (148 pages, 1922). There is also another book by Richard,  Bee-keeping in Victoria, published 1916 of 128 pages.  There was an updated edition of this book in 1925 of which the chief feature of the new edition is the information contained in chapters which deal with the heating of honey, clarifying and refining, and pollen. The type of honey-heater advocated has been proved, after considerable experience, to be an ideal apparatus for clearing the honey of the minute, particles of wax and pollen grains which it is impossible to strain out in the clarifying of the honey for market by ordinary means. It possesses the merits of being both simple to operate and compact in design (3) It appears that Richard invented his own honey-heater, an example of which is shown below.


Beuhne honey-heater made by Pender Brothers Limited, 1931. 
Powerhouse Museum collection https://collection.maas.museum/object/228403


The Herald also had an obituary and this tells us other aspects of his life. It's a lovely tribute -
After having left a conference of members of the Victorian Apiarists Association last night, Mr F. R. Beuhne, one of the foremost of Australian bee experts, died suddenly last night. He was found dead, only this morning, in his room at the Victoria Palace, Little Collins Street, fully dressed, having apparently died from a heart attack. Mr Beuhne came to Australia as a young man, and was for 41 years a member of the Apiarists Association. He was appointed apiculturist of the Department of Agriculture. Some years ago, when he was due for retirement at the age of 65, he was asked to stay on for another year. After retiring, he was appointed secretary to the association. Mr Beuhne was editor of the Australian Bee Journal, and was a delegate from the Association to the Chamber of Agriculture. He was a member of the Forest League and a judge in honey contests at the Royal Show. Mr Beuhne has left a widow, a son and a married daughter. "His death is the greatest loss the Association could have," said the president (Mr M. Morgan) today, "Mr Beuhne brought it from financial difficulty to some degree of prosperity. He always did his best, sometimes to his own disadvantage, to assist the bee industry." (4). 

Richard Beuhne was a foundation member of Victorian Apiarists Association and at their June 1939 conference plans were revealed for a memorial to him - 
members were informed that all arrangements had been finalised for the proposed memorial to the late Mr. F. R. Beuhne. The memorial is to be in the form of a plantation of trees and by arrangement with the Country Roads Board, which has agreed to co-operate by doing the planting and caring for the trees, the site is to be on the Hume Highway between Kilmore and the turn-off to Heathcote. As the late Mr. Beuhne was a lover of trees the memorial seems to be a very fitting one. The planting is to take place in the near future (5). 

In August 1939, the Kilmore Free Press provided this report of the tree planting ceremony to honour Richard Beuhne, the first tree being planted by his son, Claude - 
On 11th August, a short ceremony took place at the planting of a number of trees, at which district apiarists and representatives of the Apiarists' Association, the Country Roads Board, the Forestry Department and the Department of Agriculture were present. Mr. Wills, President of the Victorian Apiarists' Association, welcomed all present and said the idea behind the plantation was the commemorating of the life of the late Mr. Beuhne. Later it was proposed to erect a cairn with a copperplate inscription indicating what he had done for the bee-keeping industry...The first tree was planted by Mr. Claude Beuhne (6). 

No doubt due to the War, it was actually a decade later on June 24, 1949 that the Memorial Cairn was unveiled by the  President of  the Victorian Apiarists' Association, Mr G. Loft, in the presence of 100 people, including Claude. (7). 


Plaque on Frederick Richard Beuhne's cairn, near Kilmore.
Photographer: Kent Watson. Source Monument Australia

Richard's brother Karl Richard Beuhne also migrated to Australia. Born in Brockwitz, Saxony, Germany on May 18,1855, he arrived in Australia on May 9, 1890, at the age of 35. Karl was naturalised in 1926, when he was 71. After his arrival he settled in North Garfield, where he was a market gardener. He married Maria Theresa Josefa Borrmann (also Saxony born) in 1896 (or that's the year the marriage was registered) and they had four children, all born in North Garfield - Alfa Toni (1892-1899), Friedrich Hans (1896), Otto Kurt (1898) and Rosie Dora (1905). He died on October 30, 1938 at the West Gippsland Hospital in Warragul (8). For some reason, even though Karl was at North Garfield from 1890, he doesn't appear in the Shire of Berwick Rate books until the 1929/1930 year, when he is listed as owning 4 acres, Cannibal Creek Frontage, Parish of Bunyip. 


Informative death notice of Karl Beuhne. His brother was Professor Beuhne of Dresden; 


Report of Karl Beuhne's death. 

This is the article on Mr Beuhne's Bee Farm from The Leader of September 2, 1893 (see here)

BEE FARMING AT GARFIELD
By our Agricultural Reporter

The little wayside hamlet of Garfield is one of those places which has sprung into existence since the main trunk railway line to Gippsland was built. It is distant 40 miles from Melbourne and overlooks the Kooweerup Swamp, that extensive tract of reed beds and morass which is now being reclaimed by the State. The township of Garfield is still in the embryo stage, and as yet gives no promise of future greatness. Most of the land hereabouts was selected 10 or 12 years ago, and a farming population settled on it, who proceeded to turn it to profitable account in the usual way by ringing, clearing, cultivating and stock keeping.

The advancement of the district has certainly not been assisted by the operations of the land syndicates, who during the "boom" purchased from the original selectors several thousand acres of land with a frontage to the railway line and in the vicinity of the railway station. This land is now lying idle and absolutely unproductive, while the owners are still holding on in the hope of settlement being attracted some day, thus giving them a chance to dispose of it at something approaching the prices paid for it to the original settlers. As the land was bought at prices varying from £18 to £25 per acres, this hope is not likely to be realised for some time to come. 

The soil for the most part cannot be called rich, except narrow strips in some of the with a growth of heath and coarse sedgy grasses. The timber is not of good character, and its principal use hitherto has been for firewood, of which large quantities used to be sent to Melbourne; but since the unemployed have been engaged at the work of wood cutting most of the residents of the district have found out that it does not pay to enter into competition with them, consequently sending firewood to Melbourne from Garfield has been practically abandoned.

  

Richard Beuhne's farm.
The Leader, December 9, 1893 - see Footnote 9

The main Gippsland road runs through the district and the principal stream is the Cannibal Creek, a tributary of the Bunyip River. Several of the farms some distance back from the station are fairly well improved, and in a couple of instances beekeeping engages a good deal of attention. Nowadays, when so many people are anxious to get on to the land and engage in some occupation that will prove profitable, beekeeping is an industry which should receive more attention than has hitherto been given it.

It must, however, be admitted that only comparatively few persons are fitted by nature for the occupation, but amongst those who have made it a success is Mr. R. Beuhne, whose farm is situated about 1½ mile from the Garfield station and on the Gippsland-road. Mr. Beuhne selected land here about 11 years ago, and is now the holder of 220 acres. About 30 acres have been thoroughly cleared, a comfortable house erected, an orchard established and other improvements, carried out, but attention is mainly devoted to beekeeping. This is generally considered one of the small things of a farm, but Mr. Beuhne has found it profitable enough to justify him in almost exclusively depending on it; indeed, he is of opinion that if carried on anything like an extensive scale it does not go well with any industry except poultry keeping, as during the busy season all other work must be neglected in order to attend to the bees.


Richard Beuhne offers lessons in bee keeping.

From a small beginning Mr. Beuhne gradually increased the number of his colonies until now he has 136 to control, and the many duties connected with them keeps him fully employed. Indeed, the work in connection with so many hives, when pursued scientifically, is almost endless, but at the same time it is light and highly interesting to any one who really cares for the occupation. If the beekeeper is not really interested in the pursuit and does not follow it for love of the work he will never make it a success, and it is better to direct his attention to some other business. If, on the other hand, attention to all the details of the industry is a pleasure, beekeeping becomes a profitable undertaking in any district that is adapted for the pursuit. 

Some localities are much better adapted for beekeeping than others on account of the climate, the greater profusion of honey producing trees, shrubs and flowers. The Garfield district is not specially suitable, the varieties of eucalypts with which it is timbered being principally those known as stringy bark and peppermint, whereas the box and white gum blossoms secrete most honey, while the flavor of the article is also superior. In the gullies and swampy places also a good deal of ti-tree grows, from the blossoms of which honey of a peculiar character is obtained. It possesses a distinct flavor of its own, and, strange to say, cannot be extracted from the comb by the centrifugal extractor. The closeness with which it adheres to the sides of the cells seems to indicate that it partakes somewhat of the character of gum, though persons who are in the habit of using it declare that they prefer it to any other kind of honey. The taste for it, however, requires to be educated, and its general popularity is never likely to rival that of honey obtained from box or white gum blossom. On account of its non-extracting peculiarity small section frames have to be used in the hives during the period, when the ti-tree is in bloom, while at other times, the ordinary large frames are placed in the boxes.


Richard Beuhne working with his bees.
The Leader, December 9, 1893 - see Footnote 9

Mr. Beuhne uses hives of the Langstroth principle, but the boxes are two inches shorter than the regulation size. He has made them all himself, being an amateur carpenter of no mean skill, and most of the appliances used in their manufacture have also been supplied by his ingenuity. A small circular saw, made out of a piece of a broken hand saw, has been set in a neat frame and worked by a treadle. With this the laths used in the frames of the hives are quickly sawn, and an appliance for boring holes, also worked by foot power, has been provided. Each hive is made exactly the same size so that the parts are interchangeable and he is thus able to work amongst the bees with that confidence which is absolutely necessary if success id to achieved in dealing with these remarkable insects.

In dealing with his bees, Mr. Beuhne in general follows out the practice adopted by the majority of skilled apiarians in attending to the thousand and one particulars involved in beekeeping, and which could not be fully described in anything short of the limits of a book; but he is also experimenting, and there is a possibility of his experiments proving successful, and having an important bearing upon the future of the industry. For instance, he thinks there is a possibility of breeding out the swarming impulse, which causes so much trouble during the season. He points out that it is just as natural for hens to sit as for bees to swarm, yet the desire to hatch has been almost entirely overcome, by breeders in connection with certain breeds of fowls. 

Of course bees are more difficult to control, but by selection and management much may be done. He would select queens, from stock that experience had shown displayed comparatively, little disposition to swarm, and by mating her very late in the season a beginning leading to the desired end would be made. In order to secure the fertilisation, advantage would be taken of a favorable day when the drone bees were likely to fly, and by giving them a little stimulating feed liberating the queen shortly afterwards the desired end would be accomplished.

A careful attention to the laws of selection having the definite object in view of producing non-swarming bees, and following out the lines indicated, would he thinks, eventually result in the apiarian being able to control the impulse as the progeny of queens fertilised late in the season evince less disposition to swarm than those mated early. Mr. Beuhne has at various times grown patches of buck wheat as pasture for the bees, but, as a rule, the insects have to depend for stores on what nature provides. Wattles and acacias, as well as different kinds of heaths, blossom well in the district, but, unfortunately, the flowering season is too early to be of much benefit to the bees, and the blossoms in most instances have disappeared by the time they are most wanted. Just at present the prickly mimosa and pink and white heaths are in full bloom, but the bees are not to be tempted out during the present unsettled weather, and consequently the stores of honey which the flowers contain cannot be utilised.

Mr. Beuhne is now engaged in the endeavor to solve the problem of how to prevent the crystallisation of honey during the winter months. It is well known that the best and purest honey crystallises in cold weather, and this has a prejudicial effect upon its sale, more particularly if it has been put up in glass jars. It frequently happens that the crystallisation is only partial, and while one portion of the contents of a jar assumes the consistency of lard, the remainder is liquid. This causes many persons to think that the honey has been adulterated, and accordingly they decline to buy. The honey does not deteriorate in quality by becoming crystallised; indeed, not a few who know the difference consider that it is improved thereby; but its sale to the general public is undoubtedly affected, hence the necessity for preventing crystallisation if possible. Mr. Beuhne, by a process which he has invented, but which is yet a secret, believes that he can not only prevent any honey from crystallising, but can also treat that which has already become crystallised in such a way that it will ever afterwards remain liquid. If the process, after being thoroughly tested, is the success which he claims, it will have the effect of increasing the local sales of honey, and will be of immense importance if an export trade is established on anything like an extensive scale, as no doubt it will be some day. A press which he has constructed for obtaining wax is very simple and useful, and with it he can obtain just as good wax from old black combs as from now unstained comb.


Richard Beuhne working with his bees.
The Leader, December 9, 1893 - see Footnote 9

 With regard to the profits to be derived from beekeeping, it must be remembered that this district is not a good one for bees, consequently results obtained here are likely to be greatly exceeded in other and more suitable localities. Last year, which was a bad one, Mr. Beuhne obtained only an average of 30 lb. of honey from each hive; the previous season he obtained over 50 lb., and his best record was 80 lb per hive. There is certainly nothing startling in these returns, but, taking one year with another, say 60 lb. of honey, worth at least 4½d. per lb., can be got from each hive, and this is certainly not an excessive estimate, then the gross return per hive amounts to £1.

Mr. Beuhne would advise all who think of going in for bee culture to begin on a small scale and gradually work up. Although much information may be gleaned from books, practical experience must be gained, and this will be less costly when pursued in connection with a few hives than when the care of a large number is attempted by one who has had no previous knowledge of the business. If possibly an opportunity should be sought of getting employment with a practical aparian for at least 12 months, and thus gain the benefit of his experience. Even after such an opportunity to gain knowledge it is necessary to make haste slowly, as there is always something to learn or some unexpected difficulty to overcome. Perseverance, however, will eventually be crowned with success, and the industry offers a means of making a fair livelihood to those who have a taste for beekeeping; and if this industry is combined with poultry farming, the owner of a small block of land ought to make not only a good living, but to ultimately realise a handsome competence.


Trove list: I have created a short list of newspaper articles connected to Frederick Richard Beuhne, his time at Garfield and his other activities. Access it here.

Footnotes
(1) Naturalisation papers at the National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au Family information from Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages and family notices in the newspapers. Annie died January 13, 1941, aged 76. Their son, Claude married Irene Florence Bognuda in 1923. They were divorced in 1933 on the grounds of her desertion. They had one child, Elaine. He remarried in 1936 to Irene Richardson and he died in 1959.  Hilda (known as Flossie)  married William Murray Winzar in 1924. She died in 1943, aged only 52. They had three children - Dorothy, Gordon and Freada.


Annie Beuhne's death notice
The Argus, January 14, 1941 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8150821

Claude's divorce
The Argus November 20, 1933 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11712728

Death notice of Flossie Winzar

(2) The Argus, June 26 1933, see here.
(3) Australasian, November 28, 1925, see here
(4) The Herald, June 24, 1933, see here.
(5) Kilmore Free Press, June 22, 1939, see here
(6) Kilmore Free Press, August 24, 1939, see here.
(7) Read the full report of the unveiling in the Kilmore Free Press, June 30 1949, see here.
(8) Naturalisation papers at the National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au  and the  Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.
(9) The illustrations are from The Leader December 9, 1893, see here. The newspaper incorrectly stated that these illustrations were of Mr M'Farlane's farm at Lyndhurst. There was a correction in The Leader of December 16, 1893, see here, In last week's Leader a full page illustration of "Bee Farming," the central picture in which is a representation of Mr. Beuhne's apiary, was inadvertently described as Mr. M'Farlane's. The mistake occurred through our reporter having visited both the apiaries named, and his description of Mr. M'Farlane'a place at Lyndhurst was attached in error to the drawings taken by our artist on the establishment of Mr. Beuhne, at Garfield, about 40 miles from Melbourne, on the Gippsland railway.


A version of this post, which I wrote and researched, appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past. This is an expanded and updated version of that post. 

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Koo Wee Rup Red Cross members 1943-1944

This is from the Treasurer's Book of the Koo Wee Red Cross unit. It lists the 261 men and women who were members in 1943-1944.  The population of the town was around 1,000 people, so a large proportion were members. The treasurer was Mrs Margaret Robertson and it is her lovely hand writing, you see here.   Membership was 2 shillings, so this totalled  £26/2/0. 

These images are courtesy of Don Jewell, a long serving member of the now defunct Koo Wee Rup unit. The names are transcribed below the four images. 

Don has also supplied the following information on the Koo Wee Rup Red Cross - It was formed on July 7, 2015. Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross operated for the duration of the First World War, and then closed down  ‐ only to become active again during the Second World War. Once again it closed down, only to be revived in 1962 ‐ and we celebrated our Golden Jubilee (and "third incarnation!") in 2002 According to Red Cross records, the first Secretary (in 1914‐15) was a Mrs. C.M. Jack (although she is later listed as Miss C.M. Jack)   From 1916 to 1919, Mrs. J.A. Morrison was President, Miss C.M. Jack was  Secretary and Mrs. M. Hamilton, the Treasurer.  





List of members
1. Mrs Robertson
2. Mrs E. Taylor
3. Mrs Harder
4. Mrs Mackin
5. Mrs Ford
6. Mrs Brewer
7. Mrs Winters
8. Mrs Williams
9. Mrs Whiteside
10. Mrs Cochrane
11. Mrs Riggall
12. Mrs Grantley
13. Mrs Mortimer Snr
14. Mrs L. Mortimer
15. Mrs Righetti
16. Mrs J. H. Simpson
17. Miss Cougle
18. Miss McNamara
19. Mrs Reid
20. Mrs C. Eindisdel
21. Mrs Vick
22. Mr Vick
23. Mrs Clarke
24. Mrs Bourke
25. Mrs Lewis
26. Mrs Isbister
27. Mrs McLeod
28. Mrs Honeychurch
29. Mrs Dick Snr
30. Miss Blair
31. Mr. J. Robertson
32. Mr E. Taylor
33. Mrs T. Groves
34. Miss June Groves
35. Mrs Holley
36. Mrs E. Child
37. Miss Nellie Child
38. Mrs G. Dixon
39. Mr Livesley
40. Mr W. Freeman
41. Mrs Colvin
42. Mrs Bath Snr
43. Mrs Pollock
44. Miss A. Burhop
45. Mrs Burhop Snr
46. Mrs A. Ellert  [Ellett]
47. Miss Cahill
48. Miss M. Wadsley
49. Mr Mcleod
50. Mr W. O'Connor
51. Mrs J.N. Bethune
52. Mrs A. Brand
53. Miss J. Plowright
54. Mr M. Barravecchio
55. Miss L. Johnson
56. Mr J. Perry
57. Mrs Mortinson
58. Mrs C.A. Mills
59. Mr J. Bertonsallo  [Bertoncello]
60. Mr J. Knight
61. Mrs Murnane
62. Mrs J. Coutes
63. Mr J. O'Riordan
64. Mrs Plowright
65. Mr L. Plowright
66. Mrs Hubbard
67. Mrs Daniher
68. Mrs D. G. O'Hehir
69. Mr J. George
70. Mrs J. Hall
71. Miss D. Walsh
72. Miss McInnes
73. Mrs N. Bath
74. Mrs J. Clark
75. Mrs Broadbent
76. Mr. B. Darlington
77. Mr R. McGregor
78. Mr W. Henry
79. Mrs Don Crameri
80. Mr W. McDonald
81. Mrs E. Cochrane
82. Mr E. Wadsley
83. Mrs E. Wadsley
84. Mr Harder
85. Mrs W. Orgill
86. Mrs Groves Snr
87. Mrs A. Sheilds
88  Mr Myall
89. Miss Gilbert
90. Mrs Mickle
91. Mrs S. Stagg
92. Mr N. Beckham
93. Mr H. Snodwill [an unusual name - should it be Sandwell, Snowsill?]
94. Mr B. Bossetti  [Rossetti]
95. Mr F. W. Heffernan
96. Mrs W. Perkins
97. Mr G. Farraro [Ferrero]
98. Mr Keith Lineham
99. Mr M. Costa
100. Mrs P. W. Nestor
101. Mrs R. V. Kirwin
102. Mr C. Beasso  [maybe Biaso or Biasi]
103. Mrs H. Griffiths
104. Mrs Cuff
105. Mr Gaburri
106. Mrs J. Leontini
107. Mr V. Saluna
108. Mrs Milner
109. Mrs J. Colvin
110. Mr A.J. Harding
111. Mr E. Glasscock
112. Mrs E. Glasscock
113. Mr P. Amoir  [Amore or Amor]
114. Mr A. Agosta
115. Miss Joyce Duggan
116. Mr S. Coulthard
117. Mrs Heffernan
118. Mr Day
119. Mrs Preston
120. Mrs McMillan
121. Mrs A. Johnson
122. Mrs Caldwell
123. Mrs W. Johnson
124. Mrs M. Keighery 
125. Mrs C. Brown
126. Mrs A. Burton
127. Mr C. Mazetta
128. Mrs D. Nichols
129. Mrs D. Cochrane
130. Mr Anderson
131. Mr Mick Zullala
132. Mr P. Einsiedel  Snr
133. Mr Pepper
134. Mr Belfer
135. Mr G. Zuccala
136. Mrs W. Koochew
137. Mr Cramerai [Crameri]
138. Mrs Jennings
139. Miss D. Jennings
140. Mrs Hewitt
141. Mrs J. Mann
142. Mr Ray Groves
143. Mr L. Plowright
144. Mrs McKenzie
145. Mrs Lawrence
146. Mrs J. L. O'Riordan
147. Mrs Colvin  Snr
148. Mrs P. Walsh
149. Mr A. Wilson
150. Mr W. McGree
151. Mrs McDermott
152. Mrs Peterson
153. Mrs Brazil
154. Mrs R. Biggar
155. Mr W. Sweeney
156. Mrs Miles
157. Mrs E. Mallcoth  [Mallcott]
158. Mrs J. Hester
159. Mrs W. Mahoney
160. Mrs Sauer
161. Mr McKenzie
162. Mr Whiteman
163. Mr Dug Amis  [Doug Amis]
164. Mr R. Turtin  [Turton]
165. Mr Don Johnson
166. Mr K. Hobson
167. Mr A Geipels, Dalmore  [maybe Goepel or Giebels]
168. Mr E. Rossetti
169. Mr Trayford
170. Mrs R. Schmutter
171. Mr Terry O'Brien
172. Mrs J. Morden
173. Mrs E. Johnson
174. Mr Johnson
175. Mr A.L. Green
176. Mr Graham
177. Mrs Rodbur
178. Mrs Scott
179. Mrs Ray Mills
180. Mrs Nicholson
181. Mrs Brooke  Snr
182. Mrs F. Brooke
183. Miss A. Gibbons
184. Mrs A. Colvin
185. Mrs Barnes
186. Mr Vito Cassete  [Caserta]
187. Mr Crawford 
188. Mrs Ruston
189. Mrs Neale
190. Mr Watson
191. Mrs Hansen
192. Mr Dick Florance
193. Mr G. De Bama  [Giordano De Bona]
194. Mrs Henry
195. Mr Schmutter
196. Gregarie Agasta  [Gregorio Agosta]
197. Mr Doherty
198. Miss Huntingford
199. Miss M. McFarlane
200. Mrs Humphries
201. Mrs Levey
202. Mr McKenzie
203. Mrs Jack Bartlett
204. Dr. A.B. Hewitt
205. Mr Paul Craemeria [Crameri]
206. Miss C. Ferguson
207. Mrs English
208. Mrs Gray
209. Mrs L. Child
210. Mrs Maddern
211. Mrs M. C. Moore
212. Mrs C. Courtney
213. Mr Minoghue  [Minogue]
214. Miss N. Monk
215. Mr R. Livingston
216. Mr M. Aidone
217. Mr Hallett
218. Mrs W. Benston
219. Miss Arnold
220. Mr Taylor / Dentist
221. Mrs Pitten
222. Mr F. Hodgson
223. Mrs Nelson
224. Mr G. Milner
225. Mrs Shaw
226. Mrs Turton
227. Miss Sweeney
228. Mr Levey
229. Mrs S. Levey
230. Mr L. Cochrane
231. Miss Joan Wadsley
232. Mrs W. Marshall
233. Mr Scott
234. Mr A. Child
235. Mr Cahill
236. Mrs W. Taylor
237. Mrs Biglan
238. Mrs Bethune Snr
239. Mrs A. Bethune
240. Mrs J. Spencer
241. Mr Ford
242. Miss M. Barnes
243. Mrs Loveday Snr
244. Mrs R. Gray
245. Miss M. Hamilton
246. Mrs A. J. Gilchrist
247. Mr Cougle
248. Mrs C. Gleeson
249. Mr H. J. Kirwin
250. Mr E. Williams
251. Mrs W. Gilchrist
252. Miss A. Gilchrist
253. Mrs T. Burton
254. Mrs Gane
255. Michel Riggall
256. Mrs Len Wilson
257. Mrs Graydon
258. Mrs Fred Shaw
259. Miss Hallett
260. Miss J.G. Duff
261. Miss Darlington

261 members @ 2/- =  £26: 2: 0.

Friday, January 13, 2023

Motoring trip around the Koo Wee Rup Swamp in 1929

Take a motoring  trip around the Koo Wee Rup Swamp in 1929. From The Herald, July 18, 1929, see here

Herald Tourist Bureau
Circuit of Koo-Wee-Rup Swamp
Day Outing of many attractions
(By our Special Motor Writer)

Though most tourists to Lang Lang and San Remo now travel by way of Pakenham and Koo-wee-rup on splendidly surfaced roads, much more attractive country is seen when the route followed is the old though fairly rough road from Dandenong to Lang Lang by way of Cranbourne and Tooradin.

The two roads combined provide an excellent triangular route for a one-day outing, and, though two or three short stretches of road in the hills near Cranbourne will be greasy after rain, the full route is passable in all weathers, and will be improved each week by the reconstruction now in progress.

Dandenong, 19. 6 miles from Melbourne, by the Prince's Highway, is the starting point for the tour. Setting the speedometer at zero at the Shire Hall, the town baths are passed first on the left, then the road to Frankston on the right, and at 1.0 mile speedometer reading turn right from the Prince's Highway, where a finger post directs to Cranbourne. 

Watch the level crossing at 1.1. then follow the good asphalt road. Unfortunately it does not last for long. At 2.3 cross the Eumemmering Creek, where new irrigation works are being finalised; another creek bridge at 2.5, pass a road on the left at 3.1, and the main road becomes an earth formation at 3.2.

THROUGH BELTS OF BUSH
To here the country traversed is fairly flat and devoted mainly to grazing. Go left at the fork at 3.9, where a sign shows right to Lyndhurst and rolling country is entered crossed by belts of bush.Use care at 6.8. where the clay surface is tricky, if wet, and again on more clay at 7.3. Beyond the cross roads at 7.5 very fine pastoral country is entered, a feature being the splendid plantations of trees, which form windbreaks to the different holdings.

 The road is pot-holed for a fairly long distance from here, but the side tracks will be found good. Another cross road is passed at 8.7, then Cranbourne railway station on the right. Cross the rail at 8.8, then follow the very pot-holed road through Cranbourne (two hotels) to the junction with the Clyde-Frankston road at 9.7. Keep straight on at the junction, the road entering scrub and bracken-covered country, while the first view of the distant Strezlecki ranges is obtained directly ahead.

MOUNTAIN TEA-TREE
Some sand pits are passed on the left, then a narrow gauge rail crossed, at 10.7, in a belt of the mountain tea-tree. At 11.3 there is a road on the right to Hastings, followed by a short patch of slippery road, then some new road construction works, where the road is unfinished and slippery. This going ends at 12.9 and at 13.1 a metal road begins, though in places the side tracks will be found more comfortable.

Five-Ways Junction is reached at 13.7, and at 13.9 (the fifth road) go half left, a finger post directing ahead to Devon Meadows and Cannons Creek. The road continues from there in fairly good condition, through gums and ti-tree, to the creek at 15.9, then through bracken country to an irrigtion bridge at 16.8. Pass the former Sherwood Hotel at 17.0. and fairly open farming country will be entered.

VIEW OF THE RANGES
Watch the turn over the creek at 18.0, and at 18.4 a splendid view will be obtained on the left of the Gippsland Ranges, snow-capped at this season. At 18. 6 the first head-water of Western Port is skirted, Tooradin P.O. is passed at 18. 7, then Tooradin Hotel, where a road runs left to the station, while a long railed bridge leads ahead over a picturesque inlet. Generally this is filled with a fleet of fishing craft and private yachts, and, eliminating the mangroves, has somewhat the appearance of a Norfolk Broad estuary.

The road enters particularly dense scrub at 19.5 - mainly Captain Cook ti-tree, though there are frequent growths of native cherry and white-blossomed shrubs. At 21.0 keep on where a road runs left to Dalmore. and thereafter keep Western Port on the right, the road running across flats, grown with mangrove and pierced at intervals with by creeks and salt water Inlets. These bridges are at 21.6. 22.1 (watch). 22.2, 22.4. 23.3, 23.4. and the road between them is specially well surfaced. This section of very flat country makes the distant ranges very noticeable, and they form a blue horizon on three sides.

DONKEYS GRAZING
At 24.0 keep on at the junction (left to Koo-Wee-Rup), and pass through splendid grazing country, here an occasional donkey may be seen grazing contentedly in a herd of cattle, or with lamb-companioned sheep.

 At 25.6 a splendid road comes in on the left from Pakenham. This is the natural turning point for the route described, but for those who desire to see it there exists, three miles further on, and after passing a bridge under construction and crossing the Yalock Creek, probably the finest hawthorn hedge in the State. It is in splendid trim; now it is bearing a profuse growth of scarlet haws, and is three miles long. It ends in kangaroo wattle just before Lang Lang, where a cross road leads left to Drouin and right to Nyora by the South Gippsland Road, or to San Remo, Wonthaggi and Corinella.

Returning to 25.6 turn into the road to Pakenham. Right to the Prince's Highway this will be found to be excellently surfaced in all weathers. It leads first to a junction, at 26.8, where turn sharp right, then cross the rails at 26.9. turning sharp left, without entering Koo-Wee-Rup, where a finger post shows ahead to Bayles, Bunyip and Warragul and left to Pakenham.

MANY BRIDGES
There is a road on the right at 27.1, then a bridge at 27.5, followed immediately by a road on the right, a second bridge, then a cross road, and finally a big double bridge. Again, at 27.7 there is a road left, then another bridge, and a finger post to Pakenham, Pass the cross roads at 28.7 and another cross road at 30.8. To here the road skirts the Koo-Wee-Rup swamp, and is bordered by an earth works, with occasional private bridges as entrances to farms.

At 31.8 passed a road on the right, turn left over bridge, then turn right, leaving another road on the left. At 32.9 use caution in making the fairly sharp left turn, for a big unprotected ditch borders the road ahead. Pass a cross roads next and at the junction, at 33.9, turn left, pass Pakenham station, then cross the railway line and Pakenham East post office will be reached at 36.6.

Continuing on, Pakenham Junction will be reached at 37.2. where first keep on, then turn half left into the Prince's Highway. From there the road is splendid back to Dandenong (reached in 16.8 miles, or 54.0 miles total speedometer reading.

Progressive readings for this section are: — Officer (41.2), Beaconfield and Cardinia Creek (42), Berwick (45.5), Narre Warren (47.9) and Eumemmering Creek (52.3).