This story has been inspired by the Invisible Farmer Project. This is the largest ever study of Australian women on the land. It aims to create new histories of rural Australia, reveal the hidden stories of women on the land and document the diverse, innovative and vital role of women in agriculture.
Yes, Whittlesea has invisible farmers. Women working farms and doing so very skillfully. At Mernda there was Mrs Graff, whose cows were often watched and in her care on the side of the Plenty road. This was when there were far fewer cars and more good drivers. This grazing would supplement the feed from her small acreage farm. Her Mernda cows won prizes for cream at the Whittlesea show.
Another lady farmer from Eden Park was Alice Murphy. She had a farm in Eden Park and ran a cattle farm successfully. At the time I knew her, I was on low wages and had a family of 6 children.
At harvest Hay time, I worked weekends and evenings hay carting. I helped with hay carting on her farm place at Eden Park. As well as being a competent farmer, Alice was a sentimental person.
Loved and recalled her folks often, in conversation.
In the area at the side of the house stood a strong gum tree pole. This post had been used by Alice’s father for training horses. Used as a central tether for controlling the unbroken horse.
I presume he was of Irish stock from his name. Murphy: Irish are often skilled at work horses training.
Of course, now it is all tractors and the Clydesdales are almost extinct. I hope that tethering post still survives, as it is an item from the districts past. One year, in which we carted her hay, she entered a Bale of hay in the Melbourne show and got a prize for the quality of hay in the bale. Alice was fussy as to time of cutting and time of baling the cut hay.
This year, in preparation for carting the baled hay, we had to clean out the fairly small hay shed. There was a layer of old loose hay on the floor.
Also, I noticed a piece of harness, hanging on a peg on the side wall, where we were to stack the bales. I think it was a horse bridal but it may have been a horse collar. Either way, I thought it was in the road and needed shifting. I went to the peg with this piece of harness with the intention of moving it . Thankfully I didn’t reach it.
Alice saw what I intended doing and called “ Don’t touch that , my father put that harness there “
I have no idea when her father died. But that harness had never been moved from that peg , since he passed on .
When carting hay bales, it is hot work and thirsty work. While working for Alice, we were always supplied with cups of tea and scones and a mixed salad. Plus water for a wash, to get rid of the hay seeds and help cool down. This didn’t happen on company owned big farms. A totally different story
I don’t know how many years Alice worked that farm. I know she inherited it from her father and her brother had a farm, close bye. in Eden Park I would think. She was there many years continuing what her father and mother had started. But like all of us, time rolled on and she became old. I lost track of her over the years ,until I was in the Whittlesea Post Office and asked about Alice. Mrs White, the post mistress told me Alice had died sometime previously. I was told Alice was found dead in the field with her much loved cattle.
I don’t know, but assume it was just old age caught up with her.
Today, more than ever, we should appreciate what women are doing on the land, in difficult times. Especially in drought stricken areas.
Matt Dickinson
August 2018
Photo: LHC 141 (Yarra Plenty Regional Library) Farmland in South Morang, now Riverside Estate, formerly Jone’s Farm, Gorge Road: a barbed wire fence encloses a grassed paddock with trees, a house and farm buildings in the distance. 2000. Murphy Family Collection
