Donnybrook Cemetery can be found by driving up the Hume Highway from Melbourne to Kalkallo, pass Donnybrook Road on the right, and then turn into Malcolm Street and the cemetery is directly ahead, about 200 metres On the 10th September 1857 a request was made to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Victoria for land to […]
Category: Whittlesea
Family Secrets: the last hangman in England
My name is Ann Marie Johnson and I have just relocated from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland where I have lived for the past 10 years. My husband and I returned to Victoria in November 2012 and have just moved into our new home in Doreen. I have been teaching genealogy for the past 10 years […]
Dan O’Brien – Australian’s forgotten turf legend
Born in pre-gold rush Melbourne to Irish immigrants Dennis and Ann O’Brien, Dan grew up among horses. From birth to seven years old, this renowned jockey, trainer, owner, breeder and publican, the son of a drover, lived less than 100 metres from Kirk’s Bazaar, Melbourne’s famous horse market. On his mother’s death in 1854, Dan […]
Wise Family of Yan Yean
Our Wise Family, in all, now numbering over 2,500, had a huge gathering in Wangaratta on the 19th of July 2008 to celebrate my great great grandfather and great great grandmother’s arrival at Port Phillip, on the 19th of July 1848, some 160 years ago. Joseph Wise and his wife Matilda settled for 10 years […]
Early days of Thomastown and Lalor
A Sunday School picnic from Thornbury as a child, used to be to either the Presbyterian church at Epping or Whittlesea. Epping road was only bitumen barely wide enough for two cars, with gravel on the sides, and most of the side roads were unmade until 1964. The original (Thomastown) Doctors surgery was a tin […]
Rowe Family, Eden Farm
The farm has been in the family since 1911; it’s now divided among descendants of the original Rowe owners, Agnes Hooper Mill (1874-1944) and William Philip Rowe (1876-1956). Their parents and grandparents, all immigrants from Illogan and St Agnes in Cornwall, were part of the Ranters Gully mining community in Campbells Creek, near Castlemaine, when […]
Lalor Shopping Centre
The following article was written by Robert Wuchatsch and first appeared in the Hume Gazette in November 1995. The Lalor Shopping Centre began during the 1950s, shortly after the suburb of Lalor was created by ex-servicemen returning from the Second World War. The land on which the Lalor Shopping Centre stands was previously owned by […]
World War 1 Casualty : William Wailes (Preston and Epping)
William Wailes served as 3952, Private, 23rd Infantry and was 23 years of age when killed in action at Lagnicourt, France on 20 March, 1917. His military career was unexceptional – perhaps one or two more run-ins with officialdom than the norm – but he was unusual in that he was one of five brothers […]
Whittlesea Cultural Heritage Program
The following is an edited version of the speech given by City of Whittlesea Mayor, Cr Mary Lalios on the occassion of the 10th anniversary of the Whittlesea Heritage Program, 17 July 2009 Good evening everyone and welcome to the Great Hall for the start of our tenth anniversary heritage celebrations –a genuine milestone. Over […]
Carome Homestead
This historic homestead was built of bluestone blocks in 1864 on a rise overlooking the Plenty River. It’s current address is 10 Hathfelde Boulevard, Mernda It was established at a time when surrounding properties grew wheat that was to supply the growing metropolis of Melbourne and those travelling along Plenty Road to the goldfields. Carome […]