Monbulk Historical Society

25/05/2026

GEORGE MURRAY IN SHERBROOKE FOREST

One of our favourite photographers was a man named George Gillespie Murray. He was born in Edinburgh on November 28 1858 and came to Australia at some point. On January 4 1884 he married Mary Anne Odgers in Mackay, Queensland. The couple came to Melbourne and are known to have lived at 25 Union Street, Brunswick, for some time. Mary died in 1936 and George remarried in 1937 and moved to Sydney, where he died on September 11, 1938.

Overall we don't know too much about George but have a wonderful legacy that he left with his vast array of photos, which grows as additional postcards turn up. The photos often survive in the form of postcards with his mark on the front - "G. G. M. Photo". One of the aspects that made his photography interesting was his propensity to include people in his photographs of scenery, which captured the pre-WW1 era beautifully.

George was active around Melbourne as a travelling photographer in the early 1900s. He took many photos in the Dandenongs, primarily around 1905 until 1914. Many images are known from Monbulk, South Sassafras (now Kallista), Belgrave and Sassafras in particular, but most of the Dandenongs districts appeared to have be visited. He was even privately engaged by John and Roberta Roberts of South Sassafras to take many photos of the artists at Sunnyside and around the present Kallista area, capturing the likes of C. J. Dennis at work (he wrote most of The Sentimental Bloke at Sunnyside), Mrs Aeneas (Jeannie) Gunn and many others which appear in family albums.

For this week's post we will focus on just a handful of George's picture postcard images taken in Sherbrooke Forest. Many of these photos would have been taken on the same day with the same man and woman featuring in them. George and his companions visited the two main attractions in the forest at the time, being the Giant Tree and Sherbrooke Falls. At the time Sherbrooke Falls were visited at the base in the gully rather than at the bridge as has been done for the last 50 years. The track to the base was closed off in the early 1970s for environmental reasons and the bridge at the top was built in 1976. The postcards, when postally used, have 1909 dates or cancellations on the backs, suggesting that they were likely taken in 1908 or 1909.

If you visit the Public Records Office Victoria at North Melbourne there is a large photo of the 1906 North Melbourne Locomotives Football Club premiership team in the room by the entrance, with the G.G.M. Photo identification on it.

18/05/2026

KALLISTA-THE PATCH BROWNIES AT THE MONBULK ANIMAL KINGDOM

This week's post is of a pictorial nature. We are currently digitising the Monbulk Guides archives and continually find ourselves coming across interesting photos.

Here are some images of the 1st Kallista-The Patch Brownies visiting the Monbulk Animal Kingdom in the 1980s, which was run by Fritz Maaten and Andy Stevens.

12/05/2026

MORE DUTCH HISTORY
THE CONSUL & THE CABIN

About 10 years ago the Monbulk Historical Society was invited to a Log Cabin home in Ridge Road, Kallista, where the owner was intrigued by the apparent history associated with the property. It had apparently once been the weekend property for a Dutch Consul according to a previous owner. We had no records of this in the Ferntree Gully Shire Ratebooks which covered the years 1892-1935, nor anything else to go on.

The owner was interested to know how old the cabin might be. We were only able to supply some basic property information, such as Samuel Willis had been the original selector. The cabin was not an early settler home but rather in the style sometimes built in the 1920s and 1930s. With no more information we left it at that.

More recently the same person had contact with our friends at the Sherbrooke Foothills Historical Society (who primarily cover the Upper FTG to Belgrave area) and the same story cropped up again. Annie Hills, who is a remarkable researcher with the SFHS, as readers of her stories on the Sherbrooke Foothills History page will know, passed on the information. We had forgotten the bit about the Dutch Consul and with our recent Dutch Exhibition thought that it definitely warranted another look.

As we are in the process of downloading 1000's of titles at PROV for our district, we grabbed the relevant titles of the property and passed them on to Annie to do her magic. The result has solved the questions that had not been answerable 10 years ago prior to our access to Titles.

The property on Ridge Road was originally part of Lot 13A, a 271 acre block, which extended down to Kallista-Emerald Road and Frond Drive in The Patch. It was made available for selection under lease in 1878 and 11 years later Samuel Willis then bought it in 1889. Although the land is now in Kallista it was then a part of Menzies Creek.

The property had begun to be subdivided in 1930. After Samuel Willis died in 1933 the land was left to his sons, Samuel James Willis and Ernest Horatio Willis.

The title shows that Samuel James Willis retained this part of the estate until 1938, when it was bought by Isobel Maud Sinclair. She resided at 9 Harcourt St Hawthorn with her husband Harold Patrick Sinclair. They were recently married, and he was a "manufacturer". She, however, had inherited a fortune 10 years earlier, possibly explaining the Harcourt Street address. Where her money came from was from her father's Tar Distillery fortune. She featured in Table Talk both for her engagement and marriage. Unfortunately they went downhill from there...respectable, but not in the high echelons of society.

Now that a name had been found via the title, Annie was able to concentrate her search on Trove, and it revealed a stroke of luck. The Ferntree Gully News in August 1938 showed that H. P. Sinclair applied for a building permit for a Log Cabin at Aura (as Menzies Creek was then known). It is uncommon to find information relating to when houses were built.

The Sinclair's retained the property until 1942 when it was sold to Jan Van Holst Pellekaan, and the Dutch connection had been found. Without the Title revealing the name of the consul it would have been like a needle in a haystack. A search showed that Pellekaan had been a trade consul in Sydney, and had moved to Melbourne earlier that year.

Annie found quite a bit of information on him, an interesting time he had during the WW2 years in Melbourne, with Holland under occupation, and the Japanese occupying Netherlands East Indies. He was trade commissioner for NEI and was involved in supporting refugees from both Holland and NEI. Pellekaan retained the property until 1946, when the war had concluded.

So here is another addition to the Dutch history of our district, able to be put together via Title information and the wonders of Trove.

11/05/2026

05/05/2026

Dutch celebration a great success

When the Yarra Valley Italian Cultural Group released an award winning book Dreams From A Suitcase in 2009 it planted a seed in the mind of Maria McCarthy, a past mayor of the Shire Of Yarra Ranges. Maria has held various positions in the YVICG, and more recently also being president of the Lilydale Historical Society. To be able to tell the stories of Italian migrants coming to the Yarra Valley opened up the possibility of extending that project to another group of migrants who settled locally in large numbers, being the Dutch.

Within the last year Maria got in contact with Helen Darvell, who in turn brought in Anne and Gerry van Horick. With a large Dutch population having settled around Monbulk, contact was made with the Monbulk Historical Society, in particular past president Jill A'Vard who had long been planning to tell the story of Monbulk's Dutch history. This created the nucleus of an energetic committee, along with Mary Gibson, Karin Seamer and more recently Michael Gijsberts (Dutch Heritage Centre in Carnegie), Rita and David Sandfort. Additional help on the day from Wendy Dennison and Brian Seamer serving tea and coffee was greatly appreciated.

Plans were formulated to gather information of the families, create story boards for about 30 families from around the Monbulk district and have a big celebration close to the Netherlands Koningsdag (King's Day - April 27) with music and food. The Dutch embassy were very supportive and provided a $10,000 grant towards the costs, along with local businesses also contributing, including Bendigo Bank and Broersen's.

The Monbulk and Silvan areas in particular became home to many Dutch migrants after WW2 and they have transformed the district, primarily through the establishment of nurseries and flower farms which dot our district today and provide so much local employment. They also banded together to form the Monbulk Rangers Soccer Club, originally called the Lyrebirds, and this is the only soccer club based in the central part of the Dandenongs.

Sunday May 3 was booked in for the event, titled From The Lowlands To The Ranges, to be held at the Monbulk Hub (Living & Learning Centre). Despite inclement weather the people came in their hundreds and packed the venue, with long queues at the food stalls outside. Costumes for the day for the organising committee were provided by Tesselaar's.

The event was launched with speeches from Janna McCurdy (representing the Dutch Heritage Centre), Cr. Richard Higgins (Mayor SYR), Daniela de Martino (State Member for Monbulk) and Aaron Violi (Federal Member for Casey). Music was supplied by the Dutch singing group Zing along with the Van Tongeren Sisters.

The display will be at the Monbulk Hub until the end of June and can be seen on any weekday between 9am and 5pm, except public holidays, which are the normal open hours of the Hub. Jill A'Vard is now working on gathering stories from more of Monbulk's Dutch community to compile into a book to be launched later this year.

04/05/2026

Yarra Ranges Council Heritage Strategy and Policy Plan is currently open for public input for a few more days. This is the first time that council has ever consulted the community via this sort of a forum on this topic. Please look through it and contribute if you can.

⏰Last chance to have your say on the draft Heritage Strategy and Policy.

We’ve been working with the community to help shape how we recognise, protect and celebrate the rich history of the Yarra Ranges — and now we want to make sure we’ve got it right.

From important places and stories to local traditions, your feedback will help guide the final Strategy and Policy.

If you’ve been meaning to take a look, now’s the time. Share what you think we’ve captured well, and anything you feel is missing before feedback closes.

🌐 Have your say: https://shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/heritage-strategy

Culture Tracks Yarra Ranges | Yarra Ranges Regional Museum

24/04/2026

Don't miss Monbulk Historical Society's Dutch Heritage Exhibition, 'From the Lowlands to the Ranges' at the Monbulk Living & Learning Centre (Monbulk Hub).
21 Main Road, Monbulk (Moores Road entrance)
Date: Sunday, 3 May 2026
Time: 10.30am – 3.00pm
Official Opening: 1.00pm
All welcome!

20/04/2026

As we enter the week of ANZAC remembrances, recalling the sacrifices of Australians in fields of conflict, we will look at a reunion of WW1 service personnel from Kallista, Monbulk and The Patch, which took place 100 years ago this year and created a Tom Roberts artwork.

Tom Roberts, the famed Australian painter, lived in South Sassafras/Kallista between 1923-1931. He was a friend of Leslie Figgis Reid who had moved to South Sassafras in 1920 and erected the general store which still stands in the Main Street (Monbulk Road) Kallista.

In 1926 Tom and Leslie organised a dinner for ex-service men and women. For the occasion Tom created a poster which was then kept by the Reids. The poster featured a drawing of Leslie when he was serving in France in 1917, along with a sketch of his wife Gertrude, who had been a V.A.D. nurse on the hospital ship 'Empress Of Britain'.

Years later the poster was donated to the Monbulk RSL where it was stored and forgotten in the ceiling for many years. When the forgotten poster was found again by apprentice electrician Matthew Marshall, it was restored and framed and has had pride of place on display in the RSL building since 1994.

Next time you visit the Monbulk RSL, take the time to have a look at a work of one of Australia's most acclaimed artists who helped to remember the Kallista, Monbulk and The Patch district war service 100 years ago.

The Ferntree Gully News from August 21 1926 had an article on the re-union as follows:

MEMORIES OF THE WAR
RE-UNION AT KALLISTA.
The initial re-union of ex-service men and women of Kallista, Monbulk and The Patch took the form of a dinner, and proved a very interesting function. Between 40 and 50 sat down to an excellent repast,consisting of "rations" provided by the partakers, each of whom also brought knife, fork and spoon.
Wives of ex-service men were invited, and the needs of a number of small children were attended to by representatives of the Kallista Girl Guide Coy. Grown-ups were waited on by volunteers from the Kallista Troop and Boy Scouts, these two invaluable organisations thus being linked up as in war time, with the adult services.
Features of the occasion were the number of women entitled by personal service during the war to participate, and the wide range of units, both of the Imperial and Australian forces, no fewer than 34 units being represented.
Major R. O. Cowey (3rd and 55th Batt. A.I.F.) was elected chairman, and proceedings were opened with the singing of the National Anthem. After the dinner, which reflected great credit on the Quarter Master, Mrs. L. F. Reid ("Nurse Bower," special service V.A.D.). and the ladies assisting her, a most enjoyable and sociable evening was spent, during which community songs, including such old favorites as "Keep the Home Fires Burning," "Pack up Your Troubles," "Tipperary," etc., were rendered.
Messrs. Guild Swale (22nd Batt., A.I.F.), S. Crawford (The Black Watch), Angus Shaw (23rd Batt., A.I.F.). and Syd. Storrie (R.A.V.T.),taking solo parts. Miss Myfawny Jones (Land Army) and Mrs. Storrie were accompanists, and Mr. L F. Reid (3rd Pioneers, A.I.F.) 'celloobligatist. A step dance was performed by Mr. J. Brennan (56th R.F.A.), and a Cossack dance by Mr. S. Crawford, and these items were much appreciated, as was also Mr. J. Christian's (A.L.T.M.B., A.I.F.) coster impersonations. Dancing was indulged in to music supplied by Mrs. Storrie and Mr. H. Whitehead (R.G.A.).
During the evening the chairman in a happy speech, expressed the appreciation of the company to Mr. Tom Roberts (R.A.M.C., 3rd L.G.H.) hon. treasurer and "arch conspirator," at whose home the idea of the gathering was mooted, and whose striking and characteristic poster was the magnet which attracted so large a crowd.
Cheers were given for the chairman, treasurer, Q.M., the ladies. Girl Guides and Boy Scouts. A memorable, evening concluded with the singing of"Auld Lang Syne" and the National Anthem. Among those present were Mrs. R. O. Cowey ("Nurse Craig," V.A.D., W.H.Northampton), Sister E. E. Pollard (M.C.H., Kent), Miss J. C. Barrow (V.A.D., Morton Gardens H., London). Messrs, F. A. Lane (23rd Batt.,A.I.F.), and Mrs. Lane, L. P. Armstrong (8th Batt., A.I.F.), Chas. Emberson (H.M.S. "Nymph"), A. Hyde (8th Light Horse,A.I.F.), J. A. Pennell (Royal West Kent) and Mrs. Pennell. J. .......(4th Bn. Rifle Brigade), W. R. Johnston De Vere (1st Seaforth Highlander) and Mrs. Johnston-De Vere, F. C. Richardson (1st Batt. Essex Reg.), A. H. Duddy (1st Aust. Railway Unit, A.I.F.), B. T.Darby (2nd Pioneers, A.I.F.) and Mrs. Darby, D. S. Covey (1st Batt. Queen's Royal West Surrey) and Mrs Covey, H. W. Martindale (33rd Batt., A.I.F.), A. Fearon (A.M.F.), W. J. Breen (20th Batt., A.I.F.), J. E. Murray (46th Batt., A.I.F.), Jim Hamilton (8th Batt., A.I.F.), Jack Hamilton (3rd Pioneers, A.I.F.), and Mrs. Hamilton, D. Graq (Highland L.I.), Mesdames J. Christian and H. Whitehead.

13/04/2026

EARLY HISTORY OF TENNIS IN THE PATCH
THE TENNIS CLUB THAT BUILT A HALL

We were contacted recently by The Patch Tennis Club, who were looking to find out a little more about their history and origins. The ensuing research has led to this week's post.

Over a century ago the Dandenongs were the summer escape for Melbourne's masses. The era of the day-trippers and tourists was met with accommodation in a variety of guest houses, which sprang up everywhere. To compete for the patronage of the holiday makers, guest house proprietors would provide additional attractions. One very popular extra was to have a place to stay with a tennis court.

The first tennis court known to be built in the Monbulk district was by Mary Lane in March 1908 on her block in The Patch where she opened her guest house, named Etruria. The Lane family lived on the high side of The Patch Road, about half way between The Patch Store and O'Connors Road. This predated the first known court at Monbulk where the Monbulk club built their court in the grounds of St. George's Church in 1912.

The Patch was to get another court during WW1, about 1918, when Frank and Roger Gleghorn built a court for Robert Orlando Cowey. The Cowey family had the Weardale guest house on The Patch Road (now Kallista-Emerald Road). Weardale still exists but the court does not. Weardale was advertised as having a court by January 1919.

Two other courts appeared in The Patch area by the early 1920s. Grantulla guest house in South Sassafras (Kallista), which overlooked Weardale and The Patch, was mentioned having a court in 1921. A private court was then also built by the Sennitt family on their block at the back of The Patch, between Priors and Sennitts Roads, up on the hill.

In December 1923 the first Mountain District Tennis Association was proposed, to consist of the Belgrave, Monbulk, Upwey and Olinda clubs, but didn't eventuate. Another proposal took place in 1927 but again came to nothing. It took until 1932 for the competition to finally launch, and by this time it was to involve clubs along the narrow gauge railway line - Gembrook, Cockatoo, Emerald, Belgrave, Tecoma and Upwey - playing on Wednesday afternoons. Ferntree Gully and Boronia joined a few years later. Monbulk was playing against the likes of Silvan and Seville.

The rise of organised clubs and competitions had some in The Patch interested in also having their own club. This eventually came to fruition on Friday September 14 1934 when a well attended meeting was held at Herbert Clarkson's house. The Clarkson's ran The Patch Store, had a motor transport business and had also bought blocks in Kallista that they were subdividing, being Beagley's Bridge Estate, (subdivided by Ebenezer, Herbert's father) and the land on the hill opposite Cooks Corner where Herbert put in Clarkson Road and Helena Avenue (Helena being his mother's name).

Herbert became the inaugural president of The Patch Tennis Club. Being a good friend of the Cowey family, Herbert arranged for the club to be able to access Robert Cowey's court at Weardale for the club's purposes for a nominal rental paid three monthly. Jim and Robert Cowey signed up as members that night as well as many others, giving an initial member's roll of 26. Amongst the other member names were prominent families such as the Wigmore's, Kay's and Gannon's, along with Tom McAlister and Fred Hibgame who were descendants of pioneers. One of the proposals was for the er****on of a hall, as well as their own court.

The club began life as The Patch and Fairy Dell Social and Tennis Club. It certainly lived up to the social side with numerous dances and euchre parties held at the Monbulk Mechanics' Institute Hall. They were to celebrate the wedding of their president to Dora Fitzgerald in June 1935. It was at the same time that the new Patch Store was built and opened, being the current store on The Patch Road, which is now 91 years old, although the building itself is older as it was transported brick by brick from an inner city location.

The club only played socially for the first couple of seasons, declining an offer to join the MDTA in 1935-36 as they did not have their own court. They decided to join the Ferntree Gully Tennis Association (the reformed MDTA) for the 1936-37 year as their first in competition. Dave Forsyth, a club vice-president, became the first captain.

The desire to have their own courts resulted in the president arranging to build a court on his own land, behind The Patch Store. Fred Hibgame was thanked for his work in constructing the court and Herbert Clarkson made it available to the club for the nominal fee of 1 shilling (10 cents) per year. The court was officially opened in October 1938 by the Shire President, Gilbert Chandler, who hit the first ball.

With their new court, the club entered two teams in C Grade in 1938-39. They went on to win two consecutive premierships in 1939-40 and 1940-41 in C Grade. W. J. Lewis became the first club Life Member, having been a vice-president and donor of all the club trophies since inception. In 1941 the court was fenced and R. Walker became the new club captain. The Patch & Fairy Dell club played in B Grade in 1942 as there were only two divisions and less clubs due to the war but soon after play ceased for the remainder of the conflict.

On January 18 1945 the club held an AGM and reformed, being one of 8 teams playing in a single division as the war was drawing to a close. Dave Forsyth took over the captaincy again after Walker resigned. The talk of building a hall for The Patch was again brought up after ten years, and they were joined in their endeavors by the Progress Association.

The tennis competition expanded rapidly in the late 1940s, although The Patch club remained at two teams.

Herbert was to be president for 17 years, until the end of the 1950-51 season. He died on May 15 1951. His wife Dora was Treasurer for two years 1939-40 - 1940-41 and then stepped up to be secretary for 10 years from 1941-42 until the 1951-52 season.

Another couple who had a long association with the club in the early days was Tom McAlister and Irene Wigmore. Tom took over as secretary from F. Cowcher partway through the second season, 1935-36, and did the job for 4 of the next 5 years while Irene began as Treasurer in 1936-37 and filled the role for 15 years over three stints until 1959-1960, and also one year as secretary. Tom and Irene married in 1940.

After Herbert had passed away in 1951, Dora Clarkson continued with the store for another year or so before Harold and Marion Box took on the lease in 1953, until eventually buying the business in 1958. They allowed the club to continue using the court under the same arrangements and Harold was also president of the Public Hall Committee. Dora was made a Life Member in 1953, "the only one living". It was likely that Herbert was also made a Life Member at some stage.

During the late 1940s and the early 1950s the tennis club continued to raise funds for their hall. A separate Hall committee worked with the tennis committee. In 1955 they acquired the land for the hall, had plans drawn up in 1956, and approved in 1957, during which years David Weavers was now President of the Tennis Club. £1500 was raised by the committee over many years. Harry Murphy's bulldozer was used, along with Jack Weavers' backhoe to level the site. The Patch Hall was completed in November 1958 and registered as a public building in March 1959. Toilets were added later that year, and the hall was officially available for use.

With need for an extra court they were able to obtain the use of the one at Linden Lea guest house, which was situated between the current hall and Lawrence Court. There was a dispute about the use of the court later and it was rescinded after an altercation.

In 1960 a court was planned to be built behind the hall. This was to be a drawn out affair and finally in 1968 the council agreed to construct the court after the local committee had raised much money. Walter Salter, who was on the Hall committee, played a big part in constructing it and was to become a Life Member by 1971.

Meanwhile on the courts, a new generation were taking charge. John and Jan Simpson, Murray and Bev McAlister, Laura Willis and Gary Gannon were amongst those taking on executive roles. John, who is now 96 and still living in Monbulk with wife Jan, opposite the Secondary College, was president 1959and 1960. Jan was secretary in 1960 and again in 1965-66, as well as treasurer. Laura Willis was secretary 1961-1964, then vice-president and returned as secretary in 1975. Bev Camm was secretary in 1957 and 1958 and remained involved after marrying Murray McAlister. Ernest Sutton from the Patch Store was president for four years 1961-1964, followed by Monbulk chemist Ossie Adams for a few years.

Murray McAlister was president when the new court opened about 1970, and was followed by Len Willis in 1973 and John Simpson in 1975. Plastic lines were added along with a sandpit for the children.

We were able to compile this story with the records contained in the 1934-1976 Minute Books of The Patch & Fairy Dell Tennis and Social Club and newspaper articles on Trove. Great assistance from Bev McAlister and John and Jan Simpson was very much appreciated, as they were able to share stories and some photos for which we are thankful. If anyone else has photos or history of the club (or The Patch Hall) then we would love to hear from you.