Discovery of East Coast

After observing the transit of Venus at Tahiti, Cook visited New Zealand. On the 1st April, the Endeavour Bark sailed west from New Zealand with the intention of finding and surveying the unknown east coast of New Holland. On 17th April, a land bird perched on the rigging. Two days later, Cook made the following entry in his log. "Thursday 19th - at six, saw land extending from N .E. to West at a distance of 5 or 6 leagues - I have named it Point Hicks, because Lieut. Hicks was the first who discovered this land." Actually the date was 20th April, 1770. At that time, the custom when circumnavigating the world was to adjust the date on arrival at the first Eastern port. Cook did this when reaching Batavia. So all dates in this area need to be adjusted. Actually, the situation was more complicated. Time was recorded in three ways on the Endeavour Bark. In Joseph Bank's log, entries were made in CIVIL time, so dates are then advanced by one day. The ship's log had to be entered in SHIP time. These dates are then corrected by advancing twelve hours. Charles Green used ASTRONOMICAL time. His entries are then corrected by retarding twelve hours. Cook sailed north, charting the coast and making landings at several places. Having re-discovered Torres Strait, Cook made sure that this land was separated from New Guinea, and consequently not previously discovered. He landed on a small island off Cape York Peninsular (later called Possession Island) and formally claimed the Eastern half of Australia in the name of George III . Actually until 1827, Britain claimed sovereignty over the Eastern half of the continent only. Point Hicks was later named Cape Everard, and an obelisk is erected there to commemorate the sighting.  

Irvine Green. A.I.A.P writing in 1970 04 DTHS Newsletter

Serpell's Road

For ten years, there had been a demand for a road from East Doncaster to Templestowe. It was a long, round about route for those in East Doncaster and the Highland Estate to reach Templestowe from where a good road led through to Heidelberg and then on to Melbourne and the markets.

In 1884, the Council announced that Serpell's Road was ready. Some land owners like Richard Serpell, Henry Chivers and John Read had donated land for the road. Others paid money. Over the years, the original purpose of the road had been forgotten, and Serpell's Road had not been continued right through to East Doncaster.

John Read was furious. He had donated land for a road on the condition that it was to connect to East Doncaster. He refused to sign the transfer of his land unless the road was put right through. The Council refused to do this, so Read built a fence across the road.

A major controversy developed. Here was a road giving access to an area but a fence blocked the entrance. Doncaster's colourful baker Heinrich Lauer announced that when he came on his bread round next day he would chop down the fence and go through. Next morning a small crowd collected around the offending fence. At eleven o'clock the crowd saw the baker's cart coming up the road the horse galloping at full speed. To the delight of the spectators the little German baker was standing up in the cart waving an awe over his head and shouting in his thick German accent, "I'll chop it down, I'll chop it down." He galloped right up to the fence where the tall John Read was calmly leaning, one foot on the lower rail. In a quiet voice, Read said, "Go on Herman, chop it down." Lauer was a law abiding man. He had put on his act and was content to leave it at that.

The incident took the tension out of the controversy. The Council reviewed the whole affair from the first petition, and agreed to build a connecting road to East Doncaster, so Read signed the transfer and removed the fence. The road was named after Richard Serpell who had contributed generously to its construction.

Irvine Green. A.I.A.P. writing in 1970 04 DTHS Newsletter

Irvine Green

Irvine Green was a co-founder of the Doncaster Templestowe Historical Society in 1967 and held many positions within the Society until his death in 1997. In addition to President and photographer, he edited and printed that newsletter for many years. He was also Secretary for some time, Chairman of the Schramm's Cottage Preservation Committee and a member of the Heritage Committee and actively involved in so many areas of the Society's endeavours.

Irvine Green's portrait hangs on the wall of the schoolroom in Schramm's Cottage. Here are some other photos of him in some of his DTHS roles and a photo of the plaque at the entrance to the Irvine Green Memorial Garden established in the grounds of the Schramm's Cottage Complex in 2001.

Irvine died in 1997 aged 84 years (see  Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust )

Girl Guide presenting the key to Schramm's Cottage to the Chairman of the Schramm's Cottage Preservation Committee, Irvine Green, at the official opening of Schramm's Cottage. 1976 DTHS dp0558

Doncaster Libraries

The first mention of a library in the area is found in the minutes of the Athenaeum, and more particularly in a letter written by Tom Petty.

Extracts from a copy state:
"March 4th, 1872. Sir, As Secretary of the Doncaster Athenaeum and Free Library, I have the honour to apply for a portion of the sum set apart by Parliament to aid the erection of such Institutions....
6. Number of Books - 225 .
7. The building, having just been completed, has not yet been used as a library."

Doncaster Corner - Serpell's Store to Shoppingtown

History is our interest, but while we are involved with the past we are sometimes reminded that history is taking place. During the past year this has been very obvious with the construction of Doncaster Shopping Town and the surrounding road works. The upheaval in this area will create a further upheaval in the whole of Doncaster. The thousands who come into the area to spend money every week will stimulate changes that may startle us in the next few years. It is our job to record the changes that take place.

Picture of 1967 Serpell's Store from http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/doncaster/doncaster/16625.html

Warrandyte Mechanics Institute Hall

The old Warrandyte Hall was built in 1890 on the site of the recently demolished old Infant Welfare Centre. The new Mechanics Institute was built at the corner of Yarra and Mitchell Streets, and opened on April 7, 1928, by W. H. Everard, M.L.A. The organizing committee took 5 years to raise the money for the project. First trustees were Messrs. Scarborough, Hemsworth, Hogan and Topping, who donated £25 for curtains.

Picture of play "Happiest Days" inside the hall from 1956 from http://warrandytehallarts.asn.au/wmiaa/the-hall

No pictures of the original hall can be found.