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| 1-Harry Brown, 2-Frank Petty, 3-Wally Smith 4-??? (Ed: Need assistance locating these houses on current maps !!) |
The Petty family were among the first settlers in Doncaster. Tom Petty came out with his mother in 1856 after their father had established himself in the area west of Petty's Lane. Thirty years later, the ambitious Tom had been so successful that he had been able to buy "Bayview", the house that Alfred Hummel had built as a country gentleman's home in the centre of Doncaster.
After a life of growing prosperity, the depression that followed the land boom seemed the end of everything to Tom Petty. His hair turned white overnight. Yet barely ten years later, Tom was launching an ambitious scheme to turn three hundred acres of virgin bush at South Warrandyte into thriving orchard. Such was his standing that the bank was willing to back the scheme with £8,000.
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| Studio portrait of Tom Petty (Jnr). He came to Doncaster with his mother Jane Petty in 1856, three years after his father Thomas Petty had purchased land in Doncaster Road, Doncaster, Victoria, on the west side of Pettys Lane. Tom Petty owned and established over 30 orchards in the district, making him the most active fruit grower in Doncaster. DTHS-DP0310 |
Tom Petty was a man who inspired confidence. He did things with determination and enthusiasm. On Monday mornings, he would load a cart with-men and tools ready to set out for a week's work camping in the bush. As they drove along Doncaster Road, there was only one thought in Tom Petty's head, to get there and start work. He drove the horses with determination, oblivious of the ruts and potholes in the road. One morning after several miles fast driving bouncing over the rough road, he looked back and found the cart empty. Men and tools had all been bounced off along the bumpy way.
To clear the land, Petty hired-men paying them £2/1O/- an acre and supplied them with a jack to push over the trees. When the land was ready, rows of pine trees were planted as wind breaks between sections of orchard. These rows of pines in the open land gave the appearance of a park. The men began to call the area "The Park” and so the name "Park Orchards" arose.
Work had started in 1902 and four years later new fruit trees covered the whole area. Sections were let out on a share farming basis.
The first to take a section was Harry Brown who had worked for Tom Petty at Doncaster living in the quarters alongside "Bayview". A two room cottage was built for Harry Brown on the hill where the Chalet now stands.
To house the men who worked the orchards, Tom Petty bought four weatherboard houses in Richmond. These were moved out to "The Park" and re-erected alongside the road that ran through the orchards. This road had been a bush track made by early travellers to the old settlement of Brushy Creek and Lilydale before Whitehorse Road had been surveyed. About 1860, a constable reported having chased a gold bandit along this track. The man was later arrested in the bar of the Doncaster Arms Hotel.
Harry Brown was given the first of these houses. It is still standing on top of the hill-at the corner of Alva Street now renovated with brick veneer walls. On the south of the road was Frank Petty's section. His house is next to the service station. Further east is Wally Smith’s house, now on the corner of Euston Avenue. Another house close to the east gate was burnt down.
When the Chalet was built, the old two room cottage was moved back to Arundel Avenue and more rooms were added at the front. Tom Pye, who was caretaker of the orchards after they had been sold to Gibbs, Sell and Bright, lived here. Tom Pye came from Donvale where he had-the reputation of being a bit of a character. When Tom wanted to borrow a piece of orchard equipment, he would-ask a neighbour if he was using his harrows the next day. The neighbour would, of-course, say, "No." Tom Pye would quickly say, "In that case, you won't be needing your plough tomorrow."
The nearest school to Park Orchards was at South Warrandyte, the other side of thick bushland. Harry Brown and Jim Mitchell, who owned land next to the Park both had children. Harry and Jim went through the bush with their axes cutting blaze marks on the trees to mark a track to the school. The children from both families used to walk together through this bushland which held many imagined terrors for the young children.
Park Orchards is now a suburb with a rural character. The orchards have gone, but many of the original fruit trees remain now part of the domestic gardens in this bushland suburb.
Irvine Green A.I.A.P. writing in 1973 11 DTHS Newsletter
Harry Brown was given the first of these houses. It is still standing on top of the hill-at the corner of Alva Street now renovated with brick veneer walls. On the south of the road was Frank Petty's section. His house is next to the service station. Further east is Wally Smith’s house, now on the corner of Euston Avenue. Another house close to the east gate was burnt down.
When the Chalet was built, the old two room cottage was moved back to Arundel Avenue and more rooms were added at the front. Tom Pye, who was caretaker of the orchards after they had been sold to Gibbs, Sell and Bright, lived here. Tom Pye came from Donvale where he had-the reputation of being a bit of a character. When Tom wanted to borrow a piece of orchard equipment, he would-ask a neighbour if he was using his harrows the next day. The neighbour would, of-course, say, "No." Tom Pye would quickly say, "In that case, you won't be needing your plough tomorrow."
The nearest school to Park Orchards was at South Warrandyte, the other side of thick bushland. Harry Brown and Jim Mitchell, who owned land next to the Park both had children. Harry and Jim went through the bush with their axes cutting blaze marks on the trees to mark a track to the school. The children from both families used to walk together through this bushland which held many imagined terrors for the young children.
Park Orchards is now a suburb with a rural character. The orchards have gone, but many of the original fruit trees remain now part of the domestic gardens in this bushland suburb.
Irvine Green A.I.A.P. writing in 1973 11 DTHS Newsletter
For more on the Petty's see:
- Bayview
- Tom Petty Family History
- Petty's Orchard - Wikipedia
- Petty's Orchard - Heritage Fruits Society
- Park Orchards History
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