The East Doncaster Reserve - Zerbes Reserve
The east of the section, the East Doncaster Reserve on the north corner of both areas of land once owned by Straube and Walther.Johann Friederich Walther was born in 1831 near Gorlity in Prussia. He attended the Gymnasium until he was 17, when his family emigrated to Australia. They tried farming near Warrnambool for a few years before buying the land at Waldau. The next year, Johann married his partner's sister Johanne Christianne Straube. The wedding ceremony took place in Straube's house. It was probably the first marriage to be performed in Doncaster. Four years later, Johann and Christianne Walther left the district, for Johann had been offered the position of schoolmaster at a German/English school. Walther had a successful career as a teacher and on his retirement became secretary of Trinity College of Music, for he was an accomplished organist. There have been over 380 descendants of John and Christianne Walther.
 |
| 1977 02 DTHS Newsletter |
In 1880, the land that had been pioneered by Walther was purchased by Fred Pickering. Fred was the son of Josepth Pickering, the first permanent settler in Doncaster and the first postmaster. Fred Pickering ran a butcher's shop alongside his fatherÃs store and opposite the present Municipal Offices. On his farm, Fred gained a reputation as an unofficial vet. Orchardists would bring their sick horses and cows to him, for he had a way with animals. At the age of 80, Fred Pickering died in 1932, and his land was sold to Fred Zerbe.
August Zerbe was 25 when he came to Victoria in 1857. He rented land on Dandenong Creek at Scoresby, but during the floods of 1863, lost everything and came to Doncaster. He bought 28 acres of Straube's land for £140. It was a narrow strip from the northern boundary of the present reserve to the valley behind the present high school. 0n the north side of George Street, August built a wattle and daub hut. In later years, brick rooms were added to the front and it became a substantial house.
During the voyage out from Germany, a romance developed between August and Ellen Neumann, who was coming to Australia with her parents. They were married as soon as August was established at Scoresby. Ellen's parents are buried in the cemetery at Schramm's Cottage. In 1897, August Zerbe died. The land went to his son, Fred, who added to it until, in 1830, he owned 130 acres. His land reached to Blackburn Road, for he bought the southern part of Pickering's land. In 1907, he built a house with a store attached next to the State School. The next year, the store was enlarged and became the East Doncaster Post Office.
The Zerbe family were very active in the East Doncaster community. During the years around 1930, the Annual Schools' Swimming Carnival was held in Zerbe's large dam that was in the valley behind the present high school. There was always a member of the Zerbe family in any community activity. Fred's brother, August, was a member of the Shire Council. He was one of the longest serving councillors, being on the Council 27 years. On five occasions, he was elected Shire President. It was only to be expected that when the Reserve was made the community called it Zerbe's Reserve.
Irvine Green writing in 1977 02 DTHS Newsletter
Zerbes Reserve
Facilities and points of interest:Avenue of Honour (Saxonwood Drive)
Guide hall
Scout hall
Playground with nature play area
Sportsground, practice cricket nets and pavilion for football and cricket
Barbecue and picnic tables
Toilets
Walking and cycling paths including a walking circuit path around the sportsground
Areas of open space with significant indigenous vegetation
Carpark
Sports clubs and community groups:
Beverley Hills Junior Football Club
Doncaster East Football Club
East Doncaster Cricket Club
East Doncaster Girl Guides
Manningham District Scouts
3rd Doncaster East Scout Group
http://www.manningham.vic.gov.au/zerbes-reserve
Zerbes Reserve
1.4 Site HistoryManningham’s Aboriginal History
Manningham City Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri tribe as the traditional owners ofv Manningham in which Zerbes Reserve sits. Investigation into the Aboriginal heritage values of Zerbes Reserve via the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register determined that there are registered Aboriginal Places on the nominated area of land.
Early Settlers
Information provided by the Doncaster and Templestowe Historical Society indicates that farming in the area surrounding Zerbes Reserve commenced in 1853 with a syndicate of three German pioneers buying an area of 320 acres located between George Street, Victoria Street and Blackburn Road. In 1880 part of the land which Zerbes Reserve now constitutes was purchased by a farmer, Fred Pickering, the son of the first permanent settler in Doncaster. In 1932 the land was sold to Fred Zerbe, an early German settler. The naming of the Reserve represented the active role the Zerbe family played in the early settlement of the East Doncaster area.
In 1945 Blackburn Road to the oval was a paddock with extensive indigenous tree cover. The Zerbe family home was located in the northwest corner of an open grassed area on Blackburn Road (adjacent to conservation area). In 1957, the area that is now the oval was still an orchard and the Taunton Street/ Nedland Court parcel of land was a combination of orchard and a partly treed paddock separated by a Monterey Pine windbreak. Development in East Doncaster dates from the post-war era. The oldest residential areas of East Doncaster are those around Doncaster Road in the south of the suburb, first developed in the
1950's. Zerbes Reserve was acquired by Council in 4-parts between 1960 and 1982. Land was purchased from:
- Zerbe family in 1960 for £10,181 for Doncaster East Recreation Reserve (293
- Blackburn Rd);
- Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) in 1972 for $48,018 for public
- open space (293 Blackburn Rd);
- Taunton developments in 1976 for municipal purposes (38-46 Taunton St); and
- Kepons & Warson in 1982 for municipal purposes (12-13 Nedlands Court)
Facility development at the Reserve took place in the following years:
- 1960-1964 Oval, toilets and scout hall built
- 1970 Pavilion, access roads, southern cricket nets built and houses were being built on the west, south and east sides. The Zerbe family home was demolished during this period.
- 1975 Avenue of Honor moved from Blackburn Road into Zerbes Reserve
- 1984 Guide hall and playground built on Taunton Ave. There were no houses north of Zerbes at this point. Residential development in the northern parts of the suburb continued through to the late 1980's.
- 1990 A joint committee of Zerbes Reserve sporting clubs including Beverley Hills Junior football Club, Doncaster East football Club and East
- Doncaster cricket Club approached Council with a proposal to refurbish the club rooms at the Reserve.
- 1991 Committee requested by Council to finalise plans and prepare cost estimates for the proposal.
- 1998 Pavilion upgrade.
Zerbes Reserve
Blackburn Road Doncaster East, Manningham CityOf regional botanical significance for its remnant stand of Eucalyptus cf. nortonii. The conifers form a local landmark.
 |
| Plaque Inscription: Avenue of Honour: This plantation of trees replaces the Avenue of Honour which was planted in 1920 on Blackburn Road by the pupils of the East Doncaster State School in honour of past students relatives and friends who served in the Great War 1914-1918. "Lest We Forget". unveiled by the Hon Sir Raymond Garrett AFC AIA MLC on Sunday 10th April 1978. |
http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/22471
Zerbes Reserve
 |
| Zerbes Reserve - Google Maps |
 |
| Zerbes Reserve. Plaque: and Seat: Manningham Gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the Zerbes Reserve Advisory Committee - 1985-1999. Photo: Kay Mack 2010 |
 |
| Zerbes Reserve. Lone Pine Tree. Plaque: This tree was raised from a seed and brought from Lone Pine Gallipoli and was dedicated to the AIF. Jan 21st 1934. Photo: Kay Mack 2010 |
Zerbe Reserve - Interpretive Signs
No comments:
Post a Comment