"Chinaman's Hill", Park Orchards

Recently, Lois Thompson, one of our members, attended an art show where a painting of "Chinaman's Hill" Park Orchards was exhibited. Having never heard of Chinaman's Hill Park Orchards Lois mentioned her interest to me. I was equally puzzled and contacted Graeme Tamme of Park Orchards, an historian and long-time resident of that district. I thought surely Graeme would know something about it, and the following is the solution to the riddle. It seems that sometime in the nineteenth century a Chinaman, thought to be a digger on the Warrandyte gold field, not being allowed to camp near the diggings, set up camp in Park Orchards behind the present shops. At that time, a small stream flowed nearby, so the man could have obtained water from it. Graeme told me that a family of long-time residents said that their father told them that a burial mound existed on the site of the present small reserve - Dirlton Reserve surrounded by Dirlton Crescent. This it seems was the grave of the Chinaman on a small rise only 2-3 feet higher than its surrounds in Park Orchards. The grave is long gone due to later development and road building around this site, but the name lives on only in the minds of the older Park Orchard residents and historians. "Chinaman's Hill" is on Dirlton Reserve Melways Map: 35 Ell & 12 as a point of interest to members. Occasionally, these little anecdotes arise and should be officially documented, to prevent their disappearance from memory as older people with the knowledge pass on and so these incidents can be forgotten. 

Source: 2013-03 DTHS Newsletter