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Island of dreams

1/11/2018

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PictureHistorical Society members Christine Grayden, left, Anne Davie and Jan Andrews look through costumes and bonnets on loan from the Wonthaggi Theatrical Group for the re-enactment of the first land ballot for closer settlement on Phillip Island.
Descendants of some of Phillip Island’s first selectors will be among a cast re-enacting the first land ballot in Cowes next weekend.

By Catherine Watson

IT WAS the opportunity of a lifetime when hopeful selectors gathered 150 years ago for a chance to own their own piece of paradise on Phillip Island.
On November 2, 1868 Victoria’s Land Commissioner conducted the first land ballot for closer settlement on Phillip Island in the court house at Schnapper Point (later Mornington). Surprisingly, for what was on offer, only 132 prospective settlers entered the draw for the 157 allotments. They were allocated parcels of land ranging from one to 160 acres.

Afterwards 
The Australasian was moved to comment: Although it is to be regretted, for more reasons than one, that the island is not to be retained as national property, there is this much to be said – nearly the whole of the land selected on Monday has undoubtedly fallen into the hands of persons who intend to settle upon and cultivate it.

Nearly the whole of the applicants were farmers, farm labourers and hard-working men, or persons desirous of obtaining perhaps one of the best sites within the whole colony for a seaside residence.


In the Cowes Cultural Centre next weekend, descendants of some of those first selectors will be among the cast of a re-enactment of the first land ballot.

The performance will be narrated by Bass Coast Mayor Pamela Rothfield, a descendent of a ballot selector Cleeland and slightly later settlers McFees. Mike Cleeland will play the Land Commissioner. Andrew Box, a descendent of ballot selector Richardson, will be the Assistant Land Commissioner, and well-known Offshore Theatre actor Ashley Reed will play the role of an Argus journalist.

A sub-committee of the Phillip Island & District Historical Society has been working for many months on the re-enactment, the culmination of a year of events marking the first 150 years of European settlement on the island.

Most of the selectors are farmers. There are some miners, some fishermen, some tradesmen and some labourers. A few give their occupation as “gentleman”, perhaps searching for the “best sites within the whole colony for a seaside residence”.

The Australasian’s report mentions “two ladies” in the ballot. No women’s names appear in the list of successful selectors, although a few of the names are initials.

John Jansson, from the historical society, has been researching the selections, but says he has ha no luck in tracing the two women.
​
“Catherine Miller was mentioned but she lodged her application for a licence for lot 6 in April 1871.  We have a copy of her application.

“Jane Watt was also mentioned but her husband James Michie Watt was the applicant in the February 1869 ballot.  James died in 1872 and the family settled on lot 20 on Watts Road after his death.  They stayed for about six years then left for Port Melbourne.

“There may have been two women but until more documents turn up we will never know.”

John has been trying to work out what lots each selector got in the first ballot but he says there is so much missing information it is impossible.  “Most of the selectors gave up in the first year or two and never got titles to their lots.”

The Australasian ends its report with news of further development on the island.  “In a short time it is rumoured that the rest of the island, with the exception of some reserves, will be sold by auction, and that the township allotments near the mussel rocks [Cowes] will also be disposed of in the same manner.” 
​
The historical re-enactment will be held in the Cowes Cultural Centre on Saturday, November 10. Entertainment will start at 2pm  with guitar and mandolin players playing traditional Australian folk tunes with the performance at 2.30pm. The audience is invited to dress in period costume for the re-enactment and join in the spirit of the afternoon. Afternoon tea will follow the performance.​​
THE SELECTORS (IN ORDER OF BALLOT DRAW)
Thomas Mitchell Fellstead, farmer
James McIlwraith, farmer
Thomas Wilson, farmer;
George Thorn, road contractor
Wm McKay. farmer
James Chambers, ironmonger
Frederic Poole, farmer
Joseph Cleeland, farmer
John West, market-gardener
Robert Byrne, jnr, objected to and disallowed, only seventeen years of age
Robert Fletcher, wood carter
Charles Newport, butcher
John Cheque, farmer
David Reed, sailor
E.C. Amsinck, gentleman
W. M. Mackenzie, store keeper
John Houston, gentleman
George Beard, farmer
Thomas Kanine, farmer
Daniel Adams, commercial traveller
Anthony Scott, farm labourer
R. C. Miller, spirit merchant
George C. Scott accountant
Geo. Cox. Fisherman
Joseph Richardson, farmer
William Pearson, hotelkeeper
W. S. F. Murray, auctioneer (not allowed, said he owned 1,400 acres already)
Chas. Craydon, fisherman
Fred. Peatling, maltster
William Cochrane, gardener
Richard. Craydon, fisherman
Thomas Rennison, hotel keeper
Edward Phillips, carpenter
John Barrett, storekeeper
C. E. Verdon, cattle dealer
James Wilson, farmer
Edley North, contractor
William Barter Oat, hotel keeper
William S. Potts, clerk
Frederic Hollier, market gardener
Richard Bowman, saddler
John Rogers, farmer
George Morgan, carter
Joseph Taafe, miner
James H. M'Gregor, gardener
Michael Fox, farm labourer
John Whitney, ironmonger
William Turnbull
George Pool
Benjamin Bagster, storekeeper
David Burton, sheep farmer
Alfred Jones, farmer
Murdoch Macdonald, farmer
James Scott, teacher
John Love, farmer
Charles Chapman, farmer
P. Hugo McHugh, surveyor
Francis Cleeland, farmer
Malcolm McDonald, farmer
William Love, farmer
Jas. D. Anderson, mining agent
Samuel F. Bury, quartz miner
John M. Watson, ironmonger
Alexander Ross, farmer
Robert Byrne, auctioneer
Horatio Beauchamp, auctioneer
Samuel Hall
John Sharples, schoolmaster
B. Arundell Hill, farm labourer
Francis Stephens, solicitor
Thomas Smith, bootmaker
W. A. Hunt, farmer
Michael Jas O'Connor, grazing farmer
Robert Dunn, maltster
Alexander Watt Bowman, grazier
William Woolley, surveyor
Thomas Warr, farmer
Wm Smith, bootmaker
Jas. Chas. Hann
Wm. White
Michael Molony, farm labourer
Wm. Power, gentleman
Jamas Broadrick, labourer
Wm. Henry Hobson. boardinghouse-keeper
David Mains, farmer
Samuel Mann, hotel keeper
Chas. Young Skinner, fisherman
Jonas Watson, storekeeper
John L. L. Campbell, miner
Preston Parsons, butcher
John B. Lock, farmer
James Murray, carpenter
William Hutchinson, bootmaker
E. J. B. Nunn, solicitor
Alfred Cooper, auctioneer
John Lett, maltster
Henry J. Smith, gentleman
 H. S. Skinner, fisherman
Frederic Williams, salesman
H. J. M. Skinner, fisherman
F. A. Jellett, gentleman
Matthew Lang, spirit merchant
Angus Love, farmer
John Maclennan, miner. 
Source: The Australasian, Nov 7, 1868
Picture
Not quite three years after the ballot for land, on September 9 1871, the Illustrated Australian News published a front-page engraving of some of the island’s fishermen pulling in crayfish. According to the article, about 400 people – “a hardy race” – lived on Phillip Island, clearing the land and fishing for a living. A full-size copy of the engraving is on display at the Phillip Island Historical Society Museum.
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