History
Davis Vineyard hasn’t always been a modern-day farm. It started as part of a large Crown Allotment in the Parish of Holden but was granted to John Mooney by the Crown on 9 June 1854.
Before Davis Vineyard
Davis Vineyard hasn’t always been a modern-day farm. It started as part of a large Crown Allotment in the Parish of Holden but was granted to John Mooney by the Crown on 9 June 1854.
The allotment, described as “good grazing land clear of timber”, was largely encircled by the holdings of large pastoralists J Aitken and WJT Clarke.
By 1892 it, and another two square mile allotments purchased by Mooney south of the Holden Road, were in the ownership of Sir WJ Clarke. His father WJT Clarke was reputedly the largest pastoralist (sheep and cattle farming) in Australia in the mid nineteenth century.
By 1892 it, and another two square mile allotments purchased by Mooney south of the Holden Road, were in the ownership of Sir WJ Clarke.
His father WJT Clarke was reputedly the largest pastoralist (sheep and cattle farming) in Australia in the mid nineteenth century.
By the end of the nineteenth century historical changes were stirring as a new generation of farmers restlessly surveyed the vast pastoral estates surrounding them.
In 1897 Sir Rupert Turner Havelock Clarke Bart, the son of Sir WJ Clarke, had mused in Parliament about cutting up 40,000 acres of his empire to lease to dairy farmers.
He was under some local pressure to make land available for farming, and declared he was keen not to ‘disappoint public expectations. The Victorian Municipal Directory 1898 entry for Melton Shire made the first of a series of unprecedented reports on movements by big local landholders such as Rupert Clarke, Harry Werribee Staughton, and Harvey Patterson to sell and lease (often under the ‘share system’) large portions of their estates to small farmers and graziers.
The ‘break-up’ of the large estates coincided with major farming developments in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, as new science, technologies, fertilisers, transport and markets enabled great productivity increases.
With inventions such as the Babcok separator, the development of local co-operative creameries, butter factories, and advances in refrigeration created new export markets; dairying in particular suddenly boomed.
And so, the beginning of the twentieth century marked a major new era in the history of Melton. It saw the subdivision and sale of thousands of acres of the Clarke, Taylor, and Staughton pastoral empires, and after the First World War, of smaller pastoral estates such as Melton Park, Greenhills and the Mount Aitken estates. In 1905 the Closer Settlement Board purchased Taylor’s Overnewton estate and shortly after Staugthon’s Exford estate to subdivide into smaller farming allotments. Around 1905-6 Sir RTH Clarke began subdividing and disposing of the vast Rockbank estate (and most of Rupertswood, Red Rock and Bolinda Vale estates) that had been so carefully acquired and tended by his grandfather and father.
In 1905 the Closer Settlement Board purchased Taylor’s Overnewton estate and shortly after Staugthon’s Exford estate to subdivide into smaller farming allotments.
Around 1905-6 Sir RTH Clarke began subdividing and disposing of the vast Rockbank estate (and most of Rupertswood, Red Rock and Bolinda Vale estates) that had been so carefully acquired and tended by his grandfather and father.
On 16th October 1899 RTH Clarke applied to bring under the Transfer of Land Act 1890 some 14,200 acres which had been a portion of the northern part of the Rockbank estate.
This was for the purposes of having a Torrens title issued, a prelude to breaking-up or selling the estate. Unlike the Closer Settlement Board Clarke did not go to the trouble of subdividing his original Crown parcels in order to maximise small farming on the land. Much of his land was purchased by established neighbouring farmers and smaller graziers.
Shire of Melton ratebook information prior to WW1 is generally very scant, and it is difficult to identify Davis Vineyard.
The first ratebook record of the Davis Vineyard site that could be found shows W.L. Sides, ‘farmer’ of Diggers Rest, rated as the owner of 210 acres, valued at ₤90 in 1911-12. In 1915-16, Alexander McIntosh, (farmer) was identified as the owner of Davis Vineyard who was also identified as ‘late Sides’.
Davis Vineyard was described to be part of Crown Allotment A, Section 13, Parish of Holden. The description given was, ‘351 acres and buildings’, and valued at ₤175, nearly double its original purchase price in 1911-12. Other owners were Percy, Alfred Davis, and the Howells, but neither of these properties was described as including buildings or a homestead. Historical records suggest that the homestead was built between 1912-1916 as it appears on a map in 1916.
Diggers Rest has access to a variety of primary, secondary and specialist schools in both the private and public sector.
Interestingly, Salesian College, is home to the famous Test Cricket Ashes which were found in 1882 after Australia beat England on British soil. It was said that this was the day cricket died and the Australian team burnt the wickets from the match and presented the ashes to England.
Houdini toured widely in Europe and USA and came to Australia in 1910 where he performed a number of death defying stunts including a leap from Queen’s Bridge Melbourne, with his hands cuffed behind him
He brought out a Voisin biplane, (a plane with two pairs of wings), and based himself at Diggers Rest, just outside Melbourne, for the attempt. He and his mechanic Antonio Brassac waited for still conditions to attempt the flight. In the Melbourne Argus the following day a statement confirming the flight was published under the names of nine witnesses. He made three successful flights and reached an altitude of 100 feet. In 2010 on the one hundred year anniversary, a new monument was erected in Diggers Rest dedicated to the flight. This is adjacent to the monument for the 80th anniversary.
The Farm House Today
In 2001, Davis Vineyard (formally Bayview Farm) was bought by a budding new farmer who had aspirations of farming crops and livestock to continue the footsteps of his family. His parents owned and operated an extensive market garden (potatoes, flowers (tulips and gladioli), a variety of vegetables and strawberries) in Red Hill South located on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Additionally, his uncles and aunts farmed vast fields of dahlias and tulips in The Netherlands which was the birthplace of his parents.
Cassinia
Cassinia is a robust Australian native shrub that has been propagated and harvested at Davis Vineyard for use in Brush Fencing since 2007.
Brush Fencing is extensively used both commercially, for wind and noise reduction at Tennis Courts and commercial properties; as well as being an attractive and prestigious option for private home fencing, particularly common along the Victorian Coastline. Brush fencing is environmentally friendly, long lasting, visually appealing and is a great addition to any property.
Cattle
Davis Vineyard have raised prized Black Angus cattle for nearly a decade with great success.
The cows roam freely on the farm which results in premium beef that’s distributed nationally.
Canola
Beautiful as a crop and imperative to the success of many industries
Canola thrives in the rich soil at Davis Vineyard. When harvested, it finds its way on to shelves both in Australia and overseas.
Wheat
A baker’s friend and a must-have ingredient in every household
Wheat is grown and harvested here at Davis Vineyard annually.
Sunflowers
The sunflower has over 70 varieties available globally but the most recognisable variety is the common sunflower (or Helianthus annuus, to give it its botanical name).
The common sunflower is known for its bright yellow colour and extraordinary height and will soon feature at Davis Vineyard in all its glory.