Successful Land Applicants
Source : WANDO VALE Closer Settlement 1900-2000 Centenary Book
The Wando Vale Estate
"The Wando Vale estate purchased under "Wando Vale Estate Purchase Act", 1900 for closer settlement under part 3 of the "Land Act 1898", is situated in the western portion of the Colony, in the County of Dundas, and is adjacent to, and similar in character to, well known estates recognised as some of the finest in Victoria. It consists of 10,447 acres of undulating country, the soil being of varying characters, a rich black loam on the flats, good quality loam on the slopes, and tablelands of medium quality. The geological formation generally is carbonaceous sandstone overlaid for the most part by tertiary, and on a limited area there is some out cropping of granite.
With an elevation ranging from about 300 feet to 800 feet above sea level, an average rainfall of about 26 inches, and a good climate; this district presents very favorable conditions. The estate is traversed by the Wando Vale Ponds, a tributary of the Glenelg River. Water for stock, though not fit for domestic use, can be obtained by shallow sinking in the creeks, and, by reason of the undulating configuration of the Estate, water storage by dams can be easily provided.
Wando Vale Estate lies north of Casterton, is 4½ to 11 miles distant from the railway terminus (Casterton), the distance by rail to Melbourne being 245 miles, and to Portland 70 miles. Its outlet by sea board is Portland, where extensive harbour works have been executed, and where modern and well equipped Freezing Works are in operation.
At Sandford, about 7 miles from Wando Vale homestead, a butter factory is established, and it is expected that a Creamery will be erected on the Estate, a suitable site having been surveyed for that purpose. Generally the Estate is well adapted for dairying pursuits, but some portions are more suited for ordinary grazing; a considerable area has at different times been under cultivation by tennants at high rents.
Many of the allotments are lightly timbered with red and white gum, box and she-oak, but all are in such condition as to be available at once for use, necessitating no additional present expense but that of fencing; and as the boundary and subdivisional fences are substatnatial and in good order, the fencing required will be much reduced.
Two important roads pass through the property - one the main route from Casterton to Harrow, and the other known as the Satimer Road. An area of five acres is to be reserved for road improvement purposes in Allotment 1, Section F.
Provision has been made for a small township. Allotments, half an acre in extent, are to be offered for sale by auction, reservations for recreation purposes (five acres); land alloted for school and hall sites.
The adopted values are about one-eight less than those placed on the allotments after careful inspection by the Honorables the Premier and Treasurer, assisted by the following gentlemen: Messrs T. E. SYLVESTER, (The President of the Shire of Glenelg); W. MOODIE of Wando Dale; P. McEWIN of Dunrobin and Wm. RHODES of Henty."
Successful Applicants
Of the 303 applicants for blocks on the Settlement, there were 39 single men, 27 married men, whose families numbered about 120 children.
Parish of Casterton
- ALLOTMENT 1F, 192 acres, Edward DUNSTAN, age 23, Kerang, single. Edward was born in 1876, Happy Valley, near Ballarat, son of William DUNSTAN and Serena CORNISH and he married Alice WIDDICOMBE in 1907.
- ALLOTMENT 2F, 244 acres, Peter Flett HENDERSON, age 32, Millicent, SA, married with 4 chn. Peter Flett HENDERSON 1867-1941, b. Wangoom, near Warrnambool, Victoria to John HENDERSON and Mary McNAMARA, m. 1891 Catherine ALLEN c.1871-1902, b. Co Antrim, Ireland to John HAMILTON and Elizabeth HAMILTON. Catherine died after childbirth at Wando Vale in 1902, buried Casteron new cemetery. Peter Flett HENDERSON left Wando Vale and remarried in 1907 to Rachel GLEN (nee GRANT) c.1866-1910, 1 child, then Rachel died at Warrnambool in 1910. In 1916 Peter Flett HENDERSON enlisted in the 14th Battalion, AIF, went to England and France, repatriated as over age and suffering from senility, died Melbourne in 1941.
- ALLOTMENT 3F, 201 acres, Daniel McCOMBE, age 26, Dunrobin. Daniel was born in 1872, Casterton, son of John McCOMBE and Margaret NOONAN, he married Elizabeth BURKE from Coleraine in 1907.
- ALLOTMENT 4F, 186 acres, Joseph Henry McCOMBE, age 29, Dunrobin, single. Joseph Henry was born in 1868, Casterton, son of John McCOMBE and Margaret NOONAN, he married Josephine McNAUGHTON from Hamilton in 1909.
- ALLOTMENT 5F, 195 acres, Henry BELLINGHAM, Meeyan, Sth Gippsland, married, 10 chn. (did not occupy), block taken up by Charles MILBURN, born 1875 Casterton, son of William MILBURN & Mary COXON. Charles married Emmiline SOMERVILLE from Sandford in 1914, but after she died in 1915 he married Eileen COX from Sandford in 1917.
- ALLOTMENT 6F, 148 acres, Francis Thomas BETTSWORTH, age 29, Dergholm, single. Francis Thomas was born, Daylesford in 1869, son of Thomas BETTSWORTH and Frances LEEWORTHY, he married Annie Sarah BILSTON in 1903.
- ALLOTMENT 7F, 148 acres, William McCOMBE, age 31, Dunrobin, married. William was born, 1869, Casterton, son of Charles McCOMBE and Sarah BETTS, he married Mary Eliza LEHANE from Cork, Ireland in 1899.
- ALLOTMENT 8F, 100 acres, Nellie Frances FLEMMING, Goulburn Valley, married. Nellie Frances O'DEA, born, Ireland married Alexander Smith FLEMING from Scotland in 1900.
- ALLOTMENT 9F, 106 acres, Thomas WARREN, Jnr., age 31, Sandford, single. Thomas son of Thomas Walter WARREN and Barabara McLENNAN was born 1869 at Merino.
- ALLOTMENT 10F, 108 acres, William UPTON, age 27, "Wando", single. William was the son of George UPTON and Jane KANE, born 1873, Casterton and he married Mary O'ROUKE in 1903.
- ALLOTMENT 11F, 109 acres, Edward Thomas O'CONNELL, "Wando", single. Edward was the son of Thomas O'CONNELL and Maria DOLPHIN, born 1872, Brimboal and he married Bedelia Agnes WALSH in 1904.
- ALLOTMENT 12F, 108 acres, William Thomas GILBO, age 34, "Retreat", married, 4 chn. William was born, 1858, Casterton, son of John GILBO and Bridget GILCHRIST and he married Bridget Dolphin O'CONNELL in 1891.
- ALLOTMENT 1H, 142 acres, Maurice J FITZGERALD, age 31, Coleraine, single. Maurice was born at Harrow in 1869, son of Lawrence FITZGERALD and Mary O'CONNELL, he married Catherine FITZGERALD in 1906.
- ALLOTMENT 2H, 153 acres, James NEWTON, age 36, Nangeela. James was born at Sandford, son of James NEWTON and Sophia ABBOTT, in 1862 and married Eliza WILLIAMS from Hotspur in 1896 but she died in 1897. He then married Mary Ann VINE from Casterton in 1901.
- ALLOTMENT 3H, 136 acres, Joseph Miller McLAUGHLIN, age 32, Nangeela, single. Joseph was born at Casterton in 1862, son of John McLAUGHLIN and Mary MILLER. He married Ellen TUFFNELL from Casterton in 1900.
- ALLOTMENT 4H, 124 acres, George WATHEN, Casterton, married, 4 chn. George was born in 1855, Gloucestershire, England, son of Thomas WATHEN and Sarah STOKES. He married Agnes BALFOUR from Sandford in 1891.
- ALLOTMENT 5H, 96 acres, James STORIE, age 36, Sandford, married 2 chn. James was born in 1862 at Sandford, son of William STORIE and Eliza ANDERSON. He married Margaret BLACK from Casterton in 1894.
- ALLOTMENT 6H, 104 acres, James Willis WIDDICOMBE, Karnak, married, 7 daughters, 1 son. James was born in 1860 at Eumeralla, Vic, son of Francis Willis WIDDICOMBE and Caroline MARSDEN. He married Elizabeth MITCHELL from Heywood in 1882.
- ALLOTMENT 7H, 121 acres, Patrick Peter DOYLE, Casterton, married, 2 chn. Patrick was born in 1869 at Casterton, son of James DOYLE and Alice LANDY. He married Margaret Ellen HEENAN in 1896.
- ALLOTMENT 8H, 120 acres, Joseph ROULSTON, age 31, Henty, single. Joseph was born in 1868 at Branxholme, son of John James ROULSTON and Jane McCLINTOCK. He married Mary Jane HORNIBROOK in 1904.
Parish of Carapook
- ALLOTMENT 6I, 147 acres, Thomas HARDY, age 43, Warrnambool, married, 8 chn. Thomas was born ~1855, Co Clare, Ireland, son of Patrick HARDY and Hanorah "Hannah" SHERRY. The family arrived from Ireland in 1854 and were settled near Warrnambool by 1863. Thomas HARDY married Mary LAWLOR in 1881, they had 9 children at Warrnamabool & Casterton. Thomas died in 1933 and his wife Mary in 1944, and they are both buried in the Casterton Cemetery.
- ALLOTMENT 7I, 137 acres, Thomas Alexander EGERTON, age 25, Strathdownie, single. Thomas was born in 1875, Warragul, Vic, son of David EGERTON and Mary Ann SIMPSON. He married Dollina Ross from Casterton in 1901.
Parish of Bruk Bruk
- ALLOTMENT 1B, 149 acres, George Carmichael McLEAN, Mt Baimbridge, Hamilton, married, 5 chn. George McLEAN was born in 1853 in the Glenelg region, son of Hector McLEAN and Flora McKINNON. He married Annie McCOLL from Argyle, Scotland in 1881.
- ALLOTMENT 2B, 123 acres, Frederick Hall SISSONS, Colac, single. Frederick SISSONS was born in 1860 at Hull, England, son of Robert SISSONS and Mary HALL. Frederick married Sarah WHITELEY in 1901.
- ALLOTMENT 3B, 118 acres, Robert John BLACK, age 24, Casterton, single. Robert John BLACH was born in 1876, Casterton, son of William BLACK and Margaret BURCHELL. Robert married Helen May WATERS in 1904.
- ALLOTMENT 4B, 136 acres, Arthur George COWLAND, age 22, Greenwald, single. Arthur George COWLAND was born in 1877, Dartmoor, son of George COWLAND and May PRATT. He married Susanah RAGGATT in 1907.
- ALLOTMENT 5B, 164 acres, John LEAKE, age 23, Casterton, single. John LEAKE was born in 1877 at Merino, son of Joseph LEAKE and Margaret DRUMMOND. He married Ethel Annie JEFFREYS in 1911.
- ALLOTMENT 6B, 151 acres, Andrew ROSS, age 29, Strathdownie, single. Andrew ROSS was born in 1971 son of Donald ROSS and Margaret CAMPBELL.
- ALLOTMENT 1A, 312 acres, George William RENDELL, age 38, Rochester, single. George William RENDELL was born in 1862 and married Fanny Christina WATSON from Rochester in 1901.
- ALLOTMENT 2A, 346 acres, Francis George SANDISON, age 34, "Bepcha", Horsham, single. Francis George SANDISON was born in 1866, Hamilton, son of John SANDISON and Mary ALEXANDER.
- ALLOTMENT 3A, 301 acres, James FERGUSON, age 31, Beaufort, married, 6 chn. James FERGUSON, born Scotland married Margaret Rebecca STEVENS from Beaufort in 1891.
- ALLOTMENT 4A, 338 acres, Thomas MUNRO, age 23, Rochester, single. Thomas was born in 1877 at Rochester, son of Daniel MUNRO and Eliza FORGE. He married Mary Margaret COWLAND from Dartmoor in 1906.
- ALLOTMENT 5A, 281 acres, John MUNRO, age 21, Rochester, single. John was born in 1879 at Rochester, son of Daniel MUNRO and Eliza FORGE. He married Constance Harriet McCORKINDALE in 1913.
- ALLOTMENT 6A, 244 acres, Daniel MUNRO, Rochester, married, 12 in family. Daniel was born in 1851, Glasgow, Sct, son of James MUNRO. He married Eliza FORGE in 1873.
Parish of Wando
- ALLOTMENT 1/VI, 124 acres, Joseph BOND, age 33, Heywood, Married, 4 chn. Joseph BOND, born 1856 Portland, son of William BOND and Sarah BRADFIELD, married Maria Elizabeth SKIPWORTH from Macarthur.
- ALLOTMENT 2/VI, 126 acres, Frederick JONES, age 29, Churchill Island, single. Frederick JONES, born about 1870, married Emily DUNN in 1900.
- ALLOTMENT 3/VI, 123 acres, Charles SCARBOROUGH, age 37, Merino, married, 4 in family. Charles, born 1863 Merino, son of Charles SCARBOROUGH and Margaret MURPHY, married Lucy Harriet KING from Merino in 1891.
- ALLOTMENT 4/VI, 129 acres, George Lambert YOUNG, age 21, Grassdale, single. George YOUNG, born 1879, Grassdale, son of Samuel Evans YOUNG and Sarah Jane SEDGWICK. He married Jane LANE from Camperdown in 1910.
- ALLOTMENT 5/VI, 124 acres, Charles William KOCH, age 30, Henty, single. Charles William KOCH, born 1870, Sandford, son of Charles Joseph KOCH and sarah Foster STANFORD. He married Ellen Mary O'CONNELL from Casterton.
- ALLOTMENT 6/VI, 125 acres, John Henry SCARBOUROUGH, Merino, married 2 in family. John Henry, born 1865 Merino, son of Charles SCARBOROUGH and Margaret MURPHY, married Isabella Margaret RICHARDS from Branxholme in 1887.
- ALLOTMENT 7/VI, 135 acres, Hans Peter ERLANDSON, age 30, Sandford, single. Hans ERLANDSON, born 1870, Colac, son of Peter ERLANDSON and Hannah BURT. He married Mary Caroline BALLAGH from Colac.
- ALLOTMENT 8/VI, 122 acres, John LANE, age 44, Camperdown, married, 8 chn. John LANE, born 1856, Camperdown, son of Jane LANE and Elizabeth BARRETT. He married Hannah WELLS from Duneed in 1878.
- ALLOTMENT 9/VI, 123 acres, William ERLANDSON, age 30, Coleraine, single. William ERLANDSON, born 1870, Colac, son of Peter ERLANDSON and Hannah BURT.
- ALLOTMENT 10/VI, 121 acres, William STORIE, Jnr, age 32, Sandford, single. William STORIE , born 1867 Casterton, son of William STORIE and Elizabeth ANDISON and died in 1908.
- ALLOTMENT 11/VI, 128 acres, A B STARK, age 30, Dunrobin, single.
- ALLOTMENT 12/VI, 117 acres, Thomas Charles TOMKINS, age 38, Byaduk, married, 3 chn. Thomas TOMKINS, born 1862, Dunkeld, son of John James TOMKINS and Margaret DEWART. He married Christina KINGHORN from Byaduk in 1891.
- ALLOTMENT 13/VI, 103 acres, Michael James O'CONNELL, age 32, "Wando", married, 2 chn. Michael O'CONNELL , born 1868, Cavendish, son of Thomas O'CONNELL and Maria DOLPHIN, married in 1897 to Johanna RYAN from Harrow.
- ALLOTMENT 14/VI, 99 acres, Frederick William BILSTON, Chetwynd, married, 6 chn. Frederick BILSTON, born 1849, Portland, son of Thomas BILSTON and Ann WHEELER, married Elizabeth JENNINGS, about 1887.
- ALLOTMENT 1/V, 90 acres, Robert William ROULSTON, age 32, Henty, single. Robert ROULSTON, born 1866 Dunolly, son of John James ROULSTON and Jane McCLINTOCK, died in 1903.
- ALLOTMENT 2/V, 90 acres, Daniel MUNRO, Sandford, married, 2 chn. Daniel MUNRO, born 1870 Hotspur, son of John MUNRO and Bridget LEONARD, married Jessie HARWOOD from Coleraine in 1894.
- ALLOTMENT 3/V, 97 acres, James Alexander ROULSTON, age 33, Henty, married, 1 child. James Alexander ROULSTON, born 1867 Heywood, son of Robert Alexander ROULSTON and Sarah BREEN, married Caroline NOLTE from Merino in 1895.
- ALLOTMENT 4/V, 88 acres, Michael O'CONNELL, Brimboal, married, 6 chn. Michael O'CONNELL, born 1853, Galwey, Ireland, son of Lawrence O/CONNELL and Bridget MORAN, married Catherine O'GORMAN from Limerick, Ireland in 1879.
- ALLOTMENT 5/V, 87 acres, John CARLIN, age 37, Condah, married 4 chn. John James CARLIN, born 1861, Derry, Ireland son of James CARLIN and Jane STEWART, married Catherine AYLMER from Branxholme in 1889.
- ALLOTMENT 6/V, 174 acres, Donald ALLARDICE, age 21, Digby, single. Donald ALLARDICE, born 1879, Digby, son of John ALLARDICE and Annie McPHERSON, married Elizabeth CARRISON from Port MacDonnell, South Australia in 1910.
- ALLOTMENT 7/V, 117 acres, Hugh CAMERON, age 25, Grassdale, single. (This MAY be the Hugh CAMERON, born 1875, Merino, son of Donald CAMERON and Eliza FLETCHER. He went to Geraldton, Western Australia, married Catherine ____ and was killed in France in WW1 as a member of the 10th Battalion AIF.)
- ALLOTMENT 8/V, 159 acres, Henry Bearcroft DANCOCKS, age 25, Casterton, single. Henry DANCOCKS, born 1875, Casterton son of John DANCOCKS and Mary FOSTER. Henry went to Western Australia as a Station Manager and married Mary KERR from Coleraine in 1910.
- ALLOTMENT 8a/V, 185 acres, Clarence DANCOCKS, Casterton, single. Clarence DANCOCKS, born 1873, Casterton son of John DANCOCKS and Mary FOSTER.
- ALLOTMENT 9/V, 279 acres, Thomas CROTHERS, age 30, Rushworth, married, 1 child. Thomas CROTHERS, born 1869, Campbell's Creek, son of Thomas CROTHERS and Elizabeth DENNY. He married Esther IDDLES from Runnymede (near Bendigo) in 1899.
- ALLOTMENT 10V, 328 acres, James SANDISON, age 31, Glenisla, single. James SANDISON, born 1868, Hamilton, son of John SANDISON and Mary ALEXANDER.
- ALLOTMENT 11/V, 283 acres, John James SYMONS, Noradjuha, married, 5 chn. John SYMONS, born 1856, South Australia, son of William and Mary SYMONS, married Janet NOTLEY from Ararat in 1887.
- ALLOTMENT 12/V, 253 acres, John Francis MULLANE, age 28, Ballan, single. John MULLANE born 1872, Ballan, son of Patrick MULLANE and Mary HURLEY married Maria 'Myra' KENT from Casterton in 1905.
- ALLOTMENT 13/V, 222 acres, Francis HEALY, age 49, Digby, married, 2 chn. Francis HEALY born 1851, Clare, Ireland, son of Patrick HEALY and Margaret HAGEN, married Frances SYPOTT from Hotspur in 1886.
- ALLOTMENT 14/V, 113 acres, Hugh REDDAN, age 35, Glenlyon, Daylesford, single. (no other information)
- ALLOTMENT 3/IX, 93 acres, Wilhelm NOLTE, age 30, Tahara, single. Wilhelm NOLTE, born 1870, Merino, son of Christolph NOLTE and Maria HACH. Wilhelm married Anna Maria Campbell GRANT from South Australia in 1901.
- ALLOTMENT 4/IX, 98 acres, Christien NOLTE, age 23, Tahara, single. Christien NOLTE, born 1876, Merino, son of Christolph NOLTE and Maria HACH. Christien married Lillian GRANT from Merino in 1907.
- ALLOTMENT 5/IX, 93 acres, Ambrose COXON, age 24, "Retreat", single. Ambrose COXON, born 1876, Casterton, son of John COXON and Ann CARLTON, married Henrietta STORER from Branxholme in 1905.