Captain John Barnard Lock settled at Rhyll in the 1850s carrying oysters to Geelong in his first vessel. He returned to Melbourne in the early 1860s when the oystering venture failed. He selected land at Rhyll in 1868 and settled here permanently. Some of the 1868/69 settlers were brought to Phillip Island by him in his vessels Swan and Hazard. (Photo John Jansson)
Early settlers Harriet and George Walton (left) and Mary Ann and Henry Jenner with two Jenner boys at the Walton Home at Rhyll, 1890s. George made all his bricks for the house from clay from the site and burnt oyster shells to make lime for the mortar. Several Rhyll houses and the Rhyll Hall had chimneys built of George’s bricks. George was also a fisherman and farmer at Rhyll. (Photo John Jansson)
One of the island’s early sea captains: Captain George Pearce Clarke, master of Captain Lock’s schooner 1878-188; master of Western Port ferries Eclipse 1881-1886, Vixen 1887-1889 and Genista 1889-1902. (Photo John Jansson)
One of the original settler’s homes: the house of William Richardson at Rhyll, built 1887. William was the eldest son of Joseph and Sarah. Photo: Richardson family.
Pyramid Rock - one of the first known photos of Phillip Island taken on Phillip Island by pioneering geologist Richard Daintree around 1859. State Library of Victoria Collection
Early settlers Charles and Margaret Grayden at their home on the foreshore at Newhaven, circa 1900. Photo: Phillip Island Historical Society
Joseph Richardson’s home Everton (later renamed Tullawulla). Joseph was one of 270 convicts transported on the James Pattison, in July 1837. In 1851 he married Sarah Arbuckle and they had 12 children. The couple initially lived in Brighton, then Kyneton and from there they moved to Phillip Island when it was open to freehold selection in 1868. He was able to purchase farms for his sons and blocks of land for his daughters. Joseph died in 1892, aged 73, and his estate was valued at £6643. Both Joseph and Sarah are buried at the Phillip Island Cemetery. (Photo John Jansson)
The year was 1868.
Powerful lobby groups were fighting over the future of Phillip Island.
One group wanted the island to be a military and naval base, after the British erected a fort at Rhyll for a short time in the early 1800s to frighten off a French scientific expedition.
Another lobbying force was the Victorian Acclimatisation Society, whose members wanted the island left as it was – leased to John McHaffie - to introduce more exotic species of plants, animals and birds.
There was no consideration for the Boonwurrung/Bunurong people, who had lived in the region for millennia.
And, of course, the sealers who came in the early 1800s, and stayed for a few months had long lost their claim over the island.
Luckily for all the residents living here today, the argument that won through was for Phillip Island to be divided, sold and settled.
So this year we celebrate 150 years since the first sale of land on Phillip Island on November 2, 1868, in a ballot held at Schnapper Point (now Mornington).
According to the Phillip Island and District Historical Society’s John Jansson while the McHaffie brothers were the first settlers in 1842 – holding a lease over the entirety of Phillip Island - the 1868 date is being celebrated because it was the year of the first island-wide European settlement.
“The historical society had big celebrations in 1942 to celebrate the McHaffie’s,” John says.
“This is about celebrating the sub-division, European settlement across the whole island.”
……..
Subdivision of Phillip Island: 1868
The sub-division of Phillip Island started in 1868 with a ballot for the sale of the eastern half, with the western half sold through ballot the following year.
According to a report in The Australasian newspaper, on November 7, 1868, up to that time – with the exception of the McHaffie’s “pre-emptive right” – the Government had refused to sell the land.
There were 157 allotments in the ballot, between 10 to 160 acres in size, totalling 7195 acres.
At Rhyll (called Fisherman’s Point) there were 24 lots, and at the “eastern passage” 32 lots, averaging one to 14 acres each, all of which were set aside for those who held fishing licenses.
The article states that selectors received a lot ticket, marked with their name, which was deposited in a box.
“These tickets were afterwards drawn out indiscriminately, and the parties whose names were upon them were called to select in the order in which they were drawn.”
Nearly all the 132 lottery tickets issued were to farmers, farm labourers, and “hard-working men”, or “persons desirous of obtaining perhaps one of the best sites in the whole colony for a sea-side residence”, with just two “ladies” securing land.
The article states that “in a short time it is rumoured that the rest of the island, with the exception of some reserves, will be sold by auction.”
As it happened
On Monday November 3, 1868 the following edited article appeared in The Argus newspaper, titled “The Land Selections” “(from our special reporters)”, explaining the ballot process:
“Up to the present time – with the exception of Mr McHaffie’s pre-emptive right – the government has consistently refused to alienate any portion of Phillip Island from the Crown, and it is to be regretted that they have departed from that determination.
“There is no question that in a military point of view the Island occupies a most important position, and for that cause alone, with a view to the future defence of the colony, it should have been retained as national property.
“Besides this, it formed the best depot for acclimatization purposes. At present there are on the Island nearly 200 deer and a large number of hares. These, however, if the place, as now appears probable, becomes settled, will soon disappear, and the Island will for the future be comparatively useless to the Acclimatization Society.
“The commission sat in the court-house, and all who were there, or inside the enclosure around it, prior to ten o’clock in the morning received a lot ticket, which was subsequently marked with the name of the intending selector and deposited in a box. These tickets were afterwards drawn out indiscriminately, and the parties whose names were upon them were called upon to select in the order in which they were drawn.
“The selection scarcely caused so much excitement as was anticipated. A large number of persons, however, was present from the surrounding districts, and several well-known faces from Melbourne were also observed. A good many arrived on Saturday, but still more on “Sunday, on which day Rennison’s well-known hostelry was crowded. Some few farmers from Berwick and Cranbourne arrived in their own drays, and camped out.
“They must have been somewhat incommoded by the plenteous rain which fell during Sunday night and early on the following morning, but bearing in mind the great advantage which their crops were deriving, they bore the trifling inconvenience to which they were subjected with stoical fortitude.
“Operations were commencing precisely at nine o’clock on Monday morning, and during the following hour 132 lottery tickets were issued – two of them to ladies. The box having been turned round and shaken up in the most approved manner, the drawing was proceeded with, and the applicants were called upon and selected their land.
“As each individual came up those present were asked whether there was any objection to the applicant taking up land on Phillip Island. Only two objections, however, were made.
“The whole of the proceedings passed off very quietly, and the manner in which the selections were conducted appeared to give great satisfaction.
“Mr Murray, of the firm of Greig and Murray, who at first was not allowed to select, in consequence of the large quantity of purchased land already held by him, was subsequently allowed to take up an allotment which was left after all the other applicants had been satisfied.
“Although it is to be regretted, for more reasons than one, that the Island is not to be retained as national property, there is much to be said – nearly the whole of the land selected yesterday 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 in the whole colony for a seaside residence.
