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Explore the Poowong History Trail »
On 26 February, 1876 , the Burchett family pegged out and took up 319 acres at Poowong, later known as the Hazeldeane (sic) Selection.
The actual Hazeldeane house site is about 100 metres to the northwest of here. The family moved into the house in November 1877, some 9 months after building commenced.
The house site was chosen on comparatively flat ground sloping into a hollow, where spring water provided plenty for household use – until years later when the land-clearing stopped the waterflow.
The Burchetts later had to build an underground well.
The family patriarch, Caleb, described the site as “a forest as dark as the night”, with giant Blue gums from 200 to 400 feet. On the chosen house site, the giant trees were 40 to the acre. He initially removed 60 trees to build the house, and later an additional 40 trees for safety.
Other plant growth in the area included blackwood, hazel, musk and “blanketwood”, many generally growing to 50 feet high in the region, but only half that height on his Block. Caleb cleared 30 acres of this “scrub’’ during 1876. Then, in accordance with the practice of the day, the cleared residue rubbish would be burnt several months later – in his case in mid-January 1877, in the middle of the summer heat – on a hot day with the right wind to create a dangerous but effective inferno.
Caleb started building his home in February 1877, one year after the block purchase.
Caleb, his father and a hired carter Mr Daniel Beckett set out with a dray, two draught horses and a load of tools, iron sheeting, furniture and provisions on a three day journey from Melbourne.
The last carry, about a mile from the Scott’s (nearby friends) selection, was by hand and included some of the first corrugated iron sheets. Some of the 8 foot sheets weighed 60 pounds (27 kilos). Solid stuff!
Blackwood logs were cut, trimmed and used for the house, and laid perpendicularly. They ranged from 9 to 10 1⁄2 feet, and averaged 8’’ (20cm) in diameter.
After a few days they had two rooms 11 ft by 13 ft, then added rafters and battens, with iron and shingles. Then, internally, split lathes of blackwood, and a daub made simply of earth and water became the walls. The roof went on a few weeks later, and a verandah protected the walls. Without lime, clay or hair, the walls were still present 35 years later when Caleb recounted his story.
By now, the situation was stable enough for the family to make their home in Poowong. Amy, her sister Fanny and three of the then five children then made the big move to Poowong over several trips from November 1877. Accompanied by their beloved harmonium (a portable keyboard organ, sometimes called a melodeon), two dairy cows and a pig, their journeys were made more enjoyable by frequent tea stops and overnight camping under canvas. A good start to their new life as a family in a raw new place!
Yes, and it was comforting when they arrived to find 30 acres of luxurious English grasses 6 to 8 inches high – plus a huge pot of home-grown vegetables prepared by Caleb’s father, followed by trays of scones.
This family house was no crude shack, but was in fact a masterpiece of construction, built by the highly skilled father/son partnership.
As accomplished stonemasons, and over time, they moulded 60,000 bricks from clay on their property, burnt them in a kiln and used some of these for the homestead chimneys. Caleb later made money by using the remainder to build chimneys around the district. Caleb’s father, after each days labour, would then cheerfully start planting flowers and vegetables, which grew prolifically in the good soil and the lack of pests in those early years! Later, Caleb would plant fruit trees and oak trees, some of which still survive on the Oaks Estate as a much loved part of the Poowong heritage.
In “The Hazeldean Garden” (1923) by Fred M Straw, a descendent on Amy’s side, described Caleb’s father James’ vision of the future Hazeldean garden on part of what was initially called Seven Acres:
“It would not be with gravelled walks, trim hedges and closed shaved lawns! Rather, it eventually included a cleared patch around the house block with an assortment of White Moss roses, fuchsias, white lilies, English daisies and a profusion of English flowers, plus, of course, sage, thyme, mint and other herbs for the kitchen. The outer garden was an orchard of fruit trees such as pear, apple, plum, peach, quince, hazelnut, oranges, lemons, “rice palms” (probably sago-types) and mulberry. “Sentinel pines” (possibly introduced Cypress or Norfolk pines) near the entrance and a particular sturdy oak with acorns sent out from faraway Kent were especially mentioned.”
Straw describes a great variety of plants grown – and in many cases overgrown – in different parts of the homestead vicinity, and apologised for the places that he didn’t mention!
In 1907 at the ripe old age of 64 years, Caleb, already well steeped in the traditions and history of England was offered a trip to visit England. Encouraged by Amy and probably because there was money for just one fare, Caleb visited the “old country” by himself.
On return, inspired by the picturesque attic houses of England, Caleb decided to rebuild the old rambling Hazeldeane homestead, recycling as much material as possible, of course. A more compact two storey attic house using part of the original structure was the comfortable result. Steep gables and a little balcony from one of the bedrooms plus a better kitchen with a good two-pot fire stove, seemed to be Amy’s eventual reward.
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