I don't understand that Judith as I don't have your address. It was supposed to go on the mailing list. Elaine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken Robbins" <kgrobbins@bigpond.com> To: <AUS-VIC-GEELONG-DISTRICT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 11:44 PM Subject: Re: [GEELONG] Brooks Family- Geelong to Nullarbor > > Hello Elaine, > > Just to let you know the message below was > sent to me by mistake. > Greetings from Judith Robbins--- A member of the Geelong Family > History Group. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Elaine Kranjc" <ekran@iprimus.com.au> > To: <AUS-VIC-GEELONG-DISTRICT-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, 12 September 2003 22:21 > Subject: Re: [GEELONG] Brooks Family- Geelong to Nullarbor > > > Thank you John I will put a copy in our files of the Family History Group. > Elaine Kranjc > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "John Whitehand" <wht4hnd@vicnet.net.au> > To: <AUS-VIC-GEELONG-DISTRICT-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2003 10:29 PM > Subject: [GEELONG] Brooks Family- Geelong to Nullarbor > > > > Hello Folk, > > while doing some "virtual surfing" on the area of Israelite Bay SW > > Nullarbor I discovered the name BROOKS as witness to a marriage at > > Israelite Bay 1898 > > a little Wildcard browsing revealed the following story which may be > > of interest to some Geelong researchers... > > " From Norseman along the Eyre H’way to Balladonia, a few hundred metres > > pass the Roadhouse, there is a well defined dirt track heading south, > > this will take you to Mt Ragged, or Esperance. In dry weather, 2WD’s can > > navigate this track, but not advisable in wet conditions, although > > usually not a problem with 4WD’s. > > > > About 75 km down this well defined track from Balladonia, there is a > > fork in the road (signposted), the right one goes to Esperance, the left > > to Mt Ragged. You can go straight to Mt Ragged if you wish, or take a > > small 13 km detour down the Esperance road to an early Settler’s > > Cottage, which has been restored (usually nobody there, but you can go > > in and look around). The home was built by the Dimer family, the > > patriarch being a young German seaman who jumped ship around the > > 1870/80’s and made his way to this isolated place. > > > > [Henry DIMER (aka DEIMER) married an aboriginal domestic Topsy > > Whitehand in 1898 ] witnesses to this event were the Brooks family. > > > > From the cottage there is a dirt track to the east, which will take you > > back (6 km) to the Mt Ragged track. The Dimer cottage track continues > > across the Mt Ragged road, to take you (11 km) to another restored early > > settler’s cottage. This was the Brooks place and their arrival is an > > interesting story. > > > > Continued next post… > > > > > > From: jackwest ® 19/07/2003 9:18:01 PM > > Subject: re: Nullabor post id: 65049 > > > > Trip 3 continued… > > > > The Brooks family of Mr and Mrs Brooks, plus their children John Paul > > and Sarah originated from England arriving in Melbourne January 1851, > > they lived in Geelong where later that year, Mr Brooks died of typhoid. > > The widowed Mrs Brooks opened a school, which both her children > > attended, and later continued their education at Geelong Grammar, making > > them for the time, refined and well educated (Sarah an accomplished > > painter, also played piano and sang, plus could speak seven languages > > including Greek and Latin). The family moved to Albany in 1873 where > > they were granted (reputedly) good land in Esperance Bay (400 to 500 km > > ENE of Albany). The two women and the young John Paul set out on foot > > into the WA wilderness with a horse-drawn cart holding their belongings, > > even in those pioneering times, it was regarded as a highly hazardous > > journey, let alone being attempted by such a vulnerable party (and not > > surprisingly), many thought they would perish. > > > > Anyway they did make it, and continued on for another 100 km or so, but > > the new land venture was a failure due to the poor quality of the > > country. In 1877, the family of three moved to Israelite Bay (a little > > further to the East) where John became the first linesman for the new > > Telegraph Station there. In 1883 they moved to a new lease and built the > > now restored cottage. Mrs Brooks died in 1911 and was buried in their > > orchard (part of the irrigated watering system, a fig and a couple of > > mulberry trees still remain). Sarah died in 1928, aged 78 and is buried > > in Norseman; John died two years later aged 83 and is buried with his > > mother in the orchard. Despite (or maybe because) of their education and > > refinement, neither married, they are nevertheless recorded in history > > (particularly Sarah) with her flora collections (including several new > > species) which are housed in the Melbourne Herbarium. Sarah was one of > > the renowned Baron Ferdinand von Mueller’s (the famous botanist) West > > Australian Lady Plant Collectors, but that is another story. > > > > The Brooks place is not occupied and visitors are welcome to look > > around. You must return to the Mt Ragged track and proceed south where > > (15 km) there is a pretty rockhole called Juranda Rockhole. A number of > > kilometres further south is another rockhole (fresh water), where there > > are a couple of graves, story has it that a couple of camel drivers were > > found bathing there and as it was drinking water, they were shot for > > their indiscretion. Not sure of the validity of this, but it sounds good. > " > > > > http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/newposts/64/topic64950.shtm > > -- > > John Whitehand > > Melbourne; AUSTRALIA > > +61(0)3 93145307 > > http://www.vicnet.net.au/~whitehaj/welcome.htm > > > > Ambition is ultimately destructive--There's only room for ONE "at the > top." > > *** Co-operation Achieves ~ Competition destroys ! *** > > > > > > ==== AUS-VIC-GEELONG-DISTRICT Mailing List ==== > > Geelong and District web site : > > http://www.zades.com.au/geelong/ > > > > > > > > ==== AUS-VIC-GEELONG-DISTRICT Mailing List ==== > Geelong & District and Bellarine Indexes : > http://www.zades.com.au/geelong/gdbksrc1.asp > http://www.zades.com.au/bellhs/bpnmsrc1.asp > > > > > ==== AUS-VIC-GEELONG-DISTRICT Mailing List ==== > Geelong & District Research Centres & Museums : > http://www.zades.com.au/geelong/gdresc.htm > >