If you don't mind me asking, Katrina, do you at present lease your property as a tenant and pay rent to the Vic. Government? If you would rather not answer this I quite understand. I find the topic really interesting. I thought you might find the following of interest:- My father left England in 1927 with his new wife and settled in Victoria. In 1986 a few years prior to his death I asked him to write down his memories of early life in Vic. and I quote from his writings: ""After the 1914/18 war the Vict. Government brought in the Closer Settlement Scheme whereby they divided large tracts of land into square mile holdings and any soldier returning from the war wishing to settle on the land was given one of these holdings, a house and grant with which to buy stock and machinery. A few years before we arrived on the scene (1927) the majority of the settlers went broke and just walked off their farms - so they were back in Government hands."" My father ended up on one of these farms in Burramboot, Colbinabbin, leasing the farm for 5 years with option of purchasing outright after that period. . ""........Eventually I decided it was time to take up the option of buying the farm and applied to the Closer Settlement Board asking for their terms of purchase. Their reply came as a shock - they told us Government policy had changed and our option was no longer valid - the land was to be divided among neighbouring farmers who needed more land! They told him the option to purchase was not worth the paper it was written on.....""" My father's writings make interesting reading - there is a tremendous amount of detail about life around Colbinabbin, Swan Hill and Euroa, mentioning local names and events, so if anyone is keen to hear more please get in touch. Margery

Dear Margery I would be very interested to read your father writings, particularly about the Euroa area. Can you please contact me at [email protected] Loretta in Euroa -------Original Message------- From: [email protected] Date: 03/07/05 21:47:20 To: [email protected] Subject: [AVNE] Re. Crown Land etc. If you don't mind me asking, Katrina, do you at present lease your property as a tenant and pay rent to the Vic. Government? If you would rather not answer this I quite understand. I find the topic really interesting. I thought you might find the following of interest:- My father left England in 1927 with his new wife and settled in Victoria. In 1986 a few years prior to his death I asked him to write down his memories of early life in Vic. and I quote from his writings: ""After the 1914/18 war the Vict. Government brought in the Closer Settlement Scheme whereby they divided large tracts of land into square mile holdings and any soldier returning from the war wishing to settle on the land was given one of these holdings, a house and grant with which to buy stock and machinery. A few years before we arrived on the scene (1927) the majority of the settlers went broke and just walked off their farms - so they were back in Government hands."" My father ended up on one of these farms in Burramboot, Colbinabbin, leasing the farm for 5 years with option of purchasing outright after that period. .. ""........Eventually I decided it was time to take up the option of buying the farm and applied to the Closer Settlement Board asking for their terms of purchase. Their reply came as a shock - they told us Government policy had changed and our option was no longer valid - the land was to be divided among neighbouring farmers who needed more land! They told him the option to purchase was not worth the paper it was written on.....""" My father's writings make interesting reading - there is a tremendous amount of detail about life around Colbinabbin, Swan Hill and Euroa, mentioning local names and events, so if anyone is keen to hear more please get in touch. Margery .