Early Settlement
Charabancs and Bunyip Forest Devils
These reminiscences by James Chester Draper provide an evocative account of community life, land use, and pioneer farming practices in the Yan Yean district during…
Barton Hill
These reminiscences by James Chester Draper (1905–1998) detail the daily life and agricultural challenges of the Draper family at their Barton Hill property in Arthurs…
Fay Thomas Collection by Yarra Plenty Regional Library
The Fay Thomas collection documents the multi-generational experiences of the Thomas family and their contemporaries within the City of Whittlesea district. Encompassing a diverse array…
Up the Creek : Early Days in the Arthurs Creek District by Bruce G. Draper
Bruce G. Draper documents the foundational settlement and social development of the Arthurs Creek district during the nineteenth century. This historical survey examines the experiences…
Seeds of Yesterday : the Fruit of Tomorrow by Pam Goodey
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the families of the McDonald, Draper, and Underwood lineages established themselves as prominent orchardists and agriculturalists within…
From Laggan To Arthur’s Creek by Ross McDonald
This genealogical account traces the migration and settlement patterns of the McDonald and Draper families as they transitioned from their origins in Laggan to the…
The Batman Apple Tree
Located on the eastern bank of the Plenty River at Greensborough, the so-called Batman Apple Tree serves as a living relic of the region's pioneering…
History and Heritage in Up the Creek: Early Days in the Arthurs Creek District
Established in the late nineteenth century by the pioneer orchardist Charles Draper, the Arthurs Creek district in the Nillumbik Shire became a hub of agricultural…
Early Days
This account traces the early European occupation and agricultural development of the Arthurs Creek district, beginning with the initial explorations of Joseph Tice Gellibrand and…
John Ryder - Early Settler
John Ryder (1821–1902) was a foundational pioneer of the Arthurs Creek district who, alongside Charles Draper, selected the initial allotments under the Duffy Land Act…