Francis HENTY : 1837 Settlement at Merino Downs, South Western Victoria, Australia

In 1836 as Major MITCHELL viewed the magnificent pastoral country spread to the southward from Flagstaff Hill, he was so impressed with its possibilities that the entry "Australia Felix" appears in his notes. It is in this well favored spot that Merino is situated, and its wealth and prosperity are the results of Major MITCHELL's glowing report.

As he travelled down the Glenelg, and thence through the dense timber of Rifle Downs, and past where Branxholme now stands, he directed his course towards the coast, where he was very surprised to find a settlement founded by the Hentys at Portland Bay. Here, this truly pioneering family had established a whaling station and small farm. Their treatment of Major MITCHELL and his travel-weary band was so hospitable that the Major informed them of the rich land to the north.

Mr. Francis HENTY relates meeting with Major Mitchell, Surveyor-General of New South Wales:-

"It was the last week of August, 1836, that Major MITCHELL first made his appearance at Portland during my brother's absence a few miles away, settling a shepherd in a hut with a flock of sheep. Of course, we were surprised and could think of nothing but bush-rangers, knowing that at this time there could be no one settled nearer to us than where Melbourne now stands. But my cook, who was an old Sydney man, recognised him as Major MITCHELL, Surveyor-General of New South Wales. Whatever he may have pretended to have thought we were, he certainly was very chary of allowing me to be polite to him, for he declined to allow me to take his horse for him or his coat. After entering the house his first exclamation was: 'Ah, windows, too, in the bush, I declare.' We were as polite and hospitable to him as our means permitted, and after dinner he became more affable and friendly, and as we had no spare bed but a cot we gave him that to sleep in, and I can assure you he did not require rocking to sleep that night. In the morning we took him across the heath to see the open sea, the Southern Ocean. As the Sally Ann, our tender with supplies was then due, we requested him to stay that we might replenish his supplies, to an extent which we could not do otherwise to the full, as we were getting short ourselves. At this time we had not gone more than about twenty miles from home with our sheep to Mt. Eckersley, or North Downs, as we had named it, but on Major MITCHELL's reports of the fine country of the Wannon only twenty-flve miles further, you may be sure we were not long in proceeding to that magnificent land."

After gathering herds and flocks to establish the new farm, the HENTYs set out on a direct route from Portland and finally settled at Merino Downs on August 3rd, 1837. An obelisk marks the spot where the tent was pitched on the first night of their arrival. Edward HENTY later settled at Muntham. comprising 77,000 acres; Frank HENTY at Merino Downs; whilst John HENTY occupied Sandford and Runnymede.

During the lifetime of Edward and Francis HENTY, the station known as "Merino Downs" was owned and controlled as one property. After the brothers had passed away the estate was administered as formerly by their families until the year 1908, when the station was subdivided into the properties now known as Talisker, Wurt Wurt Koort, and Merino Downs, the last named being that portion of the original surrounding the old homestead.

Since 1908 much of the land has been re-subdivided and worked as dairy farms, either on the share system or under Closer Settlement schemes. and finally since the war of 1914-1918, some portions have been sold to the Government, which has allotted some as small farms to returned soldiers, who are paying for same over a long period.