It was described in the Geelong Advertiser as being formerly owned by W Owen and having one of the grandest views to be obtained anywhere in the colony when offered for sale on 2nd April 1878. The house is substantially built of blue stone, with wide verandahs on all sides, and contains 8 rooms and entrance hall, all finished and fitted in a very superior manner, with sideboards, wardrobes; kitchen, servants' rooms, bathroom, cellar and pantries. The out-buildings comprise excellent stabling, coach-house, harness-room, barn and cowhouse. The garden and grounds are well and tastefully laid out and planted with the best trees, all in good growth. The land, comprising an area in all of about 75 acres of excellent quality, is subdivided into 5 paddocks, all of which are separately watered. Beautifully-grown Acacia hedges surround and divide the whole property.
On 20th June 1881 Calder Park was again offered for sale by John Laurie. It was then in the occupation of Donald Bantock. It was described as a twelve-roomed house, but the price did not reach the reserve and was then put up for private sale.
John Calvert Bell and his wife Francis Ellen (daughter of Charles AC Wilson of Teesdale) lived at Calder Park for many years. They had six children. A son John Wilson Bell died in infancy. Francis died in 1901 and was buried at Teesdale Cemetery. John remarried and moved to Addiscot. As a compliment to John Bell the name of the town of Jan Juc was changed to Bellbrae and Jan Juc became the name of an area closer to Torquay.
In April 1906 two daughters of William and Jane Walker of Calder Park were married in separate ceremonies.
Victoria Cross recipient Rupert Vance Moon lived Calder Park from 1943 until 1978. Electricity was brought to Calder Park in the late 1930s and then became available to the local residents.
In 1993 when Calder Park was again sold (in two separate lots of 34 acres), it was described in the sales brochure as an outstanding Victorian homestead (c 1860s) of bluestone and weatherboard construction in excellent condition. The house is approximately 50 squares in a courtyard design. The house is surrounded by a beautiful 1 acre landscaped garden of lawns and century old trees enhanced by dominating views over Geelong City, You Yangs, Lake Connewarre and Bass Strait.
Calder Park owners: William Corbett Wilson 1857 William Owen 1858 John Laurie 1874 leased to Donald Bantock 1881 Andrew Thomson Abercrombie 1881 Mrs Mary Pfiel 1882 Mary A Chamberlain 1884 Sharpe and Jane (née Hillard) Brearley 1887 John Calvert and Frances Ellen (née Wilson) Bell 1891 William and Jane (née Clydesdale) Walker 1902 David McLaren and Henrietta Jane (née White) Whitelaw 1908 F & E Ely 1940 Rupert Vance & Susan AM (née Vincent) Moon 1954 John M Richardson (Barwarre Holdings) 1978-1993 |