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Bakers Barn

27/9/2016

10 Comments

 
In 1966 George Albert and Joy Baker operated a general store and newsagency on Torquay Road, Mount Duneed. Newspapers were delivered to surrounding districts including Grovedale. Cooked chickens and home made ice cream were sold, catching hungry Torquay beach goers on their way home. The many varieties of ice cream became the core trade. The newsagency was sold and operated from Peter Street, Grovedale when this shopping strip opened.

In 1972 Mr J Cordone purchased the freehold property. The petrol pumps were closed and the business became known as La Campagnola, selling take-away food and specialising in pizzas. Later it became a BYO restaurant. Gellati was made on the premises, with 5 vans selling to the public at coastal resorts and other venues. In 1978 a caravan park was opened. It is now named Geelong Surfcoast Highway Holiday Park and has motel units, deluxe cabins and ensuite powered sites. Odyssey Tavern and Brewery now operates at the site.

In the early 20th century a blacksmith, Harry Adolf, operated at this location. The business was later sold to Gus Cherry.

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Allotment G on this map of Feehans Road shows the location of the Baker dairy, that Ross mentioned in his comment.
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​In 1855, Charles Rowand, road engineer for Geelong and Western District purchased the 38 acre block and built a bluestone cottage in 1858. Charles Rowand was the engineer of the first Barwon Bridge completed in 1848.

​Charles Auguste Pierrehumbert leased the land and grapes were grown until the phylloxera disease put an end to the vineyards in the area.

​Robert Purdie was the owner in the 1880s. He was a native of Peeblesshire Scotland, arriving in Geelong in 1852 with his family. He died in August 1902 at the age of 86 at Mount Duneed. He is buried with his wife Helen (née Chisholm) in the Presbyterian section of the Geelong Eastern Cemetery. Helen died in August 1904 at the age of 84.

Robert's son John Purdie was a newsagent in Geelong. He travelled to Geelong from this home each day in a pony drawn jinker. He was not married and shared the house with his three unmarried sisters. He died on 18 May 1926, aged 79 years, and was buried with his sister, Helen, at the Geelong Eastern Cemetery.

When repair work was being carried out on this house, about 1959-60, a bottle containing newspapers dated 1858, a Maundy coin (4d value) dated 1854 and a letter from the original owner was found. It was reported on the front page of the Geelong Advertiser. About 1962-3 the land was subdivided and 10 acres was sold to Dr IJB Young, a horse veterinary surgeon.

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This is a copy of the letter in the bottle mentioned above. The Rowand family later had four more children and finally settled in Warrigul.
10 Comments
Ross baker
26/9/2016 05:06:58 pm

Lots of memories thanks

Reply
Ross baker
26/9/2016 06:35:06 pm

The shop was virtually ran by my sister's bronwyn used to make the ice cream at the dairy up feehans lane on her own mostly (aged 14 to 15)my other sister robyn with the help of mum now and again ran the shop so most of the credit of bakers barn goes to them no input from me as earthmoving machines and australia beckoned me

Reply
Ross baker link
4/10/2016 10:14:26 am

Not sure if you are interested or not a bit of history of George Albert baker he was a tool maker at fords geelong and moved to yinnar to do share farming late 1948 and returned to geelong some time in the 19 50s the move was made with a fergie tractor towing a large hay trailer to a farm share farming on the opposite side of the hill to the shop the farm was owned by a Torres evans (he lost his wife in that cruise ship that sank off new Zealand around 1950 60) one day dad was reading the weekly times and noticed an article about a swimming race across corio bay they had lots all records of the final perpetual winner it was dad he held the trophies for that and the three mile yarri he gave the trophies back plus another the corio bay race was then won by a neighbor of ours someone mc cann at mc canns rd mt duneed hopping this is of interest ross

Reply
Julie campbell
9/12/2016 07:25:08 pm

Robert purdie was my great great grandfather. It was his son john who was the news agent. John never married. Robert was married to Helen Chisholm

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Robby Bryant
12/5/2018 11:19:05 am

I am the eldest daughter of George & Joy Baker of Baker's Barn Mt Duneed Julie I was wondering if you are the daughter of Mrs Campbell who owned the Mt Moriac hotel

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Sue Langley
21/1/2017 03:19:14 pm

My 2x Great grandfather was Charles Rowand.Today we found his block at Mt Duneed but couldnt locate his grave at Geelong Eastern Cemetery. His wife Agnes waS the daughter of Gilbert Robertson a very interesting man born in Trinidad of a Scottish father and West indian slave. The blueztone cottage is no longer there.

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andrew dixon
27/8/2017 07:58:31 pm

bakers barn was on barwon heads road in the early 70s opposite the then wembly driving school

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Robby(Robyn) Bryant
12/5/2018 11:01:45 am

I am the eldest daughter of George & Joy Baker of Baker's Barn Ice Cream Mt Duneed in reply to the comment from Andrew Dixon 27/8/2017 re Baker's Barn on the Barwon Heads Rd Connerwarre it wasn't our family shop we only supplied our ice cream for sale a lot of people thought it was Baker's Barn but only on outlet for us sell our ice cream . The Barn was an iconic point in its day a meeting point rain hail & shine for all walks of life to queue up to buy an ice cream.

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Judy Davies
14/9/2020 11:36:29 pm

Hi Robyn - some very interesting 'history' info and no doubt a lot of good memories - had many a delicious ice-cream from there over the years - Judy (Barr)

Kerry Timmins
10/2/2019 10:53:53 am

The girls used to have a blackboard outside the store with the days surf report written up .I used to surf with them at Torquay .After the store was sold i never went back there great friends at the time .Good food and great times

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