from the past
door hiding secrets
to share now
These images show Black Bock House in Black Rock a suburb on the SE of Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne. Thomas Ebden and his family were the earliest European settlers in this part of Port Phillip way back in the 1850’sand established Black Rock House as their claim on the land. There are a number of mysteries surrounding Ebden and what went on in this early days. He was from South Africa and probably brought fixed ideas on how to respond to the original occupiers of this land. He also took up control of quite a lot of land around Black Rock and also central Victoria, (then called Port Phillip) There are certainly unanswered questions about the actual original reasons for building a stockade as seen in the third image. Who was he going to resist with this? There are no mysteries about the Moreton Bay Fig Tree seen in the second image, it is old and large. These trees are native to the more tropical climate of North east Australia and was introduced here as a seedling.
Some years ago Jill completed a landscape master plan of the grounds of Black Rock House for the City of Bayside. You can see the fruition of aspects of her work in these images.
This is my door contribution to the 52 week photo challenge ( this week DOOR) accessed at https://daffodilwild.wordpress.com/photo-challenge/ where you can see some fascinating CHECK photos
Haiku hound 
How interesting. I played on the Black Rock beach as a child and later took my own kids there sometimes yet I had no idea of the history. That stockade is fascinating. What secrets those walls must hold.
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This is just around the corner from Black Rock village in Eden Ave. The house is open Sunday afternoons I think.
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If I ever get down that way again I will take a look.
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Very interesting Denis. That fig tree is a monster – I wonder, does it fruit? We have to restrict roots and growth to get figs to fruit here.
The DOOR is in such a strange position right beneath the joining of the roofs where one would expect and load-bearing wall to be, and creating a headache for whoever fixed the drainpipe! Fascinating.
European settlers certainly have a lot to answer for!
Thanks for sharing.
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These trees do fruit but not like common Fig Fig trees. Flying foxes feed on the fruit. Interesting comments on the architecture, we never thought about that, its held up for over 160 years.
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Strange!
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The house still standing or the Flying Foxes Sandra or maybe both? The tree and Flying Foxes are both indigenous to Northern Tropical Australia but survive well way down here.
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Still musing on the position of that door. The building looks in amazingly good condition for it’s age.
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Our local government, (council) stepped in with state government financial help and restored it and now preserve it with a friends group. There is said to be a ghost there!
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The fig tree is magnificent!
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It is, you can notice the tropical rainforest characteristic buttresses that are cyclone proof.
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The haiku is beautiful and the tree is remarkable! I love trees like that, they have such history, so many stories to tell. I appreciate that you have shared!
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Thanks so much Annette, there certainly is a story around this tree, maybe its on the list!!
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What a unique architectural feature the placement of that door is – amazing tree too.
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There is quite a strong lintel above the door, this was originally the main entrance.
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So fascinating! The door placement is unusual, the drainpipe is …. odd? the red flowers are lovely, the old tree is amazing, and fortification is underwhelming. What a combination! Love these photos and the haiku, of course!
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Thanks Jen. The fortification is an especially curious piece of architecture with more than one interpretation still being discussed.
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The placement of the top door is very striking. It almost makes the house look like a mirror image.
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There are a number of unusual architectural features with this house.
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