Significant History

English born Thomas Austin arrived in Australia in 1831 and settled in the Western District of Victoria in 1837. Taking up land near Winchelsea of 12,000 hectares for grazing sheep and training horses, he named it Barwon Park. A member of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, which introduced new animals and plants to the colony, Austin brought from England hares, blackbirds and partridges. In 1859 he also brought 24 rabbits to breed as game for his shooting parties. Although welcomed at the time, Austin is now blamed for introducing this serious pest to Australia.

In December 1867 Queen Victoria’s son, Prince Alfred, visited Australia. He stayed at the Austin’s homestead and went shooting there. In three and half hours over 1000 rabbits were shot by the party. The Prince alone shot 416 and was so delighted with the shoot another was arranged for the Prince’s return visit to Victoria the following February. On that occasion he claimed 432 of the 1532 rabbits shot that day, although one reporter argued that “in such an indiscriminate slaughter we cannot see how any precise conclusion can be arrived at.It was having entertained royalty in their modest homestead that prompted the Austin’s to built at a cost of £10,000, the present Barwon Park mansion, more suited to royal visits.

Elizabeth Austin was born in England in 1821 and came to Australia in 1841. Four years later she married Thomas Austin and became involved in local churches and charities. After her husband’s death in 1871 she increased her philanthropic ventures and by the end of the nineteenth century was recognised as one of the Victoria’s leading benefactors. She is best remembered for contributing to the establishment of the Austin Homes for Women in Geelong and the Hospital for Incurables (later the Austin Hospital) in Heidelberg. She died in 1910 and The Argus Newspaper remembered her for bringing “into existence one of Victoria’s most useful hospitals —the Austin Hospital for Incurables … since the incorporation of the institution on January 21, 1882, it has won for its benefactress the affection and gratitude of hundreds of unfortunate incurables who were denied admission to the general infirmaries.”

In 1912 Stephen Batson purchased Barwon Park, including the 320 acre estate, for £6,716. In 1969 his son Sydney passed away having bequeathed the property to National Trust but allowing for his sister to live there for the duration of her life. The mansion was virtually intact from its Victorian era origin as this picture taken by John Collins in 1975 shows (State Library of Victoria Collection).