MELBOURNE - THE BRIARS

Presenting The Briars Park at Mt. Martha on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne Australia.

* The homestead is not always accessible due to a shortage of volunteer guides.

** Koalas, kangaroos and wallabies reside on the property, though can prove elusive.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
- Napoleon stayed in a pavillion on the The Briars estate on St. Helena for 2 weeks until he was relocated to Longwood House.
- William Balcombe's second daughter, Elizabeth Lucia Balcombe (Betsy), was the only family member who spoke French and acted as interpreter between Napoleon and the Balcombes'.
- In 1844, Betsy published the book "Recollections of the Emperor Napoleon".
- William Balcombe left St. Helena for England with his family in 1818 under suspicion of acting as a go-between between Napoleon and Paris.
- William was appointed Colonial Treasurer of New South Wales in 1823, and arrived with his family in Sydney in 1824.
- The eldest daughter died during the voyage.
- William Balcombe died in 1829.
- William Balcombe had five children.
- Alexander Beatson Balcombe was the youngest of William's children.
- Alexander's middle name was the name of the governor on St. Helena.
- Alexander arrived in Port Phillip in 1839, but then left, got married, and returned with intentions to settle in 1842.
- Alexander took over the 'Chechingurk' property in 1846 and settled.
- 'Chechingurk', sometimes referred to as 'Tichin-Gorourke', was the aborignal word given to what is now Balcombe Creek and means 'voice of frogs'.
- The aboriginals who inhabitated the area prior to Europeans arriving were the Boonoorong, which is also spelt Bunwurrung, Boonwerung, Bunurowrung, and Bunurong.
- The original name for Mornington was Schnapper Point, and was given the name by Alexander Beatson Balcombe.
- Schnapper Point was named Mornington in 1864, after the Earl of Mornington.
- Alexander was the grandfather to Dame Mabel Brookes, who put together the Napoleonic collection.
- It's believed that some of the furniture was given to the family by Napoleon out of appreciation for the friendship.
- Staff and volunteers report the homestead to be haunted.

LINKS & REFERENCES:
- http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030078b.htm
- http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130301b.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briars,_Saint_Helena
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunurong
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Invalides
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_I#Exile_on_Saint_Helena
- http://maps.google.com.au
- http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/vhd/heritagevic#detail_places;852
- http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/402943/Napoleon-I/16227/Exile-on-St...
- http://www.josephinesrestaurantmtmartha.com.au/
- http://www.nationaltrust.org.sh/newsletters/no17/newletter-17-dec07-4.html
- http://www.virtualsorrento.com.au/trust-properties
- Park information sheets.

THIS VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT © 2010 77AUSSIE.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• THE
• BRIARS
• PARK
• MT
• MOUNT
• MARTHA
• MORNINGTON
• PENINSULA
• MELBOURNE
• VICTORIA
• AUSTRALIA
• AUSTRALIAN
• AUSSIE
• OZ
• HOLIDAY
• VACATION
• STAY
• ACTIVITY
• ATTRACTION
• TRAVEL
• TOUR
• TOURISM
• TOURIST
• DAY
• TRIP
• BACK
• PACK
• PACKING
• PACKER
• BACKPACKER
• BACKPACKING
• SEE
• LOOK
• DO
• LOOKOUT
• VIEW
• WALK
• WALKING
• TRAIL
• PATH
• TREK
• NATURE
• NATURAL
• BUSH
• LAND
• BUSHLAND
• TREE
• PLANT
• ANIMAL
• NATIVE
• SWAMP
• WETLAND
• HISTORY
• HISTORICAL
• HOMESTEAD
• NAPOLEON
• ARTIFACT
• MEMORABILIA
• COLLECTION
• ANTIQUE
• BIRD
• HIDE
• WATCHING
• ST
• SAINT
• HELENA

[jdaler]

I saw this on Bargain Hunt, presented by Tim Wannacote.