SEARLE FAMILY

13-4-1925 - 1-2-1998

Thomas Weightman arrived in Australia with his parents and siblings from Derbyshire, England on the "Omega" and landed at Port Henry, Geelong on the 26^th September 1856. Thomas later married Eve Baldwin and their daughter Mary Weightman married a John Searle. The Searles became very early settlers in the Enfield District which is in an area surrounded by Little Hard Hills ( also named Poverty Ridge by the early miners) and Whim Holes. They had three children: Harold William, John and William George. Harold William "Dick" Searle was born on 13/4/1925 at Enfield. He lived with his parents in a miner's cottage (which was still standing in 1991 except the shingles were covered with iron). He attended the Enfield School in 1930 and was very keen at Nature Study and studying the birds and the weather patterns. The many times spent in the bush gave him the basic bush skills from a very early age. This knowledge would have been enhanced with the precious times that he spent with his maternal grandfather who died 6^th June 1938 aged 104 years, when Dick was only 13 yrs old.

Dick's working life commenced at 12 years of age when he cut wood for the sum of one shilling and sixpence a ton, under his father's licence as he was under age. He "took up his first block of land" at 14 years of age and throughout his lifetime he cut thousands of tons of timber by axe around the forests of Enfield in Victoria. His first contract was to cut 5 foot wood for the Sunshine Biscuit Factory at Ballarat and for every 100 tons involved at one shilling a ton, he was paid 10 pounds a month at an average of 5 ton per day or 25 shillings a week. At commencement of Second World War, when he was only 14 he drove sheep for a Mr Cliff Judge, it was during a drought and he had to dig salt patches and creek beds for water. Sometimes it would be well over 90 degrees with only the fence posts for shelter. His nose would bleed freely from the heat and coming home through the bush at night , his only mate was Tiger his dog and his old Bible in a sugar sack, which he also carried his lunch in. This job was for seven days a week over a period of six months for the sum of one guineas a week (21 shillings or $2.10cents 9Aus 2030). He worked from 4.30am until late at night.

The following years he worked on the civil construction site at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (which was previously a pig market). During all of this he cut fencing posts and eucalyptus leaves (for processing) as he was eager to get a driving licence and own a truck of his own. He obtained this licence at 21 years of age and went to work for a Mr Edward Latch of Avoca (Victoria) who had a wood yard in Ballarat. Dick received a good wage of 25 shillings a week and and it was here that he got the idea to set up his own business.

On February 2^nd, 1952 he married Alwyn Merle Gillett and they went to live at Sebastopol. They had four children: Colin Maxwell, Glenda Lorraine, Lesley Marion and Murray William. He had saved enough money to buy a K.S.5 International Truck and he secured a contract with Morley's Woollen Mills of Ballarat supplying 5 foot wood. This lasted for ten years until the Company went to oil burners. After the closure of the Morley contract he bought a bigger trick a Commer and obtained a contract through the Forestry Commission To cut and cart pine pulp from Durham Lead to Ballarat East Railway Station where it was placed in the big GY Railway Trucks and transported onto the Maryvale Mill where toilet rolls were made from the pulp.

At the age of 43 yrs (1968), whilst cutting in the forest at Mt Lonach (Vic), near Mt Cole, he had a nasty accident and suffered severe head injuries which resulted in him losing a lot of shoulder strength which forced him tom retire from his favoured sport of competitive wood chopping. He was a member of the Central Victorian Axeman's Association and Mr Joe Chellis was the registered handicapper. He always looked forward to the log chopping events and competed at Ballarat districts, Melbourne Show and Poowong. He was involved in an exhibition match at Marjorie Lawrence"s homecoming at Winchelsea (one of Australia's great opera singers). He worked in the bush for 53 years and his two sons Murray and Colin followed in his footsteps. On September 27^th 1991, Dick received news from the Stockman's Hall of Fame at Longreach that he had been listed as an "Unsung Hero" in recognition of his pioneering work ethic, his respect and passion for the Australian bush and the many stories that he enjoyed sharing with the younger generation. On Australia Day 1992 he was awarded Sebastopol Citizen of the Year. Dick Searle died peacefully at his home on February 1^st 1998, aged 72 years. After his death, the family received the first Australian Axeman's Hall of Fame and Timberworks, Latrobe, Tasmania's first medallion issued.

Mr.Chris White, the C.E.O. expressed that "Dick Searle was not only a champion axeman and famous woodcutter, he was a great Australian. He was a member of a generation of people we admire for their character, tenacity and strong values" On the 10^th September, 1999 a bush track near Dick's cottage at Enfield Park,(south of Ballarat) was officially named Searle's Track. This was in honour and recognition of Dick Searle's expertise and conservation practices in the bush.

Colin Maxwell Searle, eldest son of Dick and Alwyn Searle and devoted brother of Lesley and Murray was tragically killed in a forest accident at Alexandra (Victoria) after being struck on the head by a falling limb. From his early childhood through to adulthood he always enjoyed the bush and accompanied his dad at weekends and on holidays. He was never interested in city life and through his love for the bush and the example of his father he naturally made a full time career of tree-felling. He commenced this work with Gordon Pritchard of Sparga Creek (Vic) and in due course worked at Linton, Mt Lonach, Daylesford and in 1985 to Bendoc, Orbost and Alexandra. He revelled in all aspects of the bush crafts, by logging, falling etc. He took pride in these achievements and he gave of his best over 27 years in this work. He was often commended for his versatility, character, loyalty and devotion to his family, his workmates and his employer. He will always be remembered by these people for these values and his love of the Australian bush.

Murray William Searle was born at Eildon House Private Hospital, Ballarat (Vic) on the 24^th July 1960, being the youngest son of Dick and Alwyn Searle of Sebastopol, via Ballarat. As Murray grew up he loved going to the bush with his dad and brother on weekends and during the school holidays. He attended Redan Primary School and Sebastopol Technical College. At 14 yrs of age he was offered employment at Ballarat Grocery and Wine and Spirit Merchants, he worked there for 10 years. About this time his brother Colin was given a promotion from Ballarat to Orbost to fall pine. Murray decided to leave his employment and like his father and brother went to work in the forests. He worked alongside his dad, Dick for 5 years at Mt.Cole, Elmhurst, Tanwood and Linton. In 1989 Murray was approached by a Director of Ballarat Sovereign Hill Historical Park and asked if he could supply them with a substantial quantity of wood each week for burning in the indoor fireplaces in the large huts on the diggings- wood for the bakery and 4ft lengths for the boilers that supplied steam for the mines.

In 1991 the March Gold Mines were commissioned and this provided tremendous potential for both surface and underground mining. Along with this came the need for re-aforestation and re-vegetation. Before each area could be mined the topsoil was removed and stockpiled. As the ore was removed, the pit was backfilled, topsoil returned and immediately resown using the already collected seeds. Much of the discarded wood from this mining operation was given to the Sovereign Hill Park. Along with other licensed timber cutters who cut sleepers, straining posts for local needs, Murray also cut discarded timber for Sovereign Hill Park He always maintained what a great team of men he worked with. He also provided the poppet heads for the Red Mine Development for Sovereign Hill Park and the special ironbark and timber poles. The 4 poppet heads were 40ft in length and cut on a property at Mt Bute, near Skipton (Vic) from a blue gum plantation so as to acquire the long lengths, a low loader was hired to transport them to Sovereign Hill. In October 1999, the skyline of Sovereign Hill had changed with the installation of the poppet head being the first stage of the 2.5million dollars development of the Red Hill Mine which shows a deep lead mine with technological and static displays to exhibit the discovery of the Welcome Nugget.

As the year 2001 approaches the manual operated machinery is now being replaced by log splitter, front end loaders etc.
Murray is proud to have been part of the family tradition and heritage of supplying timber for various needs to the people of Victoria.

Explanation: Written in 1998 to Marie McCulloch, then committee member for the Australian Axeman's Hall of Fame and Timberworks at Latrobe, Tasmania from:

Dear Mrs. McCulloch,

My grandma told me that you would like a letter from me about my late grandfather (Dick Searle) and so I will explain it to you in my best way. After grandpa passed away on the 1^st of February 1998, I missed him so much because I always went to the bush with him. When I was 3yrs and a half he made me toy chainsaw and when he had a smoke, I would get a stick and ask him for a Tally-Ho (cigarette paper). Iwould make out that I was having a smoke like my pa. He would say to to me "that is as far as you go little fellow". I was very sad after he died and I asked my dad if I could join to be a "friend of the Australian Axemans Hall of Fame like my dad, pa and uncle Max were.

One day when I was living at Ballarat there was a letter from Mr White and a special AAHF Medallion.

Even now I am 12 years of age, I think about my grandpa and Uncle Max a lot, especially when I go into the bush on the weekends and holidays. I am a cadet at Sebastopol S.C.Cadet Unit.

I will always remember my grandpa telling me If you work hard and try hard, be honest and respect people, especially the elderly, you will go a long way in life. I am proud of the sign "Searle's Track"The Conservationalist and Environmental and Natural Resources placed it in the forest in memory of my grandpa who was a true bushman and conservationalist.

Kindest regards

Matt Searle 1998