Colony of Port Philip Bay to early Victoria

Pre 1860

Tarcombe’s history is deeply intertwined with the early settlement of the Rothwell and Little River regions, with its origins reaching back to the earliest days of colonisation. Historical maps from 1856 mark the first recorded activity on the property, showing the North & Grass Homestead situated between what are now our foaling paddocks, on the boundary of allotments 44 and 45. Though no official records or gazettes confirm a formal squatter or pastoral run on this exact land, evidence suggests that North & Grass were likely occupying it at the time. Interestingly, early parish maps show this land as reserved for the township of Rothwell, reinforcing the idea that North & Grass were unregistered squatters, despite holding other registered lands nearby.

By the early 1860s, the property was documented as pasture under the management of Frederick Ryland (Wyndham City Heritage Review, 1997). Ryland had been a key figure in Little River as early as 1848, when he served as a poundkeeper, a significant role in overseeing stray livestock. The local pound, located at the end of what is now Rothwell Road, was not far from Tarcombe.

“Sunnyside” & The Thomson Family

1865 – 1911

The next chapter in Tarcombe’s history begins with Charles Thomson, a Railway Inspector and Superintendent, who acquired the crown allotments that laid the foundation for the property as it exists today.

Born in Prestonpans, East Lothian, Scotland in 1825, Charles Webster Thomson married Fanny Pratt in 1853 while in Staten Island, New York. On February 17th, 1864, Thomson secured Crown Allotments 46 and 47, as recorded by the Land Titles Office. Years later, on September 14th, 1882, he expanded his holdings with the acquisition of Allotment 48 from William Ashby of Bulban, who had originally purchased it on March 2nd, 1864. Ashby, was the licensee of the Rothwell Inn (which are the old ruins just over the bridge).

After Thomson’s death in 1905, ownership of the property was passed to his sons, George James Thomson, a stationmaster in Shepparton, and William Charles Thomson, a produce merchant in Surry Hills. The official transfer of ownership took place on January 24th, 1911, likely in preparation for the property’s sale to Edward Laurence Gleeson later that year.

Historical records also show that Charles Thomson once owned Allotments 44 and 45, although these are no longer part of the present-day Tarcombe.

Construction of Sunnyside

Charles Thomson was responsible for constructing what is now the Tarcombe homestead, originally named Sunnyside. While the exact date of the bluestone homestead’s construction remains unclear, it is believed to have been built in the mid to late 1860s, shortly after Thomson acquired the land. There is speculation that if the original North & Grass homestead was made of stone—though more likely it was wooden—some materials may have been reused in the construction of the new home.

The homestead displays a back gable made of fieldstone with traces of wooden shingles on the roof, suggesting it could have been part of an earlier original building. The grander bluestone front was likely added later by Thomson. By the late 1890s, photographs show the house with a tin roof, with no trace of the original wooden shingles on the front gable. An internal window between the two gables indicates that the house was built in stages, with one section predating the other. Furthermore, the home spans allotment boundaries, implying that part of the structure may have been built prior to the formal surveying of the land.

The Gleeson Family

1911 – 1966

On March 1st, 1911, Edward Laurence Gleeson, a farmer from Longwood, expanded his holdings in the Little River area by acquiring 107 acres spread across several titles, including the Sunnyside property. This purchase further expanded his existing estate, “Avonmore,” on the other side of the Little River, with the newly acquired Sunnyside becoming part of his broader landholdings.

The Gleeson family also owned substantial tracts of land around the township of Tarcombe in Victoria. This connection may have influenced Edward’s decision to rename the combined properties Tarcombe, linking the Little River property to the family’s larger land holdings While more research is required to confirm the details, historical and probate records indicate that the Gleeson family were early settlers in the Tarcombe area.

Edward Laurence Gleeson passed away in 1919, leaving the property to his wife, Mary Ann Elizabeth Gleeson. The official transfer of the title occurred on March 24, 1920, following the grant of probate. Evidence suggests that Mary Ann leased the land to her son, as noted in probate documents.

On September 21, 1948, the property was formally passed to his son, Edward Francis Gleeson, a grazier from Little River. By then, the estate had grown to approximately 850 acres, reflecting the family’s ongoing efforts to consolidate and expand their holdings.

The large, mature cypress, pine, and peppercorn trees on the property today were planted during the Gleeson family’s stewardship.

The 1960s brought significant changes to the estate, with the land being subdivided. The house, along with allotments 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, and additional lots 9 and 10, were split into a distinct title. This portion of the estate, which includes the modern-day Tarcombe property, was sold to Walter Aubrey Scott in 1966.

Late 20th Century and early 21st Century

1966 onwards

The modern chapter of Tarcombe began with its purchase by Walter Aubrey Scott (b1907 –  d1989) on December 2nd 1966. Scott, a dentist and grazier residing from Toorak, was also a cricketer. Scott played a single first-class cricket match for Victoria during the 1929–30 season.

The property changed hands again on August 31st 1982, when it was purchased by John Warden Arthur Robertson (b1940–d2001). Robertson was not only a prominent business figure but also an Australian rules footballer. Robertson played for the Hawthorn and Richmond football clubs in the Victorian Football League (VFL). His football career was marked by his early retirement at the age of 25 to focus on his burgeoning business interests. He later served as a director of the Richmond Football Club.

During Robertson’s ownership, the property underwent further changes as it transitioned to a lifestyle property instead of a working farm. Remnants of this includes the old tennis court (now our chicken pen affectionately referred to as ‘Cluckingham Palace’).

The various allotments that comprised Tarcombe were gradually split off into separate titles and sold. The current day Tarcombe property was sold to Patrick “Paddy” Guinane (b1939 – d2019) and his wife Glenda in 1986.Paddy was an Australian rules player who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) between 1958 and 1968 for the Richmond Football Club. During the 1970s, Guinane was a science teacher at Richmond Technical College, later becoming Vice-Principal.

The property remained the family home of the Guinane family until purchased in 2021 by the now owners, the Phillips family, who are lovingly restoring it whilst retaining the historical features that make this property so beautiful.