As usual this journal arises from research for another journal (in this case, my review of Chris Laskowski's STEEL CREEK AND THE LADY OF THE LAKE. I am pleased to add another early (1843) pioneer of SPRINGS, not mentioned by Christine.
Tierney, Martin, dwelling house, Springs,parish Doutta Galla.

In 1843 William Brownlee was living at the Plenty River.
BROWNLEE, WILLIAM, freehold, River Plenty (P.1, Port Phillip Gazette, 31-5-1843.)
LINK: ELECTORAL ROLL

In 1846 John and Mary Ann McLear moved to the Plenty River, taking up residence on the property of a Mr Green, probably the man who gave Greensborough its name. In Boxing Day 1849 John McLear was killed at a race meeting near the Plough Inn. Shortly afterwards, Mary Ann moved to Jamieson's Special Survey where another leaseholder was William Marshall, possibly the McLears' groom who had tried to stop the attack on John. Mary Ann went into partnership with Charles Graves in a drapery business, Charles travelling the district. The McLear boys accompanied him at times, sometimes taking a fresh horse to Frankston when Charles was returning from Melbourne with new stock.(P. 93-98 and 34, Colin McLear's A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.)

FROM LEONARD WILDING'S HISTORY.
The survey was occupied for some time by Jamieson Bros, and later on passed into the hands of the Bank of Australasia. In the middle of January, 1851*, Mr Graves, now of Woodlands, Flinders, entered into a tenancy of 4120 acres of the area. The other portion, including the house, was rented by Connell Bros. When Mr Graves and his partner, Mr Brown Lee (who at the start, went in extensively for wheat growing), had occupied the place for about five years, it was purchased by Mr Clark (Clarke), the grandfather of Sir Rupert Clark (Clarke), the present owner. Five years after the sale Mr Clark (Clarke*), Mr Griffiths, and Mr Gibson, whose families are still in possession, became the tenants of the property. The rental paid by Messrs Graves and Brown Lee in the early days was 10s per acre. HISTORY OF THE Mornington Peninsula. EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Mornington Standard (Vic. : 1889 - 1908) Saturday 2 September 1905 p 6 Article
The Clarkes were rated on untenanted portions of the estate but as owners, should not be described as tenants.

Charles Graves bought land opposite the present Dromana drive-in from Thomas Monahan, the grantee,on 10-5-1859 for 168 pounds 5 shillings, had it fenced by Charles and Thomas Rymer, helped by George McLear and sold it to his business partner, Mary Ann McLear, on 31-1-1860 for 200 pounds.(P.99, A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.)
The material and labour cost of the fencing would apparently have been the same as the apparent profit of just under 32 pounds.
As this journal is a side track, I will base the cost of the fencing on just one example from 1857 which might involve a higher labour cost because the gold rush was still in full swing.
Fencing police paddock at Bullock Creek, about 640 rods, 8s per rod, Alger and Merredew.
TENDERS ACCEPTED

As this journal results from a discussion of farms near Steele Creek, it is a great coincidence that I have only seen the term ROD (a length measurement, not a mis-spelling of the area measurement "rood", a quarter of an acre) once, in about 1999, in reference to a property near Steele Creek. I had correctly assumed that a rod was a quarter of a chain, 25 links or 5 metres. Therefore the cost was 32 shillings per chain.

Monahan's grant was crown allotment 3 of section 2, Kangerong. My paper map is too hard to read to determine its perimeter.

KANGERONG PARISH MAP

BOUNDARIES N.2000, S. 2000, W.8520, E. 8540. These are links, of which 100 equal a chain, so the perimeter of Graves' purchase was 40 plus 170.60, let's say 21 chains. 21x32 shillings=672 shillings=33 pounds 12 shillings.

As there was steady income available from fencing following the virtual end of the squatting era and the alienation of crown land, people involved in this trade were less likely to desert their occupations than poorly paid farm labourers, it is possible that the cost had risen rather than fallen by 1860 as more and more people were able to buy a plot of land, the government alienating it bit by bit to ensure that demand outstripped supply to ensure competition and thus higher purchase prices. Therefore Charles Graves' apparent profit may have been exactly the cost of fencing- or a tad less.

Charles Graves may have already determined to open his store at Shoreham and as a parting gift bought the land for Mary Ann so she could concentrate on preparing for the move to Maryfield, selling the crop harvested by Ned Williams and so on and ready The Willow, her leasehold on the survey for John Bryan whose real name was Peter Watson*, not Bryan Watson as stated by Colin McLear.
PETER WATSON, INSOLVENT

Was William Brownlee still at the Plenty in 1849 and showing the same care as Chrles for Widow McLear, letting her know of his intention to lease land on Jamieson's Special Survey when Henry Dunn's lease had ended, Henry's brother already having moved to Viewpoint at Tullamarine?