Considering that Douglas Picking probably helped to maintain tourism in Dromana after the days of the steamers,it is amazing that the only mention of his fauna park in Colin McLear's A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA was in relation to a fire described on page 146.

The local police would not allow fire fighters into what old-timers know as Russell's. This had been the site of American Marine manoeuvres in preparation for later Pacific island landings....much live ammunition had been lying in the paddocks. We local children had thought we had collected most of it,but in the face of the firefront,what we had missed was exploding, posing a serious risk to life and limb,hence the police ban. We therefore took ourselves on to Paterson's (sic) opposite Picking's Fauna Park,where with support from Australian troops from Balcombe we battled the fire there.

As rate records and the subdivision plan of Clarke's Estate on the Survey show, "Patterson's" was lots 18 and 19 of the Clarke Estate,286 acres north of Wallaces Rd (known to old-timers as Patterson's Lane), east of Pt Nepean Rd, and indicated by Melway 160 K2, part 1, 161A-B1,2,part 3, 151 B12,west third of C12. Pickings Lane is across Pt Nepean Rd from the south west corner of Patterson's and it is possible that Douglas built Bluestone Cottage (Mel. 160 G2)at the north west corner of lot 9, the old Griffith family homestead block.

To confirm or repudiate this, I will have to find a two or three year old email I sent to the shire Heritage Planning Officer, Simon Lloyd, when I was in the midst of trying to save the heritage of Rosebud and Dromana. Found it!
9/17/11 to Simon
While assembling Safety Beach information from trove, it suddenly occurred to me that Bluestone Homestead might have been a pioneer's home.( Located at the end of Pickings Rd (Melway 160 D2) it might have had a connection with D.Picking's peacock farm/fauna park.)
It requires no investigation as the only item of historical interest is the builder, Hanson, a descendant of Hec Hanson's grandfather who arrived in Balnarring in 1887.It was built in about 1980.
This was run by the owner as Bluestone Homestead cottages, which is still on the internet but has not operated as a bed and breakfast for some years. This information comes from the owner.
I suggest that this house be listed with a status "of little interest" with its only links to history being through the builder's pioneering family and the use of a material (bluestone) that had not been much used for over a century. With this information recorded, much precious assessment time will be saved in case somebody (like me) thinks the house has significance.

The following shows that Douglas had land on both sides of Pt Nepean Rd,perhaps including Godfrey Ralph Patterson's lots 18 and 19 and land farther east through which the creeks flow.

From where did D.Picking come?
Where was his Fauna Park exactly?
Where was his grant near Red Hill?
The answers to these questions disappeared when I lost my internet connection and had to reboot my computer to regain it. Wisely I had copied it but unwisely I didn't paste it into a word file and lost the lot.

When I saw yesterday's Southern Peninsula News (24-3-2015) the first question was answered. What part of Frankston? Long Island according to Doug's wedding notice. Pickings Road and Lane give an indication of the
location of Doug's 1000 acres on the survey, fronting Pt Nepean Rd. The creeks named seem to indicate that his land was near Tubbarubba. Doug's 2.125 acre grant (28C Kangerong) near Red Hill was between White Hill Rd and Old White Hill Rd west of Melbourne Water's Dromana Reservoir.

WEDDING BELLS. PICKING—PHILLIPS.
Frankston and Somerville Standard (Vic. : 1921 - 1939) Wednesday 18 October 1922 p 2 Article
... . Pick-ing, of Long Island, Frankston, and brother to Mesdames J. L. Pratt and J. B. Jolly, of Frankston.

AUSTRALIAN FAUNA PARKS DROMANA PROJECT SPECIAL SECTION FOR KOALAS Living Under Natural Conditions
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Monday 14 August 1933 p 10 Article.
(1000 ACRES,PT NEPEAN RD, BULLDOG, TUBBARUBBA AND MOSQUITO CREEKS, ETC.)

TO BE RESUMED WHEN JOURNALS ABOUT DROMANA AND ROSEBUD HERITAGE WALKS,MEMORIES OF RED HILL POST 1940 AND VIN JERVIS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

Douglas Picking,his wife Beatrice and, presumably, his second wife, were buried at the Mornington cemetery.
1247 PICKING Douglas Robert 6/7/1971 72 Drom
1247 PICKING Beartice DeCardi 5/6/1956 56 nee Phillips*, Morn
3145 PICKING Lily b1908 d1996 Nee Moses

*WEDDING BELLS.
PICKING-PHILLIPS.
The wedding of Mr. Douglas Picking, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. T. Picking, of Long Island, Frankston, and brother to Mesdames J. L. Pratt and J. B. Jolly, of Frankston, and Miss Beatrice Phillips, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs W. A. Phillips, of Glenhuntly, took place recently at St.Agnes' Church, Glenhuntly. Canon Langley officiated. The bride was frocked in ivory satin with beaded georgette, side panels, and carried a pink and white bouquet. Mrs. Picking, senr., was attired in nigger* brown velour, and Mrs. Phillips, sen.wore blade charmeuse. (P.2,Frankston and Somerville Standard, 18-10-1922.)
*No journalist would dare write that apt description of colour today!

PICKING.-On June 5, at Mornington, Beatrice De Cardi Picking,darling wife of Douglas Picking,Fauna Parks, Dromana, aged 56 years. -Those glorious years we had together, dearest. You know I will always love you sweetheart mine. (Doug.)
PICKING.-On June 5. at Mornington, Beatrice De Cardi Picking, the devoted wife, a brave and loving mother of Robert, Douglas(U.S.A.), Bruce, Marianne (Mrs.J. Cameron-Begg), and Warwick,mother-in-law of Molly and Cam,
grandmother of John, Lynette,Juanita, Ann, Jeanie (U.S.A.) and Warwick.
PICKING.-On June 5, at Mornington, Beatrice de Cardi Picking, loved mother of Bruce and Val.
(P.12, Argus,6-6-1956.)

Mr Robert T. Picking
Mr Robert Thomas Picking, who died at Frankston on Friday last, was on the staff of Lamson, Paragon Ltd for about 40 years. He retired about 12 years ago. Mr Picking, who was in his 84th year, is survived by a son, Mr Douglas Picking, of Dromana, and two daughters, Mrs J. L.Pratt and Mrs J. B Jolly, of Frankston.
(P.6, Argus, 18-2-1947.)

Mr Douglas Picking, now residing at Dromana, still has at heart the success of the Frankston New Year's Day sports, hence Portsea, Rosebud,Dromana and Mornington are displaying widely the programmes in connection with Frankston's big New Year's Gala Day.

Mr. R.T. Picking has posted New Year's Day sports programmes in business windows in many towns of the State, from the seaside town of Queenscliff to far distant Mildura, and this effort on behalf of the well known traveller serves to at least advertise Frankston in the inland towns of the State.
(P.3, Frankston and Somerville Standard,30-11-1923.)


Doug's son flew the coop. Does the Dromana R.S.L.Branch know about Robert and Doug junior.
PICKING-DWYER. —On October 23, at St.Andrew's Church of England, Summer Hill, Sydney, by Archdeacon Bidwell, Amelia Mary, only daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Dwyer, of Dulwich Hill and Tamworth, to Robert William Leith Picking (R.A.A.F. returned), eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Picking, of Fauna Parks, Dromana, Victoria.(P.2,Argus, 20-11-1943.)

Water birds, such as young Doug, were also involved in aviculture! Both Robert and Doug Junior had Leith as a given name so I suspect this was the maiden name of R.T.'s wife.
GOOD NEWS FOR DROMANA FAMILY
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Picking were the recipients of good news this week,when a letter was received from their
son, Douglas, from New-York. Almost in the same mail, they received a letter from a lady in East Africa, who had entertained Douglas whilst his boat was in port there. Doug. is in the Merchant Navy, and his parents had not heard from him for two years. His brother, Bob, who is in the RAAF, and has seen active service, is at present in Dromana with his young wife.(P.4 Standard,Frankston,16-3-1944.)

DOUGLAS LEITH PICKING AND HIS OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOGS,AMONG THE SPRING FLOWERS AT GLENKINDIE. DROMANA (V.)
(P.23,The Australasian, 8-10-1932.)
N.B. It was the boy's father's success (retold 100 years later in the Southern Peninsula News) with his old English sheepdog, Frankston Lorna Doone,that led to this journal.

Val,one of the article I found last night was a photo of several Mornington Shire councillors at the fauna park
with Mr Kirton. That's what I've been looking for.(Picking, Dromana search on trove.)I'd better get back to my Memories of Red Hill journal or I'll be lynched.

Val Wilson, whose fabulous research into the pioneers buried in this cemetery can be found on the website below, has been informed about the Douglas Picking story in an email containing the part in italics above.
Pioneer Graves in the Mornington Cemetery
www.morningtoncemetery.com/
Here Mrs Valerie Wilson of Mornington & District Historical Society, documents the known details of a selection of pioneers and early settlers now resting in the ...