To whom it may concern

My father, Frances Ernest Hunt, owned property in Main Ridge Road, Tar Barrel Corner, Red Hil from about 1942 to 1955 approx; three lots of a total of about 200 acres. My eldest sister remembers riding her bike three miles to the Post Office which was run by a Mr Ratcliffe (or some similar name). I believe my father could have purchased the property from a Mr Kemp. He had orchards of cherries and apples and also grew cut flowers - eg. hydrangers, alstramerias, and carnations. My family would spend weekends at Red Hill but their home was in Oakleigh. Dad and one of his workers would travel down to Red Hill each week to pick the flowers to transport to Melbourne, and check on produce in the orchard.

As I was born in 1943 I do not remember very much other than the house was cement sheeting and the property was surrounded by pine trees. As a youngster (and also today) I used to love to walk and climb trees, and evidently one day I went missing (aged about 4) and the family found me asleep under the trees. Their greatest fear was that I had wandered into the large dam that was on the back of the property.

I would welcome any help in finding out more about Red Hill during this time, or any advice where I could follow up this history.

With thanks, Rae Hunt