1903 reference to 100 YO bonsai in Melbourne

[Ash]

Thanks for posting this - it is a little glimpse of how times have changed. In the late 1800's and early 1900's there was a thriving Chinese and Japanese population in northern Queensland relating to gold rushes (Cooktown and Cairns hinterlands) and later to pearling industry (Torres Strait and hinterlands). I often wonder if bonsai made it into northern Australia in this period. Lindsay have you come across any references relating to tropical Australia?

cheers

Ash

[Roger]

Lindsay, what a fantastic find. Robert Baron is doing amazing sleuthing.

Robert gives links to two sites where the Goathland house is pictured. One is in St Kilda and one in Kew, and they are not the same houses. Hmm

Roger

[lindsay farr]

That's right Roger. There were 2 houses called Goathlands in that period. The property in Studley Park Rd, Kew is the right one. Local history refers to the confusion between the 2 grand houses with the same name.

[lindsay farr]

Ash, In his presentation to parliament, Sir Malcolm suggested that tropical migration for Japanese was OK with him. I have no tropical bonsai history info. RJB found a Courier Mail reference to Vita Koreshoff's fathers naturalisation though.