Pauline Murphy – Pres. Emerald Museum

• The pub was established 1882 called Even House
• This area was called Paradise
• 1900 enlarged to become the Paradise Hotel
• CA Nobelius had 11 children – only 8 survived. Caramar house was the family home
• Museum set in the parkland is the remaining 4.5 acres of the Nobelius Nursery
• Gembrook Nursery in the day
• 1886 started, 1922 nursery closed
• Carl Axel – Emerald known across the world, exported fruit trees all over the world
• Park has trees planted by Nobelius – 4 on heritage Vic list
• Gus Ryberg – park and museum remains
• CA died in early 1920’s
• Started as 25 hectares in mid 1800’s decided there was a need for fruit trees - caught train to Narre Warren and walk 25km to Emerald and camp and clear his land and plant the trees.
• Had 40 different species of apples, attained more land was a huge successful business until WW1.Many large towns in Aust have trees from here
• Business went down – so planted flax as needed to make own rope, so planted flax between lake and where the Packing Shed is
• Died in 1921 – land sold to 2 conglomerates
• Son Cliff ran the nursery
• Pauline’s father became a nursery man
• Land sold to Linton’s nursery …. In 1950’s wanted to sub divide Gus Ryberg lobbied he got Sherbrooke Shire and Govt and purchased land so it could remain
• Park for a while and reunion of families in 1980’s
• Cardinia built the museum
• Nursery bought by the council – centenary of PS – increased the need for a proper museum
• Puffing Billy wasn’t called that until the 1950’s – it was a tourist attraction before then.
• 1993 Emerald Museum opened

• 1858 alluvial gold discovered – ran out in the 1860’s was named Emerald as the irish felt it looked like Ireland
• 1876 Eucalyptus oil refinery
• 1878 first school in Avonsleigh
• 1886 CA N purchased land
• 1889 Emerald Township was named Main Range
• 1891 Macclesfield PO established and purchased gold from the miners
• 1892 Nursery began trading, first store Andrews opened in Emerald where Woolworths are
• 1898 Emerald Cricket Club formed where RSL is now
• 1900 Narrow gauge railway to Gembrook completed
• 1904 Packing Shed constructed
• 1909 Police Station, shed at the back of Fernleigh is the lockup
• 1910 PO office opened
• 1910 Avonsleigh officially named
• 1911 -14 3 million trees for sale in one year – nursery at its peak
• Carl Axel died in 1921
• Avenue of Honour - WW1
• Emerald Scouts 1923
• 1923 Golf Club opened
• 1934 Emerald township connected to mains electricity
• 1941 Emerald Lake Park
• 1947 Dr Murphy arrived
• 1959 Nursery signed to Lintons