The Wood Family
James Wood, an early pioneer of Mt. Eliza, was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, England in 1814. He arrived with his family in Mt. Eliza in the mid 1850’s and purchased land, near where the BP Station stands on Nepean Hwy today.
Hartley Cottage, Wooralla Dve. Mt Eliza
James Wood died at the early age of 49 years and is buried in the Mornington Cemetery with his wife Elizabeth and young son James who died in 1858, aged 12 years.
Charles Edward Wood
Photo of Charles courtesy of Dianne White
His eldest son John Thomas Wood followed his father into farming.
He purchased 30 acres and built "Hartley Cottage" in 1863. This house is now in the campus of Peninsula Grammar School.
John Wood had an apple and pear orchard on the property, and also bred draught horses.
He was contracted to cart bricks for the building of St. James the Less Church, and the bridge over Kackeraboite Creek.
John Thomas’s son Charles, also followed the family into farming, eventually taking over the property.
John Wood had also bought on the corner of Old Mornington Road and Williams Road (now part of Toorak College).
Charles Street and Woodlands Avenue Mt. Eliza are left as reminders of this family.
Mt Eliza and Peninsular Grammar School
