Jells Park

History of the Dandenong Valley Metropolitan Park Area

Dandenong Valley has always been a well-watered area. This proved valuable to the Bunurong and Woiwrong Tribes who gathered and killed food in this area. They hunted for swamp wallabies, kangaroos, possum, fish, yabbies and water rats. They used traps to catch birds, snakes and lizards.

The vegetarian side of their diet consisted of water plants, underground roots, bulbs, tubers and fruit from the various plants and flowers. Some of the plants taken were water plankton, cranberry heath (fruit) bracken (roots), cherry ballart (fruit) combangi (shoots), common apple berry (fruit), yam daisy (rhizome), honey pots (flowers) and manna gum (flowers).

These are just some of the foods obtained from the valley. The majority of the fruits and tubers that they obtained were seasonal and the Aboriginals would move to different areas to collect these seasonal foods.

The Aboriginals were agriculturalists in their own way. They would burn areas to produce different types of food. The daisies were more prolific after fire had been through the area. The Aboriginals only burned areas that they knew contained certain plants that would produce more food.

In 1838, Reverend James Clow moved to the Dandenong Valley from Scotland with his family. He described it as well watered and most people who live in this area will know what they were referring to. During the summer months, of course, the opposite occurred and the creek dried up for at least three months.

Reverend Clow and his family built a house near Wellington Road. This area later became part of the Shire of Ferntree Gully. Today it is known as Rowville. Mrs. Clow was responsible for planting Watsonias in the area of the Dandenong Valley Metropolitan Park.

In 1839, Thomas Napier acquired land on the west side of Dandenong Creek. This area is believed to have been where Jells Park is now located. He was Mulgrave’s first settler. One year later he sold out to Alexander Scott. Scott died soon after taking over Napier’s land and cattle. His wife, Madeline Scott moved to the property and remained there for several years.

It was known as Corhanwarrabul (the Aboriginal name for the Dandenongs). She later acquired land in the area known as Bushy Park. It is uncertain whether the actual land was in Bushy Park or closer to Jells Park. The cattle run she started ran through Jells Park.

Mrs. Scott sold out to the Drew family. The property was later subdivided and had several owners. One of these owners was Joseph Jell who rode over the land that is now Jells Park.
Mark Bailey, Assistant Interpretation Ranger, Jells Park