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From: "Walter Savige" <>
Subject: [AUS-VIC-GIPPSLAND-L] Selectors
Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 15:08:11 +1000


Barry,

Selection files are held by PRO Laverton. They hold an enormous amount of
interesting documents beginning with a copy of the first selection and
ending when the title passed from the Crown to the selector (usuallly about
10 to 15 years later).
The first thing to is to identify the parish. The fact that the selection
was near Bruthen does not say that the parish was named Bruthen.
For example, selections at Moe are in the parish of Yarragon, while Moe
Parish comprises selections in the Narracan valley. The Narracan Parish
comprises selections in Wilderness Creek catchment area (a feeder of the
Morwell River).

To find the name of the parish you should look up one of the Municipal
Directory of Victoria, which was published annually.
You may obtain a copy of the selections in that parish from the Victorian
Government bookshop in Melbourne. This should show the file number.
You should look at a copy of the parish map. These are all on microfiche and
may be viewed at PRO Melbourne, State Library of Victoria, AIGS libnrary,
etc.
Once knowing the location and file number, you may proceed to PRO Laverton
and view the files and arrange for them to be photocopied.
You could arrange for a professional searcher to do all this. PRO Vic gives
a list of searchers in their website.

The system in Victoria used to be selection before survey. The Government
would announce that a certain area was available for selection. A selector
would visit the area and select the land he/she wanted. He/she would place
a peg at each of the four corners of his block, then go the local land
office to lodge his/her claim. He/she would later arrange for a surveyor to
make an accurate survey. It is amazing how accurate some selectors were in
judging the size of their block (which was not allowed to exceed 320 acres).
A selector would be granted a licence to occupy his block for 3 years during
which time he was supposed to build a dwelling, live on it, fence it and
clear part of it. After that he might be granted a Crown lease of 7 to 14
years. After making his final payment, he would obtain the title.
A selector had to be aged 18 or over. A woman could make a selection,
but this was usually done "by the hands of" a male relative.

Walter Savige.

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