DROMANA BUSH NURSING HOSPITAL AND THE FAMOUS ARTHUR'S SEAT HILL CLIMB.
Godfrey Burdett Wilson died in 1919 but his widow Maria (nee Stenniken) lived on in Burdett Cottage, Heales St (Dromana) until her death in 1927. Her home then became the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital, which was later transferred to the site now occupied by the Dromana Nursing Home.* (P.46 A DREAMTIME OF DROMANA.) Someone mentioned that a family member had been been in a private hospital in Heales St in the (late 1920's?) and this had almost certainly been Burdett Cottage.
(*The site referred to as the Dromana Nursing Home is on the inside angle of Pt Nepean Rd where it turns to become the beach road. Opposite the B.P. garage, it was the north west corner of Nelson Rudduck's Karadoc (crown allotment 8,section 1, Kangerong), of 103 acres, which extended east to Ponderosa Place/ Palmerston Ave and south for (960?) links to the Williams St, Seacombe St midline. It is now occupied by a child-minding centre and an apartment complex currently under construction.)
BUSH NURSING MOVEMENT AT DROMANA.
Three Acres of Land Given.
A proposal for the establishment of a bush nursing hospital at Dromana was investigated by the honorary secretary of the Bush Nursing Association (Sir James Barrett) on Saturday. It is proposed to rent a private hospital* until money has been obtained for a building on land in Point -Nepean Road, Dromana. Three acres of land, valued at about L1000 been given by Mr.N. Rudduck, of Dromana, for the purpose, and the district committee is seeking support from residents. The Dromana division of the Country Women's Association has promised to support the committee. (* i.e. Burdett cottage,as above.)
(P.18,Argus, 23-12- 1929.)

N.B. Despite Mr Bean's appearance in the area in the 1920's, his family appears to have been associated with the area as early as 1865 when the name appeared in George McLear's account books.
EXTRACT FROM MY JOURNAL "HERITAGE WALK, DROMANA."
MR BEAN AND THE RACING CARS.
DROMANA'S MR BEAN. Herbert Josiah Bean was the man on whose property the new golf course was constructed. The land also had some sort of a speedway with a gravel surface on it. The R.A.C.V. conducted speed challenges on it; by a strange coincidence our Mr Bean was the President of the club. (Argus 1-10-1931 page 8 and 3-12-1928 page 17 re the Safety Beach circuit; proceeds went to the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital.) Herbert sold land to Mrs Guilfoyle and their dispute is reported on page 11 of the Argus of 21-7-1926. Herbert was a merchant of Flinders Lane. It would appear that the Lochley Chase Guest House would have occupied only a small portion of Bean's original property.
Now we will look at an article on page 13 in The Argus of 27-11-1928, about nine years after the last assessment available on microfiche.
SPORTS AT DROMANA. Opening New Course. Safety Beach, Dromana has been chosen by the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria as the site for acceleration and speed tests on Saturday, December 1st. Safety Beach is the name which has been given to a level stretch of foreshore extending from the south side of Mt Martha for about two miles to the outskirts of Dromana Township. The tests will not be held on the beach but on level gravel roads which have been laid in a wide stretch of plain extending back from the sea to the Point Nepean road. This is an old grazing property that has been taken up recently for residential development. There are about 750 acres in the plain and the new roads which have been levelled, graded and coated with gravel, have a total length of about seven miles. The corners of the roads have been rounded and widened to allow for the swinging of the cars on the turns. The country is slightly undulating but the roads have no considerable gradients. There are some clumps of scrub on the land but a view of the whole course will be available from almost any position.
Alongside the portion of the estate where the tests will be held are areas reserved for a golf course and an aerodrome. The aerodrome will come into use on the day of the tests, for there is to be a race between an aeroplane and a car. Mr J.McLaren, an official of the Light Car Club, has arranged for a plane to be brought from the Coode Island Airport for the event. Mr McLaren has lately taken up flying and is having a plane constructed for his personal use at the Larkin Aircraft Works at Coode Island. He expects to make Safety Beach a regular rendezvous for motorists and golfers and is negotiating for daily calls to be made there by the Melbourne-Launceston aerial mail services, which is now being organised. The site is a basin of wide area in the gap between Mt Martha and Arthurs Seat.The beach road deviation which leads from Mornington Esplanade past the Mt Martha Hotel leads to the site.

EXTRACT FROM MY JOURNAL "REV. WILLIAM H.TAYLOR'S EASY JIGSAW PUZZLE."
TAYLOR. On the 21st April, at Safety Beach, Dromana, Victoria, Rev. William H. Taylor, dearly loved husband of Esther, and loving father of Rev. F. W. Taylor (Numurkah),Will H. Taylor (450 Little Collins-street, Melbourne), Win (Mrs. W. G.Roberts, Main Ridge), Rene (Mrs.A. McCutcheon, Cavendish), and Doris (deceased). At rest.(P.1, Examiner, Launceston,3-5-1935.)
Now I'm wondering why this notice was in a Tassie newspaper and how Win Taylor came to meet W.G.Roberts of Main Ridge.

TAYLOR/ ROBERTS/ BEAN.
Reverend Taylor (see previous comment) had probably been at Safety Beach for at least seven years and was involved with the Mornington Peninsula Development League, apparently handling the sale of badges to raise funds for improvements on Arthurs Seat.
PENINSULA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE MEETING AT HASTINGS.
Frankston and Somerville Standard (Vic. : 1921 - 1939) Friday 16 November 1928 p 2 Article.
BEAUTIFUL MARINE DRIVE.
Rev. Taylor said how favorably impressed Mr. Clapp was with Marine Drive when he visited Mornington recently. Mr. Clapp was most anxious to see the road trafficable: Rev. Taylor said the best thanks of the league were due to Mr. Jackson for his efforts in having Marine Drive attended to in Flinders shire portion.
I was thinking Rev. Taylor might have been the Presbyterian minister at Dromana in the 1890's until I found this.
News of the Churches. MORNINGTON AND DROMANA CIRCUIT
Spectator and Methodist Chronicle (Melbourne, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) Wednesday 18 April 1917 p 439 Article
News of the Churches.
MORNINGTON AND DROMANA CIRCUIT (extract)
Mr Roberts was appointed the Sunday School visitor. Rev. W. H. Taylor reported that he had visited most of the Sunday Schools in the interest of the Young Australia Temperance League, and that nearly all the scholars had signed the pledge. The resignation of Mr.Trewin, the Junior Circuit Steward, on account of ill health, was accepted, and Mr. Counter was appointed in his place.
IT'S A SMALL WORLD! You can say that again! Okay, IT'S A SMALL WORLD!
This has nothing to do with Red Hill but after all the Red Hill Lions Club does publish HILL 'N' RIDGE and the Roberts family pioneered Main Ridge decades before it had that name.
I wouldn't mind betting that the Rev.W.H.Taylor was living in the house on the north west corner of Seaview and Victoria St, Safety Beach at the time of his death in 1935. This house was the homestead of Mr Bean,one time president of the R.A.C.V., who organised the R.A.C.V.speed trials at Safety Beach, and was probably introduced to Spencer Jackson by Rev.W.H.Taylor himself. (See my journals about SAFETY BEACH and SPENCER JACKSON AND THE BUS BAN for sources.)

GOLDEN WEDDING.
TAYLOR-BEAN-On the 2nd April, 1885, at the residence of the bride's parents "Sutton" Haines street, North Melbourne, by the Rev J W Crisp, assisted by the Rev.W.H. Taylor, brother of the bridegroom Frank E Taylor, youngest son of Mr and Mrs.J.E. Taylor,North Melbourne to Louisa, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs J.Bean. (Present Address, 20 Grace St, Moonee Ponds.)
(Family Notices,The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tuesday 2 April 1935 p 1.)

ONCE SAFETY BEACH STARTED BECOMING A RESIDENTIAL AREA, FUNDS DONATED BY THE R.A.C.V. COULD HAVE DRIED UP. I WONDER IF SPENCER JACKSON CAME UP WITH THIS GREAT IDEA.
TESTING MOTOR CARS.
Hill Climb at Dromana.
In view of the hill climb to be held today at Arthur's Seat. Dromana, the Royal
Automobile Club of Victoria, in conjunction with the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital executive, direct attention of visitors to the fact that from mid-day onwards, the climb itself will be closed to the ordinary public.The best approach from Melbourne is that by way of Moat's Corner and Red Hill.
Ample provision has been made for the parking of cars at the top, near the finishing point. Similar provision has been made at the starting point. The first event is timed to start at 1 p.m., and it is predicted that about 60 cars will be taking part. Admission lo the enclosure will be by button or badge. These will be sold by
members of thee Dromana Bush-Nursing Hospital committee, the whole of the proceeds of the event being devoted to that institution. (P.12, The Age, 14-1-1933.)

BUSH NURSING HOSPITAL OPENED AT DROMANA.
BEDS FOR NINE PATIENTS.
Dromana. Sunday. - The Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital was officially opened on Saturday afternoon bv Mrs J. S.Fraser vice president of the Victorian Bush Nursing Association in the presence of a large assemblage from all parts of the Mornington Peninsula. The hospital will be available to residents in the shire of Flinders.
It is built on three acres of land which was given by Mr Nelson Rudduck of Dromana and it is constructed of concrete and brick. Mr. K. F.Elliott architect supervised the work which was carried out bv Messrs Hunt and Roberts, contractors, of Red Hill. The hospital has accommodation for nine inpatients. The building cost £1300 of which £700 was raised in the district and £600 was advanced bv the Victorian Bush Nursing Association for 15 years at interest of 1 per cent.

The furniture and fittings were bought bv the Dromana women's auxiliary of which Mrs.B.Wilson is president and Mrs.V.Allen honorary secretary. The sitting room was furnished by Mr Nelson Rudduck in memory of his wife.
Memorial gates are being erected by the people of Dromana and district in memory of the first president of the hospital, the late Mr. A. V. Shaw. Councillor G. Higgins (Higgens), president of the hospital, expressed the gratitude of the committee to the association for its assistance. The honorary secretary of the association (Sir James Barrett) said that there were 31 bush nursing hospitals in Victoria, and the number would be increased to 34 this year. A new hospital would be opened at Rushworth on April 2, and one at Lilydale at the end of April.(P.6, Argus, 20-3-1933.)

DROMANA BUSH NURSING HOSPITAL
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wednesday 7 July 1937 p 7 Article Illustrated (PHOTO.)
AROUND THE PENINSULA
DROMANA.
Notification has been received by Cr. E. Rudduck that the Charities Board has decided to take over the Dromana Bush Nursing Hospital and make it a Community Hospital. The Council discussed the matter at the last meeting and decided to call a big public meeting of the residents of the Shire. The decision of the Board to make Dromana Hospital a Community one is a sound one. The need for a central hospital to the municipality is vital, and Dromana is the locality for the hospital. With a first class ambulance now available, sick and injured people can be rushed from all parts of the Peninsula to the. hospital. The Flinders' Shire are to be commended on their enterprise, in procuring the ambulance, which will fill a long felt want in the municipality.
(P.6, Standard, Frankston, 10-10-1946.)