Anne Drysdale arrived at Port Phillip in March 1840 and soon after became a guest of Dr Thomson and his family in Geelong. He had offered to help her and find a run. She and Caroline Elizabeth Newcomb (1812-1874), also a recent immigrant, became friends and, when Anne decided on Boronggoop as the site for her run, they also became partners. Anne was an experienced farmer and twenty years senior to Caroline. A cottage was built for them, the Armstrong family and others entered their employ, and a home was established.

As Boronggoop was held by licence, Miss Drysdale was anxious to own a freehold property. By 1843 they had established an outstation, Lap Lap, on Reedy Lake, and had heard of the run Coryule, near modern Drysdale. On 18 July they settled the sale of the property from Mr. Austin and by the late 1840s they were living there in the stone house Coryule. In June 1852 Anne Drysdale suffered a stroke and, after a period of invalidity, died May 1853. Caroline inherited the property.

References:
Anne Drysdale's diary 1848-1849 is held at the State Library of Victoria: MS 6294, MS 6208 and H15215.

More Information