The last parcel of land owned by one family for 109 years has now been sold.
By Melissa Meehan
THE FINAL piece of history has been sold in Pakenham Upper for the Holdensen and Smith families.
The last 10 acres of the property known as “Linden” at Gembrook Road was sold this month, ending 109 years of ownership from the one family.
Former resident, 90-year-old Ron Smith (who now lives in Yarrawonga) said the property had a long history for his family.
“I thought some people might be interested to know about it,” Mr Smith said.
“We think it’s a pretty interesting story, and to have had the land in the family for so long is special for us.”
He said two Holdensen brothers came to Australia with their families from Denmark in 1895.
Peter worked in Melbourne and older brother Jorgen, with his wife Katrina, settled with their 11 children on a dairy farm in Toomuc Valley in 1898.
In 1902 they purchased a 320-acre property at Gembrook Road (now known as Pakenham – Healesville – Kooweerup Road), Pakenham Upper.
They cleared the land, planted 25 acres of apple orchard and named it Linden.
Over the years the family donated land for the public hall and tennis courts to the Pakenham Upper township and as generations came and went the property was divided and handed down to loved ones left behind.
Jorgen Holdensen died in 1920. His wife Katrina stayed at Linden with other family members until her death in 1933.
After her death the property was divided up between her 11 children.
Ron Smith purchased the homestead on Linden along with 100 acres in 1942 and his mother Anna Smith nee Holdensen (later known as Anna Lutz) kept 30 acres where she lived until her death in 1977.
“In 1944 I met and married Isobel (Bonnie) Goldsworthy and continued to live in the original homestead,” Mr Smith said.
“We continued to produce apples from the orchards among other farming.”
In 1970, Mr Smith sold their property to Ron Lambert who had purchased other farms around the property.
“I stayed on and worked for him for 14 and a half years,” he said.
“And then we moved to Yarrawonga to be closer to our family.”
Once his share of the land was sold, all that was left was Anna’s 30 acres which was subdivided and left to her immediate family including the last 10 acres that have now been sold, ending 109 years of ownership.
