Heatherton is a residential and agricultural district 20 km. south-east of Melbourne, between Moorabbin and Dingley Village. Originally named Kingston by the early settlers John and Richard King, it was renamed Heatherton by the postmistress and wife of the local school master in 1880, on account of the plant cover which was similar to Scottish heather. The easily worked sandy soil of the Parish Of Moorabbin was a source of an excellent food supply for the rapidly growing population of Melbourne in the late nineteenth century. Potatoes, cabbages, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and other vegetables grew in abundance. To get these crops to markets in Melbourne market gardeners initially used horse drawn wagons but with the coming of motorized vehicles in the 1910s they gradually adopted the new form of transport.

In 1867 attempts were made to have a primary school opened, which occurred three years later. It was called Kingston, more or less in keeping with the district's first name. Lying five kilometres east of the railway line to Mordialloc, Heatherton has not been greatly affected by metropolitan housing subdivisions, being an agricultural village with a school and two churches. An examination of the Heatherton School No. 938, Pupils' Registers provides an insight into the nature of the home backgrounds of the members of the school community. The occupation of father in the early years of the school was most frequently recorded as 'market gardener'. In the second half of the nineteenth century the cost of vegetables in Melbourne was high and market gardening on the fringes of the city was a good way to make a living.

Harry Prosser and his tent at Koonwarra

          The son of a market gardener, Harry followed in his father's footsteps growing vegetables, especially onions, at Koonwarra. The Leongatha area had shown it ability to grow onions well and a good income could be made from little capital input. As settlers were making a living  out of the newly cleared bush, many lived in tents or small wooden huts. Much work was needed to clear the land before any income was available to build a more substantial house. It was at Koonwarra that Harry meet a young Scottish lady Isabella Wood Hay who's father was farming nearby. Harry married "Isie" at a local property call "Benacre", Whitelaw Rd, Koonwarra. Life for the young married couple must have been quite harsh as they commenced there life together in Harry's onion patch tent. During the night of the 21st of November 1917 there first child was born in there tent home.

Koonwarra Onion Farmer and Family 1908

Daniel, Lily & son Dan Spencer

             It wasn't till some nine months later that the Prosser's had a proper roof over there head when Harry obtained a position as a farm worker on a dairy farm at Koetsveldt Rd, Blackwood Forest.

View Larger Map

The family soon moved to the Loch-Wonthaggi Rd, Glen Alvie, where Harry started share farming for Alf Bowman. Home was a small cottage. In 1926 Harry purchased a farm of 135 acres on Sheepways Rd, Krowera. The property was still heavily covered with bracken fern which needed much work to clear. Harry attempted to grow onions here to, but found the ground to heavy and the weather to rough. Family life must have quickly taken over as another 8 children had arrived in ten years. The depression years of the early 30's made life difficult for such a large family. With cream prices at a record low, 5 pence/lb, down from 1s 4p/lb, Harry was forced to obtain work with a road gang, spreading bitumen with a hand shovel, on road project's in the Loch / Krowera area for the next four years. The pay, 5s a day. Eventually Harry was forced to hand the farm back to it's previous owner in 1933.

 View Larger Map           

"Springhurst" Bena Rd, Korumburra ~ 1990

          The family now moved to "Springhurst", Bena Rd, Korumburra where Harry continued to share farm with the assistance now of his oldest son Charlie till 1937, when Charlie then obtained work at the Korumburra Butter Factory. In 1942 Harry and family then moved to a farm just west of the Korumburra township, belonging to the Alp family. It was while farming here that Harry was recorded as the first farmer to supply full cream milk, not separated cream, to the butter factory, delivered by horse and cart as shown in several photographs. Eventually in 1954 Harry, now 59 years old, and wife were to settle on a share farm, on Houlahans Rd, east of the Poowong township. Here Harry Prosser continued to dairy farm right up till his death at age 69 in 1964.

                           
View Larger Map          

Houlahans Rd, East of the Poowong Township