In 1880, widow Mrs Sarah Rhodes tried to sell roughly 200 acres south of the township of Wodonga for between 4 pounds and 5 pounds per acre.
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It was ultimately secured by Messrs Gordon and Gordon (father and sons) for little more than that figure. The Gordons were architects and were associated with many buildings still standing in Albury and Wodonga, St Patrick's Church and the de Kerilleau Homestead among them.
The father, John, drowned in the Murrumbidgee River at Wagga on December 19, 1880, when aged 54, leaving a wife, two sons and a daughter.
In addition to being Architects and Surveyors, William and Charles Gordon were lending money for building and selling houses and land.
Population figures for Wodonga for 1880 and 1912 were 1156 and 2114.
Population figures for Wodonga for 1880 and 1912 were 1156 and 2114.
The Gordon family established Vermont Orchard on the land, growing fruit and nuts. The enterprising family also set about transforming some of the land by clearing it, creating streets and making general improvements. Not the first but certainly the biggest subdivision at the time. The 234 allotments in the Wodonga Estate were put up for sale by auction in May 1890. A total of 200 people were said to have attended.
The estate was in the area of Auburn, Blockley, Charles, Chenery, Gordon, Griffith, High, King, Parker, Vermont, William and Wilson Streets. (Blockley has become Brockley without explanation and that part of High Street is now called Beechworth Road).
Altogether 107 allotments were sold on the day, with prices varying from 4 pounds 10s to 23 pounds. The higher prices being for those fronting High Street.
The inhabitants of the Wodonga Estate soon formed their own football and cricket teams, consolidating their sense of community and the Gordon family being well represented in both the teams and the committees.
The extended Zeinert family were multiple inhabitants of the Wodonga Estate, owning and living on many of the allotments.
That family name too being well represented in the Wodonga Estate sporting clubs, especially cricket.
In 1922, the orchard comprising 74 acres, was purchased by H. Allen, who had been the licensee of the Terminus Hotel, for 33 pounds an acre.
