George Frederick Ind built “Valencia”, on the property he inherited from his father. His father was Joseph Ind, and referred to his fruit growing property as Paradise on the Torrens. “Balmoral” was built as the home of Joseph Ind and his second wife Mary. In 1865 Joseph died as result of an accident¹. All Joseph’s properties were distributed among his family. These included the Paradise Bridge Hotel, which was left to Mary. As the principle home “Balmoral”, was left to Joseph jnr. Mary moved into “Morton Cottage”, the original family home on George Frederick’s “Valencia” estate². George and his father Joseph before him were very particular on the fruit that they grew. They selected varieties that ripened when other varieties of the same fruit were scarce³. This way he maximized his income. Another great money earner for him was wine. This occurred by accident. A cask of wine he thought was spoiled; he left out in the open air for two years. When he required some vinegar, he retrieved the cask, and on tasting it he was surprised as to the excellent quality of the wine. Samples of this wine won prizes, and a sample sent to London brought a request for more⁴. He then began to use this method for all his wine. The weather was very harsh on the wood casks, so he had a roof built over them. All sides were open to allow ventilation among the casks⁵. George Frederick Ind died in 1906 and “Valencia” was sold to the son of a neighboring pioneer fruit grower, in 1920.

The neighbor was Jonah Hobbs, and his son James Harris Hobbs became the new owner of “Valencia”. He paid £7,900 at auction for the house and land. He also purchased the Paradise grocery store and the bakery⁶. James Harris Hobbs also believed that exporting fresh fruit and fruit juice, was the key to future prosperity. Canned and dried fruit were subject to price control in England. American canneries could survive on the home market, and any surplus could be shipped to England at reduced prices. He travelled to England to assess the market for himself. He realized the English market desired smaller sized fresh fruit; the price of small fruit was higher than the fruits he grew⁷. He was happy to share the findings of his overseas trip with all fruit growers in Australia. He wanted Australia to be the major supplier of fresh and canned fruit to England. Because of the respect he had earned, he was taken notice of. The Hobbs family had always been supporters and benefactors of the Payneham Methodist Church. In 1918 James Harris Hobbs presented the church with a new pipe organ. It was donated in the name of his father Jonah Hobbs and three of his grandchildren, all of whom were regular attendees of the church⁸. James Harris Hobbs was a member and secretary of the Royal Agriculture and Horticulture Society in South Australia. He was often called on to judge some of the Horticulture and Floriculture competitions at the Royal Show. The trophy presented, was known as the Jonah Hobbs trophy, after his father, who was also a long serving member of the society. James Harris Hobbs was also the father of Howard Hobbs the inventor of the Hobbs Gearless Drive⁹. Another great love of James Harris Hobbs was lawn bowls, and he is acknowledged as the founder of Payneham Bowling club¹⁰. James Harris Hobbs died in 1960 at 90 years of age, his wife died two years before him, and they are both buried in the Payneham Cemetery¹¹.

Photo of Mr. J.C. Lumbers
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Thursday 15 August 1929 p 21

The next owner of “Valencia” was James Crammond Lumbers. J.C. Lumbers was an acquaintance of James Harris Hobbs, he was also the second son of George Frederick Ind , the builders, and his second wife¹². It is not clear when he bought “Valencia” because he re-named it Arrawarra. This was also the name of his original family home across the river from “Valencia”, and also in Paradise. There are many references to J.C. Lumbers “Arrawarra”, many of them at a time when J. Harris Hobbs was still living in “Valencia”, so the Arrawarra referred to must have been the one on the North bank of the Torrens. The re-named “Arrawarra” is on the South Bank of the River Torrens. J.C. Lumbers was a man with great political ambitions. Any meetings held in the area, be it fruit growers meetings, gardeners strikes, crop infestation, suggestions for council, public transport concerns. He was there giving his thoughts on whatever was the concern of the people. He attempted to enter Parliament in the House of Representatives, The Assembly, and the Legislative Council as an Independent. He was a member of the Economy Party. This party believed in the abolition of State Government¹³. He was not successful in any of them but had more success nearer home in Local Council elections. He was a member of Campbelltown Council and also Yatala South Council. He served more than twelve years on council, when both those positions were combined¹⁴. J.C. Lumbers was keen on sailing, and was on the executive of Port Adelaide Sailing Club. On one occasion when sailing with friends, a petrol fueled stove caught fire on his motor boat, his quick action, in throwing the stove overboard, saved what could have been a nasty accident¹⁵. Mrs. Adelaide Charlotte Lumbers nee Healey, was known for her dog kennels. Arrawarra Tarzan was her prize Collie. She was also a breeder and shower of cats. James Crammond Lumbers Died on the 20th February 1935 aged 57 years. His wife died 1st June 1947 aged 58 years. They are both buried in St. Martins Anglican church at Campbelltown.

In 1949 Arrawarra was purchased by the Randell Sisters, Amy, Lillian, Charlotte, and Lucille. They had been living at Rolland Road Magill. They believed the Government where trying to get them to move so that a school could be built on their land¹⁶. They were the daughters of Francis Henry and Sarah Ann Randell formerly of Tarcoon Station on the Bogan River NSW. Francis Henry Randell died on Christmas day 1899 at Magill aged 64 years. He was the seventh son of William Beavis Randell, and younger brother of the river Murray pioneer, Captain William Richard Randell. His elder brother also represented Gumeracha in the South Australian Parliament. Of the Misses Randell, Charlotte died in February 1954, Amy died in May 1953, and Lucille died in December 1951.

In 1993 “Arrawarra” became part of Falcon Lodge Retirement Village, pictured below.

Photo of Falcon Lodge Falcon Lodge, Paradise in 2017

Researched and compiled by Jim Nelson, a volunteer with the Campbelltown Library “Digital Diggers” group.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the information in this local history article, please contact the Local History officer on 8366 9357 or hthiselton@campbelltown.sa.gov.au

References

1. Refer to “Paradise Bridge Hotel” local history article
2. Warburton, Elizabeth & Campbelltown (S.A.). Corporation 1986, From the river to the hills : Campbelltown, 150 years, Corporation of the City of Campbelltown, [Campbelltown, S. Aust.] p 95-96
3. Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Saturday 10 April 1875 p 9
4. Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Saturday 10 April 1875 p 9
5. Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 - 1904) Saturday 10 April 1875 p 9
6. The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 - 1922) Thursday 13 September 1906 p 1
7. News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Thursday 14 February 1929 p 9
8. Australian Christian Commonwealth (SA : 1901 - 1940) Friday 29 November 1918 p 14
9. Refer to “Howard Frederick Hobbs - Inventor” The article on this web site.
10. News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Thursday 7 April 1927 p 12
11. Australiancemeteries.com.au. (2005). Payneham Cemetery. [online] Available at: http://www.australiancemeteries.com.au/sa/norwood_payneham_stpeters/paynehamgndata.htm [Accessed 8 Nov. 2018].
12. Warburton, Elizabeth & Campbelltown (S.A.). Corporation 1986, From the river to the hills : Campbelltown, 150 years, Corporation of the City of Campbelltown, [Campbelltown, S. Aust.] p 95-96
13. News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Thursday 15 August 1929 p 21
14. Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1895 - 1954) Thursday 28 February 1935 p 15
15. News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Monday 9 April 1934 p 2
16. The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Saturday 1 October 1949 p 3

Photos

J.C. Lumbers, News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) Thursday 15 August 1929 p 21

Nelson, Jim, 2017 Falcon Lodge, Paradise. Jim Nelson 2017