Reference to index of Bushy Park Estate : account books and ledgers relating to wages, rations, harvest labour record, fruit expense account and other expenses 1871 -1936

Abstract

Ebenezer Shoobridge (1820-1901) purchased Bushy Park, an estate of some 2000 acres from Mr Humphry in 1865. He introduced hop growing (hops having been first introduced to Tasmania by his father William Shoobridge) and fruit orchards, principally apples. There was also a dairy farm and some grain and root crops. His eldest son William Ebenezer Shoobridge (1846-1940) pioneered irrigation, built hop kilns, cottages etc. and experimented with methods of pruning fruit trees, introducing the "pyramid principle" which allowed the sun to shine on all fruit equally. Both father and son were J.P.s and served on local councils and committees and supported the Wesleyan Church. W.E. Shoobridge married Ann Benson Mather in 1869.