McCubbins Estate Committee

Hartlands Precinct known locally as the McCubbins Estate is one of the earliest Subdivision Estates in Melbourne.

In 1837 Robert Hoddle – Chief Surveyor of the new Port Phillip District – divided the area around Heidelberg into 9 portions. In 1838/9 portion 2 was subdivided and Sylvester John Brown bought 313 acres which became known as ‘Hartlands’, where the Brown family built a large country residence (near the present day Linn St – Streeton Cres junction), stables and barns in 1840. They cleared and cultivated the river flats and planted an orchard. ‘Hartlands’ residence was later destroyed by fire. 

In 1853, the Brown family sold off the half of the Hartlands Estate west of Lower Heidelberg Road.  

The present Hartlands Estate is the remaining section to the east of Lower Heidelberg Road.

One of Sylvester Brown’s sons was Thomas Alexander Browne, who is better known by his nom de plume – Rolf Boldrewood. In the 1880’s he wrote the Australian colonial classic ‘Robbery Under Arms’. [Thomas Browne added the ‘e’ to his surname].

Prior to 12^th March 1921 Thomas Michael Burke an estate agent purchased this remaining section of Hartlands Estate – 74 acres of land. He was registered as proprietor on the 12^th day of March 1921 of the land described in Certificate of Title Volume 4480 Folio 831. 

He subdivided the area into 201 building blocks. The plan of sub-division was numbered P/S8402.