Francis Ormond - Settlement in The Port Phillip District

Settlement in The Port Phillip District

After the Ormonds returned to Melbourne, in 1843 Capt. Ormond took a seven year lease on 20 acres (80,937 m²) of land near Geelong (near what is the present day site of Shelford). As part of his lease agreement, he was to "improve the land and build a substantial inn". He established the Settler's Arms Inn (which was affectionately known as Ormond's Inn) on the site - becoming the first inn on the trade route from Geelong to Hamilton - which prospered due to its location. The younger Ormond worked as a book keeper at his father's inn, who had intended for him to later train in commerce in the counting house of a merchant in Geelong.

However, in 1847 Captain Ormond was presented with the opportunity to purchase the small sheep station Mopiamnum near Piggoreet, south-west of Ballarat, for a considerably low price. With the lease not up on his inn, he placed his confidence in the younger Ormond and made him the station manager at age 19. The land of Mopiamnum was poor, and much of it was covered with thick scrub which made it very difficult for him to maintain the flock of sheep, in addition to constant attacks by dingoes which inhabited the scrubland. Despite all this, he endured the physical hardships of the land and in his spare time found happiness in the study of classical literature and self-improvement.

Through Ormond's perseverance Mopiamnum prospered, and more assistance was required to manage the land. In 1850, he hired a number of station hands only to discover that the majority of them were quite uneducated. Since they had never had the opportunity of an education, he took it upon himself start a class for his employees. He devoted almost every evening to their tutorage, until the time came for them to leave his employment, to which they did with a useful level of education.