WHEN Glenice Wood Lake first took a History of Buninyong class with the University of the Third Age, it turned a new page in her life.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started doing some research into the early Buninyong township and in that, came the names of several of our early squatters, including the Scott family,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Writing a small report, Ms Wood Lake thought descendants of the family, still living at the Mount Boninyong Estate might like a copy.<\/p>\n
\u201cCelia Burnham (n\u00e9e Scott) had all the diaries, invoice books and notebooks, and this absolute treasure trove of early history records, all original.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inspired by the memorabilia of \u201cthe real story,\u201d Ms Wood Lake wrote The Land They Learnt to Love<\/em> last year, telling the Scott family\u2019s first ten years in the Port Phillip district.<\/p>\n But just last week, she released her second book, Flora<\/em>, for children nine to 12, <\/em>about the horse that spent almost 30 years with the initial Scotts, Andrew, Celia and their children Robert, Andrew, Thomas and Martha.<\/p>\n A loyal companion to Andrew, the patriarch, Flora helped the Scotts grow their life and dairy at the 16,000-acre lease, just by Mount Buninyong.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s written in Flora\u2019s voice,\u201d Ms Wood Lake said. \u201cI\u2019ve tried to capture the early history to get kids interested and excited, and tell it through Flora\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cJeanette Creelman Skrokov decided to illustrate it after reading the draft. She loved the story too and ended up with two dozen of the most beautiful watercolours.\u201d<\/p>\n This month marks 180 years since Andrew Scott first arrived at the family property in Buninyong with 88 cattle, and that\u2019s why Ms Wood Lake launched her book there last week.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very special because somehow it\u2019s like the story coming home and completing itself,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Celia Burnham finds it wonderful to have the history of her descendants compiled for the next generations.<\/p>\n \u201cI always heard about Flora as I grew up,\u201d she said. \u201cShe was always mentioned, none of the other horses were, but she was so special to the family. It\u2019s such a beautiful story, so we\u2019re very proud.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a general picture of those early squatters. It could be any of those early families. What they went through, how they stuck together and worked together to achieve anything is amazing,\u201d Mrs Burnham said.<\/p>\n