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When Joseph Poole arrived at Girgarre East, the landscape was probably still heavily timbered with grey box gums.

The house he and wife Alice first occupied may have been built of logs and daub until they could build something more substantial.

As the land was progressively cleared, it was ploughed with horse power, harvested with a sickle and the hay bound into sheaves.

An English emigrant, Mr Poole selected 220 acres, later enlarged by 160 acres, at Girgarre East after arriving in the colony in 1857 and farming first at Kilmore.

The family was among the first to settle at Girgarre East, and Mr Poole named his property Avondale.

The Melbourne Argus newspaper reported in March, 1887: ‘‘To show what can be done by irrigation, Mr Poole of Girgarre East, exhibited in the town today some maize of only two months growth fully 6ft high, fine strong stalks, sound and healthy. He has some 10 acres of the same, and only allowed water on the land twice. It is something astonishing.’’

Descendants of the Pooles and of Edmund and Leititia Fowler (nee Poole), who settled at Baulkamaugh in 1877, and Isaac and Sarah Poole, have organised a reunion for the last weekend in March.

Edmund Fowler was a member of Numurkah Shire Council for 20 years and served as president. At 18 he became a preacher with the Primitive Methodist Church and took part in the first service at Numurkah in the parlor of the Numurkah Hotel.

He was a member of the Numurkah Agricultural Association and was elected president in 1895.

■The family reunion will be held at Lancaster sports ground on Saturday, March 31, with family activities followed by a spit roast dinner and evening concert.

On Sunday a guest preacher and descendant, Lawrence Poole, will speak at Cooma Uniting Church.

For further information contact Wilf Poole, 2 Moira Dve, Kialla West 3631, phone 58231437.