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avoid reUance on a single source income. In June 1870, Gaetano requested the Lands
Department to send him the Certificate of Rent and Survey Fees Paid in order that he
might finally purchase his land. Posting his AppUcation to Purchase on 29 August,
1870, two months later, the foUowing Report by the Inspector was forwarded from
Daylesford to Melboume:
I have inspected the land applied to purchase by Gaetano Tomasetti.
The improvements consist of house valued at 40 pound, stockyard at
eight pound. Fencing ~ post and rails at 25 pound. Gmbbing and
clearing at 30 pound. Total 103 pound.^'
Gaetano was also, at this time, making use of an eight hectare block one to two
kilometres from the main road near Eastem HiU. Licensed to Domenico Sertoris who
had arrived from Cerentino in Ticino in 1854, Gaetano had paid rent on the land since
1868. It was common practice that when a group of men worked a mine together
only one would apply for the licence to occupy the surrounding land. As the mining
petered out, many of the Ucence holders passed their licences on to old partners who
would use the land for farming. The second block of land which Gaetano so acquired
was officially recorded as Lot 153, Parish of Bullarook, County of Talbot, and was
known to him as 'the block near Eastem Hill' (ref figure 13) ~ identified by its
neamess to a geological landmark, the land reflected the village experience of its
owner. With his two blocks of land Gaetano was well positioned to look after the
needs of his family.
WhUe most farmers in the Eastem HiU region had bought blocks measuring six
to sixteen hectares, the ItaUan speakers, such as Maurizio Morganti, Antonio Caligari
and Carlo GUorgi, were restricted to the poorer land on its north side. Gaetano
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