In Victoria's Gold Rush era, The Yarra Track became the route taken from Melbourne to the Woods Point goldfields. The lower paddocks of Valley Farm Vineyard were thought to be the original site of New Chum settlement where prospectors changed from coach and horse to pack horse before continuing the mountainous journey over the Black Spur.
By the early 1900's the original farmhouse was built and the extensive gardens were established in consultation with renowned garden designer, Edna Walling.
The main homestead was burnt down in the horrendous fires of 1939 and rebuilt in art-deco style by a wealthy businessman around 1946.
In the late 1970's the federal government acquired the property and constructed a satellite tracking station in the middle of a paddock. A giant 30 metre diameter dish (yes, just like the movie!) was receiving signals from outer-space and the 1984 Olympics telecast was beamed in from Los Angeles for transmission to Australian TV stations.
By the end of the 80's technology had caught up and the function of the Melbourne Earth Station, pictured at right, could then be performed by a small black box in Sydney..