Beaconsfield Street Signage

Janet Bowman Boulevard

Janet Bowman was born Janet (Jessie) Watt in Forfarshire, Scotland in 1810. She married David Bowman also from Forfarshire in 1828 and the couple and their two children, Alexander and William arrived in Port Phillip in 1840. The family first settled in Collingwood then moved to Darebin Creek, Lysterfield and finally to Cardinia Creek on the “Panty Gurn Gurn Run” in 1853. In 1855 David Bowman was granted a licence to open the Gippsland Hotel at Cardinia Creek. David Bowman died at the hotel in 1860 and Janet Bowman continued to run the hotel until 1868. The Gippsland Hotel was on the site of the present Central Hotel at Beaconsfield. Janet Bowman is responsible for Bowman’s Track.

References:

• Early Settlers of the Casey Cardinia District
•  Exchanging one country for another- : a history of David and Janet Bowman & family in Port Phillip/Victoria from 1840

Melway Map Ref: 214 A1 Surveyed on: 18 Oct 2011 by Fay

Janet Bowman Boulevard