Series 12 - Belgrave Wild Zoo / Le Souëf Fauna Park Ltd


Date Range1922 - 1963
Quantity6.1 cm, 4 files
ProvenanceJohn Cecil Le Souëf
Description

This series includes material relating to the establishment of J.C. Le Souëf's wild park in the Belgrave District known as 'Le Souëf's Fauna Park Ltd' or the Belgrave Wild Zoo which was incorporated under the Companies Act 1928. The wild park was to be established on a 56 acre property known as "Heights Estate" in the Dandenong Ranges, with its main purpose being to create a special sanctuary for Koalas and other unique Australian animals which were threatened by extinction. This series documents the work carried by J.C. Le Souëf in the development and construction of the Fauna Park including loose notes and sketches detailing the grounds, enclosures, parking area and fencing, as well as the documentation detailing the proposal for the establishment of the park. Also included are copies of the prospectus for the Fauna Park, deeds of partnership between Le Souëf and Neville Davis, Huggins, memos of agreement regarding purchase of land, correspondence, capital requirements and cost estimates.


Inventory Listing

12-001 J.C. Le Souëf - Le Souëf's Fauna Park Ltd (Belgrave Wild Zoo)
Correspondence - Subject

This file consists of work related to the development and construction of the Fauna Park. It includes a draft statement for the development of 'Le Souëf's Fauna Park Ltd'; 2 copies of the prospectus of the Le Souëf's Fauna Park that detail the objectives, the zoo, capital requirements, estimated annual income and expenditure and the statutory information relating to the Fauna Park; document certifying that Le Souëf's Fauna Park Ltd was incorportated under the Companies Act 1928; Memorandum of Association of Le Souëf's Fauna Park; Director's statutory report for the Fauna Park; plans of the grounds of the park; trial balance sheets for the park; price lists from the Duralla Park Waterfowl Stud; deed of Partnership between Le Souëf and Neville David Huggins; pamphlet of Glen Harrows Heights Estate; and correspondence to Le Souëf from the Secretary to the Premier and the Fisheries and Game Department regarding the permit to obtain and keep animals and birds in the park.

Creator Le Souëf Family
Date range 1922 - 1963, mostly 1930s    Quantity 4 cm, 1 file
Formats General Publications, Accounts, General Correspondence, Numeric Data, Ephemera, Reports, News Clippings, Loose Notes, Drawings and/or Plans, Display Material and Lists
Inventory Identifier A100 Box Number 39 Series 12
12-002 J.C. Le Souëf - War Diary
Personal

This file consists of one war diary belonging to J.C. Le Souëf which contains rough notes relating to a zoo (possibly the Belgrave Wild Zoo). This includes plans for the parking area, the fencing, the T. Room, a list of animal stock, enclosures, staff and publicity.

Creator Le Souëf Family
Date range 1940? - 1945?, not dated    Quantity 1 cm, 1 file
Formats Notebooks and Lists
Inventory Identifier A102 Box Number 39 Series 12
12-003 J.C. Le Souëf - Le Souëf's Fauna Park Ltd (Belgrave Wild Zoo)
Subjects

This file contains material relating to the proposal and work carried out by J.C. Le Souëf for the establishment of the Le Souëf's Fauna Park or the Belgrave Wild Zoo. It includes the retail price list for wire netting, 11 July 1934 from Cyclone Fence and Gate Co.; a list of animals, birds and reptiles for the zoo; a list of feeding stock for animals and birds etc. at the Belgrave Wild Zoo; a prospectus titled "Le Souëf's Fauna Park Limited" by J.C. Le Souëf 1934 which details the requirements for the establishment of the zoo; a report detailing "Why Le Souëf's Fauna Park Should Be Built"; and a number of sketches of what could be the proposed Fauna Park detailing the grounds, aviary and the entrance.

Creator Le Souëf Family
Date range 1931 - 1934    Quantity 0.7 cm, 1 file
Formats Numeric Data, Ephemera, Reports, Drawings and/or Plans, Legal Documents and Lists
Inventory Identifier A132 Box Number 39 Series 12
12-004 Le Souëf's Fauna Park Ltd
Reports - Internal

This file includes 2 copies of Le Souëf's Fauna Park Limited Report by James L. Gillberg, consulting cost accountant and business advisor, which examined cost estimates and profits and the capital requirements of the Fauna Park, 1936; and 1 copy of Le Souëf's Fauna Park Limited Prospectus by J.C.Le Souëf, 1934.

The file also contains some loose notes about nesting birds. They are undated and do not contain details about the author.

Creator Le Souëf Family
Date range 1934 - 1936    Quantity 0.4 cm, 1 file
Formats Reports and Loose Notes
Inventory Identifier A140 Box Number 39 Series 12
12-005 J.C. Le Souëf. - Diary
Personal

This file consists of part of a diary recording the daily activities of J.C. Le Souëf at work at the Fauna Park in Belgrave. Entries are generally consistent and document the development of the park (the grounds, animals and birds, and employees).

Creator Le Souëf Family
Date range 1937    Quantity 1 cm, 1 file
Formats Notebooks
Inventory Identifier A055 Box Number 39 Series 12

Published by the The University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre, January 2008
With support from Friends of the Zoos and Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens
Listed by Gavan McCarthy, Andrea Barnes and other Austehc staff
HTML edition Ailie Smith
Updated 27 November 2008
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/guides/leso/12.htm

The template for this finding aid is part of the Heritage Documentation Management System

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