Right to left: Frank Brewer on horse, Tom Rose on verandah with his wife Mrs Rose nee Brewer. The other man on horseback is unknown. Frank Brewer was killed during World War I.
This house on Balmoral Road was the residence of Tom Rose who was a councillor in Maroochy Shire Council. “Homebush” was built directly behind the present Balmoral Lookout around the turn of the century. It was demolished around 1956/57.
The Roses had a citrus orchard and the fruit was sent by packhorse to the Mooloolah Railway Station for the Brisbane market. The nearest neighbours were the Burgums and the Marshalls who also used Mooloolah as their main source of supplies and mail.
Tom Rose was newly arrived from England when he took up his property after the scrub had been felled. A record crop of cape gooseberries came up and Tom harvested these, transported the crop to Brisbane and received record prices which set him up on the farm.
After the Rose family moved towards the end of World War II the house was owned by the Brewer family. Mr Ernie Brewer was Mrs Rose’s brother.
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