The Governor plants two Palm Trees at White Cliffs

In October 1909 the Governor of Victoria, Sir Thomas Gibson Carmichael, toured the Mildura area and the new settlement of White Cliffs (which was soon to be renamed Merbein). At White Cliffs the official party inspected the irrigation works and pumping station and then the Experimental Farm, where various types of produce were being trialled.

On October 21, as the Mildura Cultivator reports - 
While at the Experimental Block His Excellency performed the ceremony of planting a couple of Palms, one on each side of the main entrance. The holes had been dug and the trees (well-grown Date Palms) were held in place while the Governor shovelled in some of the loose earth which was lying conveniently by. A certain amount of joking went on while this work was in progress and willing hands held the trees in position while equally willing feet trampled the earth around them.

An interesting incident occurred here, when a little two-year-old boy was brought forward by his mother and told to go and help the Governor plant the tree. The sturdy little chap was nothing loth and grasped the shovel with both his chubby hands, evidently feeling that he was doing some serious work. The inevitable photograph was taken. (1)

The sturdy little chap was Master Robinson; I wonder how his life turned out.

The Governor plants a California Fan Palm on the Experimental Plot, White Cliffs : 

Master Robinson lends a hand.  

The Australasian, October 30, 1909 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139214932

A report in The Argus (2) noted that the trees planted were two Californian fan palms, rather than date palms and the Merbein Historical Society website concurs, that they were indeed two Californian Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera). The Historical Society website, has a recent photograph of the Palm Trees (see it here) and also tells us that -

Today, the two palms on Channel Road, across the road from the rear of the Merbein P-10 College, still survive and are a testament to the success and resilience of the Merbein settlement which was one of the first State owned Pumped Irrigation Settlements in Victoria. (3)

The State Library of Victoria has six images of the Governor planting the Palm Trees, taken by Victor Hood, two of which are shown here. You can view the others, here. 

The Governor planting a Palm

His Excellency Planting Commemoration Palm, White Cliffs Nr Mildura, 1909.  

Photographer: Victor Albert Nelson Hood.

State Library of Victoria image H36531/18/23

The Governor, and the little two year old boy, Master Robinson,  planting a Palm.

His Excellency Planting Commemoration Palm, White Cliffs Nr Mildura, 1909.  

Photographer: Victor Albert Nelson Hood.

State Library of Victoria image H36531/18/27

Footnotes
(1) Mildura Cultivator, October 27, 1909, see here. 
(2) The Argus, October 22, 1909, see here.
(3) Merbein Historical Society https://www.merbeinhistoricalsociety.org.au/merbeins-foundation-palms.html