Nikola and Mate Jasprica (Nicholas and Matthew Jasprizza) were born in Janjina, Dalmatia (then in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now in the Republic of Croatia) in 1835 and 1843, respectively.
They arrived on the ship Lightning in Melbourne on 30th October 1860 and started mining at Five-Mile diggings, Lambing Flat.
After six months, they moved to the Three Mile, where they began a vegetable garden and planted four acres of vines, peaches and apples, as they realised that more money could be made by feeding the miners.
The brothers made a 50 pound profit on their first crop of vegetables, despite drought and floods.
They later bought 300 acres, at threepence an acre.
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The Jasprizzas utilised some Kentish cherry cuttings from Edward Taylor and conducted various grafting experiments.
They utilised their basic knowledge of growing vines and cherries and other fruit from their father, Baldo Mijo Jasprica, as the Dalmatian region is renowned for its Marasca cherries.
In 1876, at Nicholas’ property, Cherry Vale, ‘The total quantity of land under vines is thirty-six acres, and thirty different kinds of grapes are grown. The wine is remarkably full-bodied, has a fine aroma, and with age would compare favourably with any of the well-known Burgundies or the French clarets. In addition to the grapes, N. Jasprizza has a very varied selection of fruits growing, comprising cherries, peaches, plums (many varieties), apricots, pears, apples, figs, melons, and other stone fruits'.
Nicholas, in 1875, gifted a selection of 640 acres on the Grenfell Road to his brother, Matthew, who sold it with orchards and vines in 1879.
Nicholas expanded Cherry Vale to 900 acres by 1884, on which he also grazed cattle and about 600 sheep.
By 1893, he had 100 acres under cherries, with 7,000 full-grown and 300 young trees, as well as 60 acres under vines.
He grew Flourens, Napoleon, Bigarroux, and Marguerite varieties of cherry.
Nicholas married Bridget Mary Bowles (née Tunney) at Sixteen Mile Rush in 1867 but she died in 1884.
He then married Rosetta Johnstone in Young on 7th February 1886.
On the evening of 8th May 1901, Nicholas was shot dead through the window of his house.
The crime remains unsolved.
After Nicholas' death, his sons from his first marriage, Bal, William, Matthew and Frank, took over his properties.
By 1907, 100 people were employed during Cherry Vale’s six-week cherry-picking season.
Cherry Vale was auctioned in February 1941, shifting into the hands of the Richens family.
Members of the Jasprizza family continued to grow cherries in the area for decades afterwards.
- KAREN SCHAMBERGER, YOUNG HISTORICAL SOCIETY
