By Callum Ludwig
An painstakingly-curated arboretum in Hoddles Creek has been the target of a brazen theft of tens of thousands of dollars worth of farm equipment just prior to Cup weekend.
The Bogle Arboretum has been under the management of John O’Hara, a member of the Australian Rhododendron Society in the Dandenong Ranges, following the death of its original owner earlier this year after almost 60 years at the site.
Mr O’Hara said nothing had even been taken from the property in the owner’s life and the day after the owner’s death, he went over and took the keys out of the ute, tractor and ride-on mower.
“In the four months since then, the house has been broken into, and it was clear that it had been broken into but not clear that things had been moved, it looked like things had been put back carefully to make it look like things hadn’t been moved,” he said.
“On the Wednesday to Friday before Cup Day, they came again and went through the tool shed and took three chainsaws, a whole bunch of small hand tools, some antique tools like an eight foot two man bush saw, which have no practical value but antique value, and a hand mower I had just paid $750 for,”
“I thought that was the damage but round the corner 300 metres from the house, not visible from anywhere other than right in front of the shed, was a relatively new tractor and a very new $10,000 flail mower they had taken.”
The thefts were discovered after a professional shooter hired by Mr O’Hara messaged him at 11.30pm on Friday 1 November with a photo of the security chain which the perpetrators had taken a large bolt cutter to and cut one of the links off.
Mr O’Hara said he believed the offenders had their own flat-bed trailer they had taken the tractor and other items with.
“The plants crushed at the front gate made it clear, it looked like a wide vehicle had gone through the front gate but the plants were crushed with a conventional tyre, so not a tractor tyre,” he said.
“Someone else further up and on the other side of the road told us thye had been broken into in around May, someone had cut their fence and entered their property on an initial occasion, cased the place and came back likewise equipped and stole their equipment so i believe it’s a professional unit,”
“Around the last 12 months, the CFA has been broken into and burgled, which is on the corner of the block, so has the school down the hill, Hoddles Creek Primary School so to my knowledge this is the fourth serious burglary.”
Hoddles Creek CFA did report they had been broken into on 30 July 2023 with the perpetrators stealing chainsaws, toolboxes and various other small tools from their trucks. CCTV footage of that incident was passed on to police.
Mr O’Hara said without the equipment he is unable to properly manage the property, which has had as many as six international visitors in a single month coming to visit it.
“It’s a 100-acre property, 40 hectares, and it is a world-class, if not the world’s best collection of conifers, it is a world-class collection of oaks and a highly significant collection of maples and other rare species,” he said.
“It’s a collection that was put together from the 70s through to now, at a time when collecting was possible, so it’s irreplaceable and we cannot afford a grassfire to go through it, it’s critical that we get the grass down and reduce the risk of fires taking out the collection.”
In order to maintain the property without the safe and timely return of the stolen equipment, Mr O’Hara expects he will have to foot the entire cost of replacing it all.
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed police are investigating the theft of farm equipment in Hoddles Creek last month.
“It is understood an unknown offender broke into three sheds and stole farm equipment and a tractor sometime between 31 October and 1 November,” they said.
“The tractor is estimated to be worth more than $30,000.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
