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Jean Theodore deRavin was born on the 22nd December 1833 on the French Island of Martinique in the West Indies, from where in 1852 he migrated to the Colony of Victoria and eventually settled on the Sheepwash Creek at Mandurang in the Bendigo District.

lt was here he turned the first sod in Mandurang soil for the purpose of agriculture, sharing in the development of the district by commencing an industry - market gardening - supplying fresh fruit and vegetables to the fast developing population of the Bendigo gold Fields, Victoria being in the grip of Gold Fever.

ln 1866 Monsieur planted his first vines and by 1895 had 20 acres devoted to viticulture one of the largest in the district and from the early 70's he commenced wine making of a very high standard, he named his vineyard Chateau Dore'.

In 1893 he built two large storerooms and two cellars of beautifully coloured local sandstone, covering an area of 5,000 sq.feet, these buildings still stand in the original grandeur.