History
The first resident settler in the area, Henry Jefferson Bate moved to Tilba in 1869 and chose the block called Mountain View, of which Mountain View Farm is the last key portion (59 acres) and includes the original dairy area. Over ten years Henry established around 700 acres of prime farming land including two other farms (Model Farm and Hilltop) and the population of the district increased dramatically.
His eldest son, Samuel William Bate, also purchased land in Tilba and became an active member of the community including being one of the first elected Councillors of the Eurobodalla Shire in 1906.
Dairying was already well established to the north in Bodalla and Tilba had rich soil and plenty of water. Mountain View was one of numerous properties that set up their own cheese making factories. Also known as Alpha Cheese House, it was established around 1877 and operated under successive Bate generations until 1951.
On Henry Jefferson's death Mountain View Farm was passed on to his son, Richard Mossop, who developed it into one of the district's leading properties. He established the village of Tilba Tilba on part of the property. His son, Henry John developed his initiative of piping water from the Mountain and Tilba Creek via a small dam to Tilba Tilba. This was one of a few private gravitational irrigation systems, reticulating water over the farm and to all Tilba Tilba households. He further developed this to a small hydroelectric scheme which generated enough electricity to power the farms, the cheese factory and various homes between 1932 and 1952. He also took over the Farm and it became one of the best-known dairy farms on the south coast. He was a strong advocate of stall feeding in winter and in dry periods, and the feeding stalls he built in the 1930's are still in fantastic condition on the property.
Mountain View Farm was transferred to his son Dick in about 1960 who sold off a number of blocks. The remaining 150 acres was left to Dick's son Richard in the 1980's who continued operating the property as a dairy farm for some years before moving into beef cattle and tourism.