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The Mogg Family are allegedly involved in the origin of the name of the small locality, Mogg's Creek on the Great Ocean Road near Airey's Inlet, however there is no known direct evidence of this and any linkage seems more anecdotal than evidential. Mogg's Creek also seems to have been earlier known as Bellbird Creek or McLaren's Creek.

The earliest newspaper mention (so far found) of the locality 'Mogg's Creek' was in the 'Geelong Advertiser' of 26 March 1877 which reported: ‘Residents of Ceres will no doubt regret to learn that Mr W. McLaren of that township met his death, on Thursday last, at his selection near Mogg's Creek, adjoining Mr J. R. Hopkins' marine residence at Angahook. From what can be learnt, the unfortunate man, it is feared, died from sunstroke, as he was found on the seacoast almost buried in sand, about half a mile from his house, by a man in his employ, and who had missed him for some time.'

There is an anecdotal story, allegedly told by William Boyd of 'The Neuk' in the early 1900s, that a Valentine Mogg drove sheep from his property to the Otway Ranges during times of drought, however there is no hard evidence to substantiate this tale. William Boyd didn't acquire 'The Neuk' until 1905 and Mogg's Creek was known as such well before this time so the first origins of this story are unknown. A William Boyd was a contemporary student of the Mogg brothers at Geelong College in the 1870s and may be the same William Boyd who acquired 'The Neuk'.

There were two Moggs in Geelong in the mid 1850s, Valentine Nott Mogg (c1822-1883), baptised at Wyke Champflower, Somsersetshire, England on 20 February 1822, and James Cox Mogg. They were both sons of William Mogg (c1770-1848) and Elizabeth Sandford (c1788-1842), who married at Bruton, Somersetshire on 24 November 1812. William was buried on 27 January 1848, age 78, and Elizabeth was buried on 6 August 1842, age 54.

Both brothers sent children to be educated at Geelong College. Valentine Nott Mogg, father of Marcus Mason Mogg (1860-1903) and the above Vincent Valentine Mogg (1873-1943) acquired Swanwater Station near St Arnaud in about 1855 and Yallock Vale Station near Ballan some time later. He married in Geelong according to the Geelong Advertiser newspaper of 15 Feb 1855:
'On Tuesday, 13th inst., at Christ Church, by the Rev. - Goodman, Valentine Nott Mogg, Esq., Settler, formerly of Wike Champflow, Somerset, to Selina, fourth daughter of the late Edward Mason, Esq., St. Swithin's, Worcester.'

A few months later The Argus newspaper of 5 May 1855 noted his bankruptcy: 'Valentine Nott Mogg, of Woodstock, in the Western Port district, settler. Debts, £15,180 ; assets, as per schedule, £15,400. Cause of insolvency, pressure of creditors. This, however, is rather the effect than the cause of insolvency.'

His death was reported in the Avoca Mail newspaper on 7 September 1883:
' Death of Mr. V. N. Mogg. Doubtless many of our readers will learn with surprise and regret of the death of Mr V. N. Mogg, of Swanwater, who departed this life on Sunday afternoon last at the George Hotel, St. Kilda, where he had been residing for a few days, having left home some two weeks since to proceed to Melbourne, via Ballarat and Yaloak Yale estate, with the ulterior object of consulting Dr. Fitzgerald, under whose care he bad been while at St. Kilda.- On Saturday last a telegram was received by the members of his family that he was very dangerously ill, and by the afternoon train those of his relatives not with him proceeded to St. Kilda, and were at his bedside when he breathed his last. The immediate cause of death was organic disease of the liver.

Yesterday the remains were brought to St. Arnaud by the mid-day train, and the funeral cortege formed at the railway station, proceeding from thence to Swanwater Station, where the deceased was interred in the family vault - marked out and consecrated some years since. The coffin was of polished oak, with lead casing. On a plain brass plate attached was the following inscription:—' Valentine Nott Mogg, who died on the 2nd September, 1883. Age, 63 years.'- The last riles to the dead were performed by the Rev. J. B. Stairin a most impressive manner in accordance with the service of the Church of England, of which body deceased was a member, and at the time of his death a trustee of Christ Church, St. Arnaud. The funeral arrangements were carried out most creditably by Mr. W. Kell.

Mr. Mogg was one of the earliest pioneers of the district, having arrived at Swanwater in the year 1856, and for many years was an active public man; In 1863 he was elected a member of the St. Arnaud Road Board, being appointed its first chairman. In 1866, on the formation of the St. Arnaud Shire, he was elected president, a position he filled so well that he was unanimously re-elected to the chair for three years in succession.

In 1869 Mr. Mogg retired from the Council, having devoted six years' service in promoting and carrying out local self-government in this district creditably to himself and satisfactorily to his constituents. During his long term of office he often occupied a seat on the Bench. Of late years Mr Mogg paid but little attention to local public matters, but devoted his time to improving his property and also the stock of the district, he being an ardent supporter of the latter object. When Mr Mogg went first to Swanwater it was a wilderness, with a few scattered huts. He leaves it one of the best improved properties in the district.

There also he had born to him four sons and eight daughters, eleven of whom are living and the three eldest daughters married, viz., Mrs. Macpherson, Mrs. W. J. Mogg (of St. Arnaud), and Mrs Duncan (of Sale). In addition to Swanwater. Mr. Mogg was at the time of his death the owner of several other stations in various parts of the colony ; and in the sad bereavement which has befallen so large a number of the natives of our own immediate locality, it is consoling to the writer of these few lines on the departed to know that the sorrowing widowed mother and her large familv are all well provided for. — Wednesday's St. Arnaud Mercury.'


James Cox Mogg, father of William James Mogg (1856-1908) cousin of Valentine Vincent Mogg, lived in Geelong for most of his later life. In 1856, he was a storekeeper in Moorabool St and in 1872 the licensee of the Fairview Hotel Herne Hill.

On 1 June 1887 the Geelong Advertiser carried a report of his death:
'The sudden death of Mr Jas. Cox Mogg, an old resident of Geelong, is reported. He will be remembered as having been about nine years ago the licensee of the establishment now known as the Melbourne Club Hotel, Yarra street, and subsequently he undertook the capacity of traveller for Misses Powell, the then proprietresses of the well-known brewery in Little Malop street east which still bears their name. Three years ago Mr Mogg left Geelong for the purpose of taking up his residence with one of his sons, who is a pastoralist in the vicinity of Donald, and. suffering from ill-health, he returned about a month ago for a change of air and medical treatment.

On Monday, he felt unusually well, and took a walk from the residence of Mrs W. Harding, of Latrobe Terrace south, with whom he was temporarily residing, to Moorabool-street, to see some old friends. He reached Mrs Harding's in the evening, and at about half-past 10 o'clock, whilst sitting in a chair near the fireplace, he was suddenly seized with a pain across the breast, expiring almost immediately afterwards. Dr. Deane, who lives in the terrace, was sent for, but he found life to be extinct. The deceased having recently been attended by Dr. P. A. Croker for disease of the heart, an inquest will be unnecessary. Mr Mogg, who was 59 years of age, leaves a wife and grown-up family in affluent circumstances.'