Historical information
ELTHAM HERITAGE TOUR
The Society excursion on 24th May 1992 was arranged by David Bick, leader of the team carrying out the Shire's heritage study. David selected a number of sites or buildings identified in the study, some of them lesser known components of the Shire's heritage. The tour commenced at the Eltham Shire Office at 10.00 am. Travel
was by private car and mini-bus with stops at about twelve locations for commentary by David.It included a short walk in Hurstbridge and lunch at Kinglake.
Highlights of the tour included:
- 10 am Leave from Shire Offices
- 3 Important Trees
- A Physical Link to Eltham's First Settlers
- Toorak Mansion Gates
- A Surviving Farm House
- An Intact Circa 1900 Main Street
- First Settlers - Gold Miners, and Timber-getters
- An Early Hotel
- A Pioneering Homestead
- Changing Eltham Shire - 20th Century
- 4 pm Afternoon Tea and Finish Tour
Extract from ELTHAM CULTURAL HERITAGE TOUR (Newsletter No. 85, July 1992, by Bettina Woodburn)
"On the Arthurs Creek Road is a bridge designed by Monash, which we admired before walking across the little park with a mud-brick and timber shelter, to the Hurst family graveyard. There are two marked graves, one, Henry who was shot by Burke the bushranger and a cairn has a plaque listing others buried here from 1866 onwards. Burke was captured and tied to the wheel of a dray under the eucalypt near the waterhose/standpipe.
Close by the kindergarten, at this place are three trees on the National Trust Register, a Canary Island pine, a Canadian cedar and probably a spruce. Radiata pines and a thick bolled peppercorn surround the little cemetery.
Continuing along Main Street we notice elm trees planted as a war memorial, then on the left a 1930 timber house, a 1910 store and residence, resplendent with wrought iron trim, a double fronted Hardware Store and cypresses on the back alignment of a new vacant block.
On the right side of the street is a less interesting attempt at an 'in character' shop. Further on are more early homes, one tucked away at the rear with two tall palms by the front steps. Another curiosity is a rounded veranda corner and there are more galvanised iron sheds or garages, before a mud-brick Dentist's Surgery. Beyond the round-a-about is St Peters Church, of mud-brick construction shared by Catholic and Anglican parishioners, overlooking the river flood plain.
Leaving Hurstbridge on the Kinglake Road, we ate our picnic lunch beside the communication tower and enjoyed views of Melbourne, Yan Yean Reservoir and the distant Dandenongs beyond the spreading suburbs.
Next we drove to the North West boundary of the Shire at Masons Falls Road towards Whittlesea. On the way to the North East Boundary we passed St Peters, a yellow wooden Church with a Tudor Archway; built in the early 1920's in the style of the 1860's.
From the Healesville-Kinglake road the rolling hills had European aspects, the hedged fields and chestnut trees. Then it was back down the Hurstbridge Road through 'Aussie' bush of towering gums, with bracken and scrubby understorey, the Kinglake National Park, before more open country with deciduous trees planted in line, and a creek lined with willows."
Significance
Record of the Society's history and activities and highlighting various aspects of the Heritage Study undertaken by David Bick used to create the future heritage overlay for the Shire of Eltham and later Nillumbik Shire.
Physical description
Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 strips
Inscriptions & markings
Kodak Gold 100 5095
