This photograph dating to 1910 depicts an open cut sluicing site located in El Dorado captured looking east up the open cut from the number 3 Barge site. Sluicing was undertaken in the area from 1900 to 1942 with some short breaks between these periods. The image depicts a location mined by Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Sluicing Company (as recorded on the annotation on the card mount). It portrays open cut rocks with a crevice in the center of the image where the sluicing was being undertaken. There is a small timber structure on the right of the image which could be an entrance to a mine or supports made of wood to prevent a cave in at the open cut site and above the cut rock there is bush. The timber structure has rail tracks on top of the bridge which could suggest the identification of this structure as a mine entrance. The rail tracks were used for little carts which hauled soil from the mine. The Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines N.L was one of El Dorado's two largest open cut sluicing mines of the 20th Century. The other was named the Cocks El Dorado Gold Dredging Company. The Cocks Pioneer Mines operated from 1901 until 1941 and found a total of 117,378 ounces of Gold and 1,673 tones of tin concentrates over these years. The Cocks company was formed in 1898 and operated until 1941. Open cut sluicing involved the use of high-powered hoses which used the centrifugal sand pump system (known as hydraulic sluicing) which broke down the soil which was then processed for gold and other precious metals. From 1914 , four years after this image was captured, the company reformed to Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL (previously it was known as Cocks Pioneer Sluicing Co) and undertook large scale sluicing operations until 1929 and then 1934-1941. El Dorado is located on Reedy Creek and is surrounded by forested country to the north and east. It is 20 km east of Wangaratta in Victoria's regional north-east. John Cock was the son of a Cornish minor who arrived in El Dorado in 1858. Cock founded his gold and tin mining company which ran successfully for many years in the El Dorado region. It was an open cut sluicing company because of the abandonment of underground mining after this was deemed too dangerous. In 1935 Cock's El Dorado Company commissioned the floating dredge which is still visible in El Dorado today. The dredge was built by the Thompson engineering works, Castlemaine, and weighed over 2,000 tones and today has a place on the Victorian Registers of historic buildings. Interestingly, the name El Dorado does not derive from the gold in the region, but from the Barambogie pastoral run completed by William Baker in 1840-1841. Gold was discovered in El Dorado 1854 but the gold was too deep for individual prospectors to find, it required the use of heavy machinery.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray an open cut sluicing site can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in 1910. It also shows a location where sluicing was undertook which provides insight into the impact of sluicing on the environment at a time when it was done. This image is important for current research into the history of El Dorado, a small regional location near Wangaratta in Victoria's North East. Therefore, this image has the capacity to be beneficial for research into society and the motivations of those living and working in this region during this period and therefore, has social significance. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold sluicing and El Dorado which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.Sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper mounted on board.Obverse: COCKS PIONEER Q + T SL CO, N.L. / 1910 / LOOKING EAST UP OPEN CUT / FROM NO3 BARGE SITE / Reverse: 1997 . 2611 / A02611el dorado, north east gold, sluicing, gold sluicing, hydraulic sluicing, 1910, gold and tin mine, open cut mining, mining, gold mining, north-east victoria, beechworth, burke museum

Taken in Beechworth 1865, this photograph depicts the view of the Spring creek with the Beechworth township in the background. This photograph was taken 13 years after the discovery of Gold at Spring Creek. Within eleven months of the discovery in 1852, over 8000 hopeful prospectors had descended on the region, transforming the seemingly undisturbed land into what a visiting journalist in 1880s referred to as; "A Titan's Field". Huge mounds of earth were churned by hundreds of miners in search for gold, almost every available resource the land had to offer was used for something; even the bark off the gums were stripped to line huts and shafts. By 1857 more than 20,000 people lived in Beechworth, and with this influx the town prospered with the building of numerous churches, banks, schools, shops and hotels along with a prison and hospital.Black and white rectangular photograph. Image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard.Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: BMM6925 / BEECHWORTH FROM SPRING CREEK 1865 beechworth, spring creek, gold rush, titan's field, 1865, prospectors

This image was taken in 1865 overlooking the diggings at Spring Creek, Beechworth. Gold was discovered in this area in 1852 and within eleven months of this discovery, over 8000 hopeful prospectors had descended on the region, transforming the seemingly undisturbed land into what a visiting journalist in 1880s referred to as; "A Titan's Field". Huge mounds of earth were churned by hundreds of miners in search for gold, almost every available resource the land had to offer was used for something; even the bark off the gums were stripped to line huts and shafts. By 1857 more than 20,000 people lived in Beechworth, and with this influx the town prospered with the building of numerous churches, banks, schools, shops and hotels along with a prison and hospital.Black and white rectangular photograph. Image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: 7771 / BEECHWORTH / FROM SPRING CREEK / 1865 spring creek, diggings, beechworth, 1865

This image was taken of the diggings at Spring Creek. In February 1852 gold was discovered at Spring Creek, Beechworth. Within eleven months of this discovery, over 8000 hopeful prospectors had descended on the region, transforming the seemingly undisturbed land into what a visiting journalist in 1880s referred to as; "A Titan's Field". Huge mounds of earth were churned by hundreds of miners in search for gold, almost every available resource the land had to offer was used for something; even the bark off the gums were stripped to line huts and shafts. By 1857 more than 20,000 people lived in Beechworth, and with this influx the town prospered with the building of numerous churches, banks, schools, shops and hotels along with a prison and hospital.Black and white rectangular photograph. Image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Reverse: BMM6926 / BEECHWORTH FROM SPRING CREEK 1865 spring creek, beechworth, burke museum, 1865, gold rush

This was taken in 1865 of Spring Creek, Beechworth. Gold was discovered in this area in 1852 and within eleven months of this discovery, over 8000 hopeful prospectors had descended on the region, transforming the seemingly undisturbed land into what a visiting journalist in 1880s referred to as; "A Titan's Field". Huge mounds of earth were churned by hundreds of miners in search for gold, almost every available resource the land had to offer was used for something; even the bark off the gums were stripped to line huts and shafts. By 1857 more than 20,000 people lived in Beechworth, and with this influx the town prospered with the building of numerous churches, banks, schools, shops and hotels along with a prison and hospital.Black and white rectangular photograph. Image is printed on matte photographic paper and is mounted on cardboard. Obverse: NO INSCRIPTION Revese: 97.22.95 / 7772 / 25/1 / beechworth, burke museum, gold rush, 1865

There are records of members of the Helmers family attending Bendoc State School. George Henry Helmers was a prospector who mined all the gold from the dry gullies that ran into Bendoc. George was born in 1866, in Bombala, New South Wales, Australia. He was married to Euphemia Lock, born on October 19 1870, in Bendoc Upper, Victoria, Australia.This photograph is associated with early settlers of Bendoc, East Gippsland.A black / white portrait photograph of a man in a suit, hat and tie. He has a large moustache. on back - "George Helmers"helmers-george-bonang

This is the program for the exhibitions and activities conducted by the Art Gallery of Ballarat in the winter of 2015. It includes the exhibition of the works of James Meek, of particular interest to Warrnambool as Meek was resident there for a number of years in the 19th century. The Ballarat Art Gallery is the largest and oldest regional art gallery in Australia, being established in 1884. The booklet is of interest as it shows the depth and variety of exhibitions and activities held at a regional art gallery. It includes the exhibition of the works of James Meek, a 19th resident of Warrnambool where he was well-known as a fishing company operator, a punt operator, a fisherman, a writer and lecturer and a gold prospector in the Otway Ranges. His calligraphy works are of great interest, both artistically and historically and one of his works belonging to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society was loaned to Ballarat for this exhibition. This is a booklet of 32 pages containing the program of the Art Gallery of Ballarat for Winter 2015. It contains logos of sponsors, a floor plan of the gallery, black and white and colour photographs and sketches and printed material on each exhibition. The cover has a reproduction of an image from Norma Redpath’s ‘Flight From Jerusalem’ art work. Front Cover: ‘Art Gallery of Ballarat, Winter 2015’art gallery of ballarat

Irish-born Thomas Sweeney is regarded as the first settler in Eltham. He was transported to Sydney in 1823 after being convicted of arson. He was granted his freedom in 1838 and married Margaret Meehan in the same year. They moved to Melbourne and in 1842 Thomas purchased 110 acres beside the Yarra River in the vicinity of present-day Sweeneys Lane. He called the property ‘Culla Hill’ and built a small slab hut (reputedly with Wurundjeri help; Margaret is said to have run an informal hospital for them in return). This was followed in 1846 by more substantial buildings consisting of a three-roomed Irish-style ‘longhouse’ and a barn made of stone and handmade bricks, with doors large enough to accommodate a fully loaded wagon. When the gold rush came, Thomas prospered by selling meat and potatoes to the prospectors, enabling him to purchase a further 308 acres in 1856. He promoted the construction of a bridge over the Plenty River and the establishment of a school at Eltham. Roman Catholic Church services were held at Culla Hill in the early years. When he died in 1867, he was regarded as a respected member of the community. Thomas and Margaret are buried in Eltham Cemetery with many of their descendants. Their first son John continued to farm Culla Hill until his death in 1909. Culla Hill passed out of the Sweeneys' possession in 1939. The house and barn remain today, though lesser outbuildings have gone. The facade of the house is much the same as it was in the 1840s. Sacred To the memory of Thomas Sweeney Who died Sep 6th 1867 Aged 65 years May his soul res in peace Also his wife Margaret Died Oct 3rd 1884 aged 73 years And their daughters Annie Died Aug 22nd 1860 aged 21 years Johanna Died Aug 19th 1872 aged 22 years Margaret Died 7th Sep 1913 aged 72 years R.I.P. Also In Memory Of John Sweeney Died 24th May 1909 Aged 65 years Also of his wife Ellen Died 8th March 1910 Aged 64 years R.I.P Also In Memory Of Caroline Infant daughter of John & Ellen SweeneyBorn Digitalannie sweeney, eltham cemetery, gravestones, johanna sweeney, john murray, margaret sweeney, mary ellen drain, mary murray, thomas drain, thomas sweeney

A history of Eltham Post Office. Australia Post: Gold brought life to the township - Diamond Valley News, Tuesday July 2, 1985, p17 On February 1, 1854, the first Eltham Post Office was established, commencing an association between the township and the Postmaster-General's Department that has continued for 131 years. At that time, the number of permanent residents would have been fairly small, probably less than 200. The discovery of gold in June 1851, at Anderson’s Creek, some five miles away, and later at Caledonia Diggings, Queenstown (now known as St Andrews), about 14 miles to the north-east, brought large numbers of prospectors passing through the township, hopefully culling the creeks and gullies for the precious metal. This additional "floating population" brought a greater demand for supplies and for communication with the outside world, and so it helped in the development of Eltham. Today, Eltham is a thriving township. It boasts an excellent shopping centre, municipal offices, court house. post office and many other amenities. Eltham continued to develop at a leisurely pace. During 1860, a total of just over 8000 postal articles were handled at the Eltham Post Office. By 1862, the mail route was "to and from Melbourne by way of Eltham and Kangaroo Ground, three times a week, by coach". There was also a branch mail that operated between Eltham and Greensborough, three times weekly. This was also conveyed by coach. Some time between 1864 and 1868 the management of the post office passed from Thomas Hunniford to his daughter, Miss Anne Hunniford, who managed the Eltham Post Office until her death in 1928. A big improvement in communication was provided for Eltham residents when a telegraph office was established at the post office in 1877. During 1923 a manual telephone exchange was provided at Eltham, the first two subscribers being J.J. O’Connor and Eltham Police Station. In 1949 the manual exchange was replaced by an automatic exchange and there were some 150 subscribers. Following the death of postmistress Miss Anne Hunniford in 1928, B.M. Burgoyne was placed temporarily in charge of the office. In 1929, J. N. Burgoyne was appointed postmaster, and he in turn was succeeded by H. C. Burgoyne in 1951. The post office was moved to a new site in 1954, but continued under the charge of Mr Burgoyne. In January 1958 there was a further change of site when the post office was raised to official status and transferred to new premises in Main Rd. William Donoghue was acting postmaster when the new office was opened. In March 1958 Mr W.E. Tovey was appointed postmaster, followed by Douglas McG. Gilmour in 1959. William Donoghue was fully appointed in 1966 and Barry Reichelt followed in 1973, prior to the present postmaster, Peter Jolly in November 1982. Peter is a young man with 18 years' experience. He commenced his training as a postal clerk at the training school in Melbourne in 1968 and was promoted to postal clerk at the Brunswick Post Office in 1969. He was finally transferred as postmaster to Fawkner Post Office in 1980. He has been at Eltham Post Office for the past 2½ years. He is married with one child and lives in Montmorency. The Eltham Post Office employs a staff of 21, of whom seven are indoor staff, 12 are postmen and two are drivers. The postmen in Eltham have an uphill battle delivering mail because of the hilly terrain. Nine of the postmen deliver mail on motorbikes, and the two delivery vans are both four wheel drives. Eltham Post Office services basically a residential area, with deliveries to 5600 homes. This is growing at the rate of 600 homes every 18 months, i.e. about 32 homes per month. At the present rate we will need a new postman every 18 months.Digital file only - Digitised by EDHS from a scrapbook on loan from Beryl Bradbury (nee Stokes), daughter of Frank Stokes.anderson's creek, anne hunniford, b.m. burgoyne, barry reichelt, beryl bradbury (nee stokes) collection, eltham police station, eltham post office, eltham post office history, gold, h.c. burgoyne, j.j. o'connor, j.n. burgoyne, peter jolly, postmaster, telephone exchange, thomas hunniford, w.e. tovey, william donoghue

Murray's Bridge over the Diamond Creek on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacement with a new steel bridge. Heritage advice obtained by Nillumbik Shire Council, following a suggestion by the Eltham District Historical Society (EDHS), is that the original bridge appears to have been a simplified version of the Country Roads Board’s (CRB) standard timber bridge design of the early-to-mid 1920s. In c1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with three recycled steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. During these alterations many parts of the bridge were removed, and some were replaced. Heritage advice indicates the condition of Murray’s bridge is poor. The remaining original parts are all in poor condition, with severe weathering, splitting and rot, especially to the stringers retained on the bridge. Heritage advice is that Murray’s Bridge does not have sufficient significance in the cultural history of the Nillumbik area to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay and also does not have sufficient significance as a rare survivor to warrant inclusion in the Nillumbik Shire Heritage Overlay. There are no indications in the historical record that this site was individually important to the cultural history of this area. EDHS is comfortable with the heritage advice provided to Council and has worked closely on this project with Council. EDHS has suggested some of the removed timbers be used in the vicinity of the bridge for landscaping and possibly seating, so as to retain these remnants close to the site of the original bridge, which is the last old timber bridge along the lower reaches of the Diamond Creek. Mary (Sweeney) Murray and John Wright Murray selected 80 acres, Lot C Section 16 and Lot 5 Section 17 Parish of Nillumbik, under an occupation license in 1866. John died in 1867 and freehold was granted to his son John in 1873. The farm was known as ‘Laurel Hill’. John Junior was an Eltham Shire councillor and sometime president from 1887 up until 1897. He added Lot A Section 16 to the farm in ca1888. John and his younger brother James arranged to rent/purchase Lot B Section 17, across Diamond Creek to the west, in ca1900. It appears that John and James farmed separately for a few years, with a new homestead built for James ad family on the high point of Lot B Section 17 in ca1910. John sold off Lot 5 Section 17 in 1912. When John died in 1912 James took over the land on both sides of the Diamond Creek. The old homestead on the west side of the Creek disappeared. A farm bridge over Diamond Creek from this period may have been located close to the northern boundary of the farm. John Langlands, owner of the farm known as ‘Ihurst’ on the west side of Diamond Creek to the south of the Murray’s land, died in 1907. In 1909 his land was then subdivided into 100 lots to become the ‘Glen Park Estate’. Other similar subdivisions of nineteenth century farms around Eltham in this period included the ‘Franktonia (or Beard’s) Estate’ to the northeast and ‘Bonsack’s Estate’ between Eltham and Greensborough. Soon after the opening of the railway extension line from Eltham to Hurstbridge in 1912, Glen Park and nearby residents including James Murray agitated for a railway station or siding to be located half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge, so that the Glen Park residents who used the railway daily did not have to walk into the Eltham or Hurstbridge stations. Some believed Coleman’s Corner (opposite Edendale Farm) was an appropriate spot for the platform. James Murray was among those who thought the railway should be located on his land, closer to half-way between Eltham and Hurstbridge stations. The Railways Commissioners warned that the locals would have to fund these works themselves. The Glen Park Estate residents initially had difficulty accessing Eltham by road, with only an old low-level bridge over Diamond Creek at the south end of their estate. A new timber trestle bridge across the creek, now on Wattletree Road, was opened in 1915. Road access to the north was gained in 1927 when the new Murray’s Road, which crossed the Murray’s land, was built. Residents continued to agitate for a Glen Park station. By 1926 the Railways Commissioners’ preferred site was on the Murray’s land. They arranged an estimate of cost of a full-length platform. The estimate was too much for the locals, who in 1928 argued unsuccessfully for a shorter and hence cheaper platform. By 1929 Murray had agreed to donate the land, but the locals would still have to fund the works. Murray decided, unilaterally it would appear, to commence work on a timber trestle road bridge over Diamond Creek to link the new Murray Road to the proposed station. Late in 1929 he stopped work on the bridge, for reasons unknown, but started work again and completed the bridge in 1931. There is no further newspaper evidence of the campaign for the Glen Park station until 1939, when Murray and another local, Mr Maxwell, met the Railways Commissioner. The Glen Park locale now included 45 homes on the west side of the creek and 20 on the Eltham side. Most of the residents used the train every day. The Commissioner remained adamant that only a full-length platform could be built for safety reasons. It appears the campaign dissolved at this point. The increasing move to cars may have had an impact. There is no evidence of Murray’s bridge ever being connected to Murray’s Road, or of it having wide use for any purpose by locals. James Murray died in 1947 and the farm was taken over by his son James (Jim). Jim started to sell off parts of the farm in the 1980s, retaining a few acres around the ca1910 homestead and building a new house there. Recreation reserves were established along the creek. In ca1990 Murray’s bridge was renovated with steel girders as part of a bike/pedestrian path in the reserve. The old farmhouse was demolished in ca2014. * * * A theory posted on local community Facebook groups was that the bridge was built in the 1860s and was built to be more robust than was necessary for the movement of cows from one side of the creek to the other. It was suggested the robustness was necessary to support the weight of gold ore being transferred from a mine on Murray’s land to a railway siding near Murrays Bridge (presumably for transfer and processing at Diamond Creek). Perhaps this may have been one of the motivators for Murray, who really knows? Knowing when mining operations ceased on his land and how that fits the overall timeline would be useful but at the time the bridge was built, local gold production was minimal at best. The known facts are: • The railway line came to Eltham in 1902. • The extension of the railway from Eltham to Hurstbridge was constructed in 1912 so no railway line even existed through Murray's property until 1912 and the Victorian Railways maps at the time show no such siding on Murray’s property. • In 1923 a new company was formed in anticipation of the old Diamond Creek Gold Mine being re-opened. The mine had been previously closed and flooded. It was noted in the press at the time that the mine was within a mile of the railway. Nothing really came of this. • Construction of Murrays Bridge was commenced by James Murray in early 1929 in anticipation of a proposed flag station being nominated on his land, but work ceased shortly afterwards. The proposed flag station was commonly referred to as Glen Park as the residents of the Glen Park Estate wanted Option 1, located near them with the platform adjacent to Colemans corner. This was probably never going to fly as it was virtually in eyesight of Eltham station. Allandale Road was the third option, but the Commissioners' preferred option was No. 2 - on Murray's property. • The Railway Commissioners were not going to finance any such station and the works had to be funded by private landowners and residents, hence Murray investing in this himself. • Murray recommenced work two years later and finished his bridge in 1931 but unfortunately for him, the proposed flag station never eventuated. The bluestone siding you reference may well have been built by Murray as part of the proposed station platform. • Up until then, apart from the Main Road bridge, which was washed away in 1924, virtually all local crossings over the Diamond Creek were low lying bridges – Kaylocks Bridge at Brougham Street, Diamond Street bridge, Glen Park Road bridge. It is expected that Murray also had a low-lying bridge to connect his land either side of the creek. These were all washed away or severely damaged multiple times in the 1920s. Lessons were learnt, and Murrays Bridge appears to have been built in accordance with Country Road Board standards of the time. Flood damage was ongoing, and even more recently constructed raised bridges kept getting washed away, e.g., the new Wattle Tree Road bridge in 1958 just months after completion. Murray’s bridge was reinforced with steel some 30 years ago presumably to provide additional floodwater resistance, given the history of bridges disappearing in floodwaters. • In March 1932 it was reported in the Advertiser that there were still some prospectors operating around Eltham North who apart from further scarring the face of the earth over the previous two years had gained significant experience but little gold - hardly a driving factor for constructing a dedicated railway siding and bridge to transfer gold ore. It is far more probable that James Murray was hoping to have the railway station located on his property and invested his money by building the bridge to lead to it as well as a station platform. Had the station eventuated, it may well have driven up the value of his land for subdivision and new housing estates like the Glen Park Estate. That did not eventuate. Whilst the bridge was indeed old (90 years), the core structure being completed in 1931, it had been modified substantially from original and hence had no significant historic value – i.e., it was not a representative example of its type, construction, and age. Given that the bridge was not worthy of saving, the Eltham District Historical Society with Council’s support, and the Eltham Woodworkers group endeavoured to see what suitable sized timbers were salvageable to fabricate a commemorative seat. Unfortunately, the experts at the Woodworkers group were unable to salvage any suitable length/width timbers to fabricate the seat due to the presence of rot. Last remaining wooden trestle bridge on the Diamond Creek Trail just prior to demolition and replacementBorn digital image (27)diamond creek (creek), diamond creek trail, murrays bridge, ‘laurel hill’, john wright murray, mary (sweeney) murra, john murray jnr, james murray, john langlands, ‘ihurst’, ‘glen park estate’, beard's estate, franktonia, bonsack's estate, glen park estate, glen park railway station

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photograph1989, bruce ness, central park, eltham festival, jack hodson, opal smith, shire of eltham historical society

The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, main road, victorian folk music club, joh ebeli, 1989

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, bruce ness, jack hodson, opal smith, peter bassett-smith, youth road, doug orford, russell yeoman

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, youth road

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, youth road

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, youth road

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, sue law, doug orford

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, russell yeoman

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, opal smith

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, jack hodson

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, joh ebeli

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, jock read

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, joh ebeli, central park

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, jack hodson, opal smith, central park

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, central park, jack hodson, opal smith, bruce ness

Prize was a plate. Bruce Ness made the house on his truck. Joh Ebeli holding the sign. [from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, central park, bruce ness, joh ebeli

Society President, Sue Law, and Junior Vice-President Doug Orford carry the Society Banner leading the parade float. The Shire of Eltham Historical Society's parade float featured a gold mining theme - "The Eltham Goldrush" Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis Macdonald arranged for some of her friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson was placed in charge of the equipment on the float.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsFuji 100 Neltham, main road, eltham central park, eltham festival, parade, shire of eltham historical society, parade float

Society President, Sue Law, and Junior Vice-President Doug Orford carry the Society Banner leading the parade float. The Shire of Eltham Historical Society's parade float featured a gold mining theme - "The Eltham Goldrush" Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis Macdonald arranged for some of her friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson was placed in charge of the equipment on the float.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsFuji 100 Neltham, main road, eltham central park, eltham festival, parade, shire of eltham historical society, parade float

Society President, Sue Law, and Junior Vice-President Doug Orford carry the Society Banner leading the parade float. The Shire of Eltham Historical Society's parade float featured a gold mining theme - "The Eltham Goldrush" Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis Macdonald arranged for some of her friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson was placed in charge of the equipment on the float.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsFuji 100 Neltham, main road, eltham central park, eltham festival, parade, shire of eltham historical society, parade float

This was the finishing point for the parade. The Shire of Eltham Historical Society's parade float featured a gold mining theme - "The Eltham Goldrush" Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis Macdonald arranged for some of her friends from the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson was placed in charge of the equipment on the float.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsFuji 100 Neltham, main road, eltham central park, eltham festival, parade, shire of eltham historical society, parade float