Geoff Evans was the third generation to run Evans Brothers Sawmills that operated from the northern end of the Echuca Wharf from 1923 to 1983. His grandfather Richard James Evans orig. of England, settled in Victoria at a young age. He first worked as a butcher and later cut firewood in the Heathcote and Bacchus Marsh area. ‘R.J.’, as he was known established a sawmill at Barmah in the 1890s, before relocating to this site in 1923. It became known officially as the Evans Bros. Echuca Red Gum Sawmill. This site proved more economical due to its position at the railhead. Paddlesteamers towed barges carrying the logs from the surrounding forests to this mill. The Steamers that were owned by the Evans family were the Edwards (built 1875) and the Melbourne (built 1912). The Edwards was the main towing vessel. Outrigger barges at this mill were the Impulse (1885), Alison (1907), Clyde (once a paddlesteamer, built in 1884). Insider barges at the mill were old wool barges with iron topsides, the J.L.Roberts (1894), ADA (1899) and the Whaler which was of wooden construction. The Evans Mill cut both red gum and Murray pine. There was a main mill for the red gum and a second one for the pine on this site. Two new Marshall steam engines had been purchased by the family, one was used in the P.S. Edwards and the other for the Barmah mill and later this site. The Evans Bros. Mill was very much a family concern with it being owned and operated firstly by R.J., then his son Frederick. R. Evans and later grandson Geoff Evans. The mill employed 18 workers and operated until the 1980s, only briefly was it in the hands of other owners before the construction on part of the site of a tourist-oriented building known as the Red Gum Works which eventually made way for the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre in 2014.Knowledge of the redgum timber milling industry and associated mechanisms such as log slips is scant with little photographic representations to be found. The industry created alongside the Murray River in various places was very unique given the nature of red gum not floating and ingenuity and making use of local resources was required. Geoff Evans had firsthand knowledge of much of this process and how the Echuca Wharf area used to be in past decades. Geoff was also a popular musician and mayor of Echuca so had much knowledge of the local history and community.Digital recording of oral history interview with Geoff Evans of Evans Brothers Sawmill Echuca. evans bros, evans bros saw mills, evans' sawmill, geoff evans, log slip, log skid, p.s. edwards, p.s. melbourne, impulse barge, allison barge, clyde barge, j.l. roberts barge, ada barge, whaler barge, murray pine, redgum, marshall engines, r.j evans, f.j. evans, discovery centre, p.s. marion

Two items about this property: A type written letter dated 03/11/1988 from Rosalind Landells and Hilary Bullock regarding the history of the occupants of 10 Long Street Elsternwick from 1889-1974. Included is a handwritten page of working notes, undated and unattributed listing the occupant history. An advertisement unsourced, dated 26/5/2006 for the forthcoming auction of 10 Long Street. The advertisement describes key architectural and other features of the house and includes a copy of a colour photograph.elsternwick, long street, advertisements, victorian style, land sales, architectural features, auctions, depression 1890s, land subdivision, munro john p, reynolds i a miss, bainbridge f f, ebbs william h, hunt harry, turner m c miss, hobbs cecil h, mcgillivray e mrs, bowles james, place thomas e, murray herbert, mcbride george, homeman george e, answerth l. m mrs, newling arthur, swann herbert c, matheson alfred, hannett r e, sullivan j, bullock hillary, landells rosalind

Photocopy of a short newspaper article from the Southern Cross, dated 18/06/1986, about Thomas Watt, who built Glen Huntly in 1855, one of the first substantial homes in the area. Refers briefly to the suburb’s residential and commercial development and includes a photograph (60mm x 145mm) of the exterior of Glen Huntly house and two photographs (37mm x 57mm) of the surrounding suburb. The file also includes a copy of a one page letter to the Historical Society of St Kilda from Nancy Renfree, dated 11/02/2000, about her great-grandfathers Thomas Watt and Henry Bunn, giving brief biographical information about both.glen huntly, glenhuntly, watts thomas, wilson john w, pioneers, huntly street, grange road, glenhuntly road, glen huntly road, architects, caulfield, station place, glenhuntly traders’ association, murray street, holy cross church, ricketson henry, glen eira, caulfield military hospital, caulfield, roads board, bunn henry, hotham street, ripponlea, weatherboard buildings, renfree nancy