The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest.Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS. Tom Sheehy, past President of CMHS, was an Historian and Author of ‘Battlers Tamed the Sandbelt’. 2 x A4 paper printed on 3 sides Issue 10 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in February 2009. The Victorian Bushfire tragedy around Marysville is still unfolding as this Newsletter is written. The first meeting for the year is February 22nd and subscriptions are due. An excerpt is transcribed from the City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter October 1962, “A Piece of History in Ormond” by an unknown eyewitness author, describing the original “Box Cottage” situated in Mr J. Reitman’s cement products factory at 306 Jasper Road, Ormond prior to demolition. The current Editor gives information obtained from further recent research . An Article by Tom Sheehy, past President and Historian, February 1979 “The Vineyards of Moorabbin”. The ‘Brighton Estate” began when Henry Moor brought Vine cuttings from Camden NSW 1848 and they were productive after 3 years. Many Vineyards then appeared from Port Phillip Bay to East Boundary Road and produced 2/3 of the annual Victorian grape crop. Disease or insect caused failure in1858 and the land reverted to market gardens. A coloured photocopied photo of Box Cottage 2005. CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / FEBRUARY 2009 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, sheehy tom, melbourne, moorabbin, brighton, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, vineyards, fruit growing, vine diseases, winemaking, grapes, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, box cottage museum, dairy, port phillip bay, brighton estate, moor henry, cambden estate, reitman j., reitman w., cement, pottery, jasper road ormond, east boundary road brighton, dendy’s special survey 1851, point nepean road, south road brighton, thomas street brighton, north road brighton, county of bourke, box h., box william, bruton william, brighton brewery, parish of moorabbin, parish of prahran, markets, shingle roof, weather-board, downward mr., mckinnon

The City of Moorabbin Historical Society was formed c 1960 by a group of Moorabbin residents who were concerned that the history of the area should be preserved. A good response to a call for items related to the historical area of Moorabbin Shire brought donations of a wide variety of artefacts which are now preserved by the current members of CMHS at Box Cottage Museum . Helen Stanley, Secretary of CMHS, began producing a Newsletter for members in April 2007 to provide current information and well researched items of historical interest. Helen Stanley has produced a bi-monthly Newsletter, 2007 - 2013, for the members of the City of Moorabbin Historical Society that contains well researched interesting historical items, notification of upcoming events, current advice from Royal Australian Historical Society , Museums Australia Victoria and activities of Local Historical Societies. The Newsletter is an important record of the activities of the CMHS Local newspaper reports about the ‘discovery’ of Box Cottage’ 1977 3 x A4 paper printed on 1 side Issue 16 of the bi-monthly, City of Moorabbin Historical Society Newsletter produced by Society member and Secretary, Mrs Helen Stanley in April 2010.. Notice for the meeting on Anzac Day, Sunday 25th , 3 photocopied photographs taken by 2nd Lieutenant Vic Smith aboard the troopship “Port Sydney” coming home from WW1 in 1919. An article ‘Re-visiting some ‘Box Cottage’ Facts recounts the discovery of the ‘Cottage’ in a shed on the property purchased by Mr Laurie Lewis from the Reitman family in 1977. Thankfully Mr Lewis appreciated such a find and donated it to the City of Moorabbin, and together it was dismantled and re-constructed in Joyce Park, Ormond in 1988 – 100 yards from the original site. Excerpts from 3 articles in ‘The Moorabbin Standard’ and ‘Chadstone Progress’ Newspapers 1977 describing the newly discovered early settler cottage on the Lewis Timber Pty Ltd property in Jasper Road, Ormond. A photocopied photograph of the ‘Box Cottage’ June 1977 when used as a storage facility. CITY of MOORABBIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY / APRIL 2010 NEWSLETTERcity of moorabbin historical society, stanley helen, lewis laurie, lewis grace, lewis timber pty. ltd., melbourne, moorabbin, cheltenham, ormond, bentleigh, market gardeners, pioneers, early settlers, moorabbin shire, box cottage museum, smith vic, ss port sydney, world war one 1914 – 1918, soldiers, aif, reitman j., box john, box william, dendy henry, bullock drays, moorabbin roads board 1862, dendy’s special survey 1841, mclean n, box henry, joyce park ormond, city of moorabbin

A small, hard-wood table with decorative spindles, three drawers, and turned legs is from the original pioneer cottage built on land that was part of the Dendy's Special Survey 1841 . Now 302 Jasper Road Ormond. The table is in fair condition, but not complete. It is thought that the original drawer handles most likely deteriorated or were broken over the years. An unknown person replaced the original handles with modern glass knobs, in the late 1970’s. This table was in the original pioneer cottage which is now Reconstructed Box Cottage Museum. An unknown pioneer built the Cottage circa 1850 and it was purchased by William Box in 1865. William and Elizabeth Box lived in the Cottage until 1914 when it was sold to August Reitman who resided there until 1950. In 1964 the Cottage was moved to the present site , Joyce Park, adjacent to 302 Jasper Road Ormond A small, hard-wood table with decorative spindles, three drawers, and turned legs is from the original pioneer cottage built on land that was part of the 1841 Dendy's Special Survey The table is in fair condition, but not complete. It is thought that the original drawer handles most likely deteriorated or were broken over the years. An unknown person replaced the original handles with modern glass knobs, in the late 1970’s. moorabbin, table, ormond, bentleigh, pioneer, dendy henry, box william, market gardener, reitman august, dendy special survey