Colour transparency (slide) created in June 1976 during a tour by the Junior National Trust, which was led by members of Kew Historical Society. The collection of 21 slides reveals that the tour covered all parts of Kew, but focused understandably on heritage buildings and sites.Image of an historic place in Kew that can be dated to an exact time and place. The images, albeit amateurish in composition, frequently reveal aspects of important buildings and sites that have changed over time.35mm colour transparency of the tower of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in High Street, Kew. Built of bluestone in 1863, with significant stained glass windows and memorial tablets, Holy Trinity is the oldest remaining ecclesiastical building in Kew. churches -- kew (vic.), holy trinity -- kew (vic.)

Colour transparency (slide) created in June 1976 during a tour by the Junior National Trust, which was led by members of Kew Historical Society. The collection of 21 slides reveals that the tour covered all parts of Kew, but focused understandably on heritage buildings and sites.Image of an historic place in Kew that can be dated to an exact time and place. The images, albeit amateurish in composition, frequently reveal aspects of important buildings and sites that have changed over time.35mm colour transparency of the upper section of the bluestone tower of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in High Street, Kew. churches -- kew (vic.), holy trinity -- kew (vic.)

Colour transparency (slide) created in June 1976 during a tour by the Junior National Trust, which was led by members of Kew Historical Society. The collection of 21 slides reveals that the tour covered all parts of Kew, but focused understandably on heritage buildings and sites.Image of an historic place in Kew that can be dated to an exact time and place. The images, albeit amateurish in composition, frequently reveal aspects of important buildings and sites that have changed over time.35mm colour transparency of the front entrance within the bluestone tower of Holy Trinity Anglican Church in High Street, Kew. churches -- kew (vic.), holy trinity -- kew (vic.)

The Kew Asylum Entrance Gateway and an adjacent gate lodge were built at the Princess Street entrance in 1873.1 The imposing sandstone pillars and cast-iron gates impressed upon visitors the therapeutic and civilising vision of the asylum. The entrance opened onto a tree-lined drive (now known as Main Drive) which culminated in an elliptical carriageway in front of the main building. (Heritage Council of Victoria)Colour photographic positive of the former Kew Asylum Gates which were relocated in 1942 to Victoria Park in High Street, Kew. The gates were listed by Heritage Victoria in 2020. The citation reads: "The Former Kew Asylum Entrance Gateway consists of two 4.5 metre sandstone gate piers on bluestone bases on either side of a 5.5 metre vehicle entrance set back from the High Street pavement. The 1870s gate piers are of Barrabool sandstone and repairs during 2015-16 were undertaken with sandstone from English Town, Tasmania. The gate piers are highly decorative and feature oculi, triglyphs, dentils, corbeling and other ornamental work. Each gate pier incorporates a pedestrian archway with a cast-iron pedestrian swing gate. Two curved sections of cast-iron palisade fencing on rusticated bluestone blocks extend from the outer edges of the piers to a set of shorter sandstone pillars on the High Street pavement. Straight sections of cast-iron fence extend 4.5 metres ending at two bluestone pillars. Garden beds have been created within the curved sections of fencing, bordered by concreted bluestone and planted with shrubs." (Heritage Council of Victoria)gates -- kew asylum, gates -- victoria park -- kew (vic.)

The Engineer's Department of the former City of Kew had an extensive collection of photograph of sites in Kew requiring documentation to inform public works. It also kept images of engineering practice in other parts of Melbourne, and overseas, that could be used as models for local activity. Many of these photographs (and plans) were donated to our collection in the 1980s. A number of the photographs are annotated, either on the image itself or on the reverse.This photograph, and others sourced from the City Engineer's Department of the former City of Kew, qualifies as an important record of local streets, public works, street beautification, and engineering techniques of the period. Original black and white photographic positive of automobiles and buildings in Denmark Street, Kew, immediately before the road enters Kew Junction. On the left is McKeon Motors and a retailer of Insulwool, while in the distance is the pharmacy on the corner of High Street and Princess Street (later demolished during the widening of Kew Junction). Notable are the bluestone guttering and what appears to be vacant land on the apex of the triangle of land bounded by High Street South, Denmark Street and Barkers Road. This site was the original location of O'Shaughnessy's 'Kew Hotel', and after the destruction by fire of the latter, the location of a service station. [It is now the site of the Cresco Reserve].Annotation verso: "Indicating the existence of a vehicular entrance at Denmark St abuttal of No.188 High St prior to reconstruction of channeling &c 1972."denmark street -- kew (vic.), kew junction, luestone gutters, mckeon motors, insulwool

The building photographed was one of the buildings erected on the former Bulla Primary School site. The original classroom was a bluestone construction and other weatherboard buildings were added as the school enrolment increased over the years.A non-digital coloured photograph of a classroom at the former Bulla Primary School.bulla primary school, school buildings.

The weatherboard building was one of three erected in the former Bulla Primary School grounds. The original school building was constructed from bluestone as was the case with many other buildings in the district. A non-digital coloured photograph of a cream weatherboard building with brown trims. There are tall conifers and gum trees trees in the background and a concrete pathway leading to the building's front door.bulla primary school, school buildings

This is an early photograph of St. Mary's Anglican Church in Sunbury. On 13th October 1863, the Government granted one acre of land on the corner of Stawell and O'Shanassy Streets for the building of a church. he first service was held on 24th November 1867. After that date subsequent additions were made. The gas lamp outside the church indicates that the photograph was taken before electric power was installed in Sunbury. St. Mary's Anglican Church is one of the earliest places of worship to be built in Sunbury.A non-digital sepia post card photograph of a small bluestone church with a slate roof with a wooden picket fence and two gates across the front. A gas lamp is on the pathway. Peter Collett's signature is on the back as well as a sticker with number 7 written on itst. mary's church of england., o'shanassy street, stawell street

The bridge in the photograph is the bluestone bridge at Bulla which spans the Deep Creek, a tributary of the Maribyrnong River. It was built in 1869 and replaced a ford crossing which was built further downstream. Many of the buildings and structures in the area were built from bluestone which is in abundance throughout this volcanic area.This bridge is one of many similar structures built across Western Victoria where the bluestone volcanic rock was found in abundance.A coloured close - up photograph of a four-arched blue stone bridge spanning a waterway. Some greenery is visible on either side of the bridge and above it. bulla bridge, bluestone, bridges, deep creek.

The post card features a view of the two storey Rupertswood Mansion which was built in Sunbury by Sir William Clarke in 1874. It had 50 rooms as well as a cellar and outbuildings ands built of bluestone. The tower is 100'(38.5metres) high. The card was sent by Waddy Paterson to his sister, Gladys, who was living at 89 Stirling Street, Perth in WA. He wrote the following message: "Dear Gladys, Keith and Waddy are having a grand time and we are here with Grandma and Auntie Anne in Sunbury we will be home soon now we leave by the SS Caroola on Wednesday 7th Dec. So be good until we come home your loving Waddy & brother Keith." Rupertswood Mansion is an important historic building in Sunbury and has had many functions over the years. A sepia photograph in post card format of a large mansion with a tower in a garden setting. A message has been hand written on the back of the card.RUPERTSWOOD/ SUNBURYrupertswood mansion

The single span bluestone bridge is on the Calder Highway at the base of Corkscrew Hill between Gap Road and the town of Gisborne. In the early 1990s the highway was widened and dual carriageways constructed, as a result the traffic no longer travelled along the winding Corkscrew Hill road. The bridge still stands between the two carriageways. A black and white photograph with a cream border of a single arched stone bridge spanning a watercourse. Small bushes are growing in the foreground and there are some buildings dotted across the hill in the middle distance.bridges, corkscrew hill, calder highway

Stawell Primary School 502 - Very early photo with timber picket fence. Three trees growing inside fence. Stone pitchers form guttering. One person standing near fence on left of photo.stawell education

This church was built in 1907 and became known as Holy Trinity Surrey Hills. This name had previously been used by the Anglican Church in Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert. This henceforth became known as St George's Anglican Church, Mont Albert. There are 2 copies: the original donated print and an enlargement. The original is mounted on card with photo mounts along with 890, 891 and 892. It measures 13 cm x 9 cm. Norman Carter took many photos of Surrey Hills and Mont Albert from the 1920s in particular of events and activities associated with the Church of England.Black and white photo of the original Holy Trinity Church building in Union Road. It is constructed of weatherboards, above which there is plasterboard and timber strapping. The roof is of terracotta tiles with a small steeple at the front and a larger one towards the rear of the building. There is a box bay window at the front and the entrance is from a porch on the southern side of the building. This is approached by stairs. Part of the vicarage can be seen on the northern high side of the church and to the south there is vacant land. The whole property sits behind a simple post and wire fence. There is a phaeton in the foreground beside a relatively newly planted street tree. The road has bluestone kerb and channelling.churches, holy trinity church, anglican church, horse-drawn vehicles, norman brodley carter, union road

In this undated drawing, believed to have been done in 1925, an existing bluestone store was extended out into the courtyard area. The extensions were on the south and west elevations, and the drawing includes a floor plan of these areas. Noted on the plan is the removal of fireplaces that existed in this building, the location abutting the Alfred Hospital reserve and location of the motor room.1 architectural plan of extension to bulk storeStephenson & Meldrum, Architects 374 Little Collins Street Melbourne Phone: 6990 On the back: Widening of old bluestone store plans & specroyal victorian institute for the blind, plans

1 William Street - Built late 1840s Mary Griffith owner in the late 1970’s to 1990’sColoured photograph of cottage built of bluestone and limestone curved transom over door.1 william street, mary griffith, building, bluestone

1 William StreetPhotograph1 william street, cottage, house, building, bluestone

South Beach Development looking from rocks to Mal Dorea’s housesouth beach, development, rocks, bluestone, mal dorea, house, building

South Beach Development looking toward Mal Dorea’s new house from the beach Coloured photograph of rocks and drain on beach looking at unfinished A framed house in backgrounsouth beach, development, mal dorea, house, building, bluestone, beach

John J. Huntly appears to have been the only licensee of the Royal Oak Hotel, built in 1858. He was a Councillor of the Municipality of Belfast at the time and later became the Secretary of the newly formed Minhamite Shire in 1872. By 1861 D. Smith appears as the licensee of the now named Commercial Hotel. In 1877 it was offered for sale—the building described as follows “Built of bluestone with slate roof, having a frontage to Bank street of 106 feet, 6 inches. Accommodation consists of twelve bedrooms, eight sitting rooms, bathroom, bar and cellar and detached kitchen also of bluestones, with outside offices. Around this time beside its usual business the hotel had various rooms for visiting doctors and a dentist. Dr. Berncastle, who was associated with the Sydney Eye Infirmary, performed several operations there on those suffering from cataracts. It was the meeting place for the Port Fairy Freemasons, before their Lodge was built in James street, and all the local sporting clubs, at one time or another. The veranda was added in 1900. The name Royal Oak was restored this century, but the name Commercial Hotel can still be seen in the leadlight window over the front entrance. The hotel still continues serving patrons with beverages and meals but no beds these days. There is also an addition to the building, as seen in the bottom illustration— a bottle shopBlack and white sketch photographed Line drawing of the Commercial hotelhotel, building, commercial, oak and anchor, inn, pub, d.smith

John J. Huntly appears to have been the only licensee of the Royal Oak Hotel, built in 1858. He was a Councillor of the Municipality of Belfast at the time and later became the Secretary of the newly formed Minhamite Shire in 1872. By 1861 D. Smith appears as the licensee of the now named Commercial Hotel. In 1877 it was offered for sale—the building described as follows “Built of bluestone with slate roof, having a frontage to Bank street of 106 feet, 6 inches. Accommodation consists of twelve bedrooms, eight sitting rooms, bathroom, bar and cellar and detached kitchen also of bluestones, with outside offices. Around this time beside its usual business the hotel had various rooms for visiting doctors and a dentist. Dr. Berncastle, who was associated with the Sydney Eye Infirmary, performed several operations there on those suffering from cataracts. It was the meeting place for the Port Fairy Freemasons, before their Lodge was built in James street, and all the local sporting clubs, at one time or another. The veranda was added in 1900. The name Royal Oak was restored this century, but the name Commercial Hotel can still be seen in the leadlight window over the front entrance. The hotel still continues serving patrons with beverages and meals but no beds these days. There is also an addition to the building, as seen in the bottom illustration— a bottle shopBlack and white photograph of 8 males formally posed outside entrance to Commercial hotelhotel, building, kemp family, bank street, royal oak, commercial, oak and anchor, d.smith

John J. Huntly appears to have been the only licensee of the Royal Oak Hotel, built in 1858. He was a Councillor of the Municipality of Belfast at the time and later became the Secretary of the newly formed Minhamite Shire in 1872. By 1861 D. Smith appears as the licensee of the now named Commercial Hotel. In 1877 it was offered for sale—the building described as “Built of bluestone with slate roof, having a frontage to Bank street of 106 feet, 6 inches. Accommodation consists of twelve bedrooms, eight sitting rooms, bathroom, bar and cellar and detached kitchen also of bluestones, with outside offices. Around this time beside its usual business the hotel had various rooms for visiting doctors and a dentist. Dr. Berncastle, who was associated with the Sydney Eye Infirmary, performed several operations there on those suffering from cataracts. It was the meeting place for the Port Fairy Freemasons, before their Lodge was built in James street, and all the local sporting clubs, at one time or another. The sign on the hotel states "Fitzgerald's Commercial Hotel" more research is being undertaken as to this owner or lessee. The veranda was added in 1900. The name Royal Oak was restored this century, but the name Commercial Hotel can still be seen in the leadlight window over the front entrance. The hotel has now been transformed into apartments and a restaurant called the Oak and Anchor Image of the hotel at an earlier timeBlack and white photograph of Two story bluestone painted commercial hotel with large verandah car at kerbhotel, building, bank street, john j huntly, d smith, royal oak, commercial, fitzgerald, kemp, oak and anchor

William and Emma Osmond with two small children arrived in Belfast in 1852 as assisted migrants assigned to R. H. Woodward . Two years later William was rated for a two room stone house in William street. By 1868 William Osmond was in business as a Butcher and was the holder of a Beer and Colonial wine license for his home which now numbered eight rooms. The license having been granted he opened the Volunteer Arms there, which he operated for two years whilst he had built, the two storied stone building next door, to take advantage of the fact that a livestock sale yards was operating on the opposite side of William street, hence the name Market Inn. William died in 1876 and his sons continued to run the hotel until 1916, when the building was sold and the license transferred to Harold Revell, a retired farmer. The license was revoked in 1918. and the building became a private dwelling . The building is still standing although the market for which it was named is long gone. It is now a private home and Art Gallery. Image of the building as it presents todayblack and white photograph of Two story bluestone market hotel with rendered front and checkered quoinshotel, building, william street, market, osmond, volunteer arms

St Andrew's Church (Presbyterian)Black and white photograph of Large bluestone church with tall narrow windows either side of double door entrance with two steps church, sunday-school, building, james street, st andrews, presbyterian

St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church Built 1859-1867 Foundation stone laid in July 1857, money being raised be subscription and a government grant. Charles Hansom was the Architect, Nathaniel Billing Engineer. Chancel and sacristy were added in 1867, stained glass windows added in 1868. This looks to be a very early photo of the church.Black and white photograph of Large bluestone church with tower with crosses on gable ends and 3 panel arched windowschurch, sunday-school, building, catholic, st patrick's, princes highway

Edna Barrie describes the Darlingsford property. C.E. Barrrie Land developers bought the property from my husband’s brother. It was one big farm and they were a big family. When the father died he left it to be cut up for the family. The youngest son had to reach age 21 before the property could be divided and portioned out to the mother and children, but it was deferred until Jim returned from the war. Eventually it was cut up into two parts, we were married by then and so was Edgar. Part of the land included the block on the other side of Ferris road, which became the quarry, Edgar’s section was on the Toolern Creek end, he was the last one married and lived in the old bluestone house until 1974. The developers bought this section but they could not get permits due to the state of the old bridge due to the cost. Barries had built the bridge across the creek [1926]. It took the big loads of hay and the family kept it maintained. Once the Barries had gone it did not get any upkeep. The developers found the cost of replacing the bridge and developing site with sewerage and drainage power before they sell. The rural land itself is not worth much as the developer has to complete the subdivision before any blocks can be sold. The developer from Sydney had a man living in the house, who let it go the rack and ruin. He managed to buy from the developer 25 acres with the bluestone house. Bernard Coburn had it for a while but is was well out of our hands by then. There were various people who have bought into and tried to develop and have given up. There was a project sometime ago to save the buildings from ruin but nothing has happened as yet, they are six or seven years to late. The buildings continue to deteriorate and were badly damaged vandals and fire. The Shire bought all the rest of it from the developer, where the tip is now, that was also part of Edgars land. Article about a fire at Darlingsford Estate featured in the Telegraphlocal architecture, local identities, emergency services

"A court was established in Melton by 1864, when the first recorded case was heard before Mr BA Porter JP, with Mr A Carroll as the Clerk of Courts. John James was convicted of being drunk, for which he was fined five shillings or 24 hours imprisonment. The court was held in the ‘long room’ of the old Melton Hotel, before moving to rented accommodation at the Raglan Hotel, and finally to the Roads Board office. Tenders for construction of the present building were called for by the Public Works Department on 13th February 1892. The architect Samuel Edward Brindley was born in Birmingham, England, in 1842. He was articled to the local architect, J.R. Botham, FRIBA, before emigrating to Victoria where he was employed as an architect in the Education Department from 18 August 1873. With the amalgamation of the architectural branch of the Education Department with the Public Works Department in 1884, Bindley was placed in charge of Victorian government building design for the North-Western District. In 1975, the Melton and District Historical Society became concerned at hearsay that the court house was to be demolished to make way for carparking space. Melton had been declared a ‘satellite city’ and was developing rapidly. A new shopping centre had recently been built at a setback of 60 feet (c.18 metre) from 323-329 High Street, and the court house, together with the adjacent weatherboard police station, had been left standing alone. A new police station was planned, and the weatherboard police station was subsequently demolished. In its nomination of the building for National Trust classification the Society argued that the Court House was ‘the best of two early buildings left in the main street’ (the other being a bluestone hotel) and that its loss would be ‘tragic’. However the nomination was unsuccessful, the National Trust at the time judging that it was of no particular ‘distinction’ or ‘antiquity’. The building continued to be used as a court house at least until 1991 when the Department of Housing and Construction (formerly the PWD) conducted a heritage study of court houses. By this time Federation-era architecture had achieved acceptance within the heritage movement. The building was recognised as being ‘the only surviving example in brick of the Federation Queen Anne style which was used for court houses only twice.’ Twenty years later when it was proposed to modify the eastern façade of the building to accommodate a café, the M&DHS was again concerned. This time the National Trust objected that the proposed extension would be an over-development of the site, and questioned the changes to the interior court room furnishings and fittings. The site never appears to have been nominated to the Victorian Heritage Register. It has since been converted into the Shire of Melton Tourist Information Centre". Opening of the Visitor Centre in Meltoncouncil, local architecture

David Gordon Collection.

Printed booklet. 20 unnumbered pages. Mainly pictorial. Black and white and colour images. non-fictionPublication details: The Plough: Her Tenants & Other Distractions by Ruth Mills. [The Plough, Myrniong, Vic, 2023?]. The Plough is a Restaurant at Myrniong close to Bacchus Marsh situated in the the restored building of the old Plough Inn. The Plough Inn was a historic bluestone hotel built in the 1900s which replaced an earlier hotel which had existed on the site since 1861. The booklet consists of 20 unnumbered pages containing images of people associated with the Plough Inn over several generations. hotels - myrniong, restaurants - mryniong, plough inn myrniong

"Strathtulloh, 1402-1600 Greigs Road, Melton South, is significant as an early property in Victoria, retaining different eras of pioneering dwellings, ranging from a ruin to a fine Colonial style homestead. The property has close historical association with the early settlement of the Melton district, and was owned by the Henty family in the 1840s. The Strathtulloh property was alienated by the Crown in 1840 to Charles James Garrard, who sold it in 1848 to Charles and Stephen Henty, whose sister Jane and her husband Samuel Bryan lived there in the late 1840s. In 1853 the property then passed to William Tulloh, after whom the homestead was named. A primitive bluestone ruin of near the Toolern Creek, built of vesicular bluestone and mud mortar, is of unknown origin. It has commonly been assumed to pre-date 1840, and to have belonged to the original holder of the Exford lease, Dr Watton or Port Phillip Association member Dr Cotterill. This is unlikely, as the 1841 census records Dr Watton, and everyone else in the district, as living in a ‘wood’ dwelling. It may instead have been the residence of Garrard, and the Bryans, in the 1840s and an early map names a site near here as ‘Bryan’s outstation’. It is assumed that the two-level stone building that became the kitchen is the earliest intact building on the site, and was the first homestead; it is likely to date to the 1840s or 1850s. The main homestead is a substantial villa constructed of random coursed bluestone, with a verandah facing three sides, attic bedrooms with dormer windows, a fan light over the front door, a hipped roof originally clad in slate, and a large cellar. Although demonstrating characteristics of pioneering construction, such as unworked log beams, pit sawn beams, hand-sawn lintels and colonial door locks, documentary evidence shows that it was built c.1869. The homestead has now been structurally repaired and decoratively restored; a sympathetic new semi-detached rear extension was added in the early years of the 21st century. The former kitchen building has also undergone minor repairs and alterations". Strathtulloh Homestead at 1402-1600 Greigs Road, Melton Southlocal architecture

"A perpetual spring in the adjacent creek provided a steady supply of fresh water to the site on which the homestead is built. Although we can not be certain of the identity of the builder, the first stage of ‘The Willows’ homestead appears to have been constructed in the mid 1850s. The house is situated on Crown Allotment No.1 (No Section), Parish of Kororoit, an allotment of 5 acres 3 roods 4 perches. Although it had surveyed the land, the Crown did not offer it for sale until 22nd November 1861, at which time it was purchased by Charles March Williams. (Although the property is directly opposite and immediately adjacent to the Township of Melton, and was sold as ‘Suburban Allotment 33’, it was situated within the Shire of Braybrook rather than the Shire of Melton until 1917.) Considerable improvements had taken place on the land prior to the Crown sale. When CM Williams purchased the allotment in November 1861 he paid £23.5.0 for the land itself, and valued the improvements at £400. Even allowing for some exaggeration by Williams, this is an extremely high valuation for improvements, and must have included a house. Some local research has claimed that in 1858 Williams had taken over the interest of a Mr Parkinson in the property, and that Parkinson built the house upon taking possession of the land c.1855. It was definitely built by 1861, when a map shows a square building on the site marked as ‘House’. The property is important in the district for its association with the establishment of the pound. The district pound had been established in 1854, when George Scarborough of Mount Cottrell (Mt Cottrell Road, south of Greigs Road) was appointed pound-keeper. Scarborough resigned in 1857. The pound was moved to Melton following agitation from local farmers and Charles March Williams appointed pound-keeper on 26th April 1858. Williams, the son of a doctor, had been born in London. Reminiscences of local residents of the time, as recorded in the Express newspaper, note Williams’ success in breeding horses on the property. Sales of up to 60 guineas were noted. Whether this was from Williams’s own stock or from unclaimed pound stock is not made clear. Williams appeared before a government inquiry in 1860 and advocated registration of all stock brands in the State. Williams died in 1862 leaving a widow, Catherine, and five living children aged 15 years to five months. At the time of his death Williams had entered negotiations with one Matthew Devenish and had a mortgage of £100 on allotments 1 and 2, Parish of Kororoit. Catherine Williams was appointed pound-keeper on 2 September 1863, with her eldest son Charles as her assistant. Her tenure was short for on 22nd March 1864 George Minns senior paid Matthew Devenish £135 for allotments 1 and 2 Parish of Kororoit (considerably less than Williams had claimed the property was worth in 1861) and on the same day paid William Tullidge £45 for the adjoining allotments 3 and 4. In April 1867, James Ebden Minns, the newly married son of George senior became the owner of The Willows property having entered into a mortgage arrangement with his father to the extent of £200. At the time George Minns was residing in Kaarimba having left Melton in 1867 for a short trip to England and upon his return having taken up a selection in the Kaarimba district with his son Frederick who had a hotel licence there. James paid out the mortgage on 2-1-1873. James Minns was appointed pound-keeper in 1872; in 1885 the pound was moved elsewhere and Minns purchased the old pound site and added it to his farm. The Willows residence underwent a major change about this time. A two room extension, similar in style but with a lower elevation was added to the original rear of the house with a chimney matching the distinctive originals. Window arrangements did not match the original but became a feature of the façade when the new addition became the front of the building. Six buttresses were attached to the east and west walls of the old building, two to the south wall and the whole rendered with mortar to give the appearance of dressed stonework around the windows. Galvanized iron was placed over the shingles and a verandah added on three sides. By 1876 The Willows was the homestead for a thriving mixed farm of 340 acres of which 156 was rented from a H. Ruck. In October of that year the Australasian travelling reporter visited and reported on the property. In common with the nearly every other property in the district the farm had ‘recently’ (generally within the last two years) abandoned cultivation of crops, and turned over completely to cattle pasture. Butter making was the principal occupation of the farm, which had about 50 head of cattle, a large proportion of which were milking cows. The reporter also noted that a ‘large number of pigs are kept upon this farm and are found to be very profitable stock’. Their manure was used in an orchard and garden in which ‘large quantities of lucerne and prairie grass are grown for the use of stock when ordinary feed is scarce’. Two bores attached to deep brick lined wells supplied water for the house in addition to the farm. A commodious timber barn and necessary sheds had also been constructed. Access to the property was improved following the construction of the bluestone ford across the creek c.1887, when the recreation ground came into use. Prior to this date it may have been that the crossing referred to as ‘Mr Minns bridge’ was used. This appears to have been a flimsy structure and has but two references in Council reports in the Melton Express in the 1880’s. It is believed that in the late 1890’s a timber building was added near the rear of the building to house a kitchen, ablutions and laundry rooms and rooms for seasonal workers. This was attached to the house by means of a trellised walkway using the original front entry to the house (long since the back door). A photograph of this building appears in a local history of Melton. This was demolished in recent decades during the period when the house was tenanted (after the Minns family had left). James Minns son, George, took over the property following his marriage to Alice Walsh in 1903. James and Caroline moved into a house on the former JH Games property at the eastern end of Henry Street. George held the position of Shire Secretary for Melton for 40 years. He was a most prominent member of the community being Secretary to, among others, the Melton Coursing Club, the Shooting Club and the Cemetery Trust. He also rode with the hunting parties who sported across the Plains and were entertained at Mount Kororoit. George and Alice had one son, Norman who followed his father into local government and became Secretary of the Shire of Werribee completing a record term in this position. George retired to Werribee in 1951, where he died in 1965. The National Trust records note that James Ebden Minns and his sons were ‘leading men of the district, Justices of the Peace, and Shire Councillors’. It claims that Sir Thomas Bent was a frequent visitor. The Willows passed into the hands of George’s grandson, Bruce Minns and the property was let for a number of years. In the 1960s it became vacant and was subject to vandalism. Major structural problems arose with the part demolition of the roof, the loss of windows and doors and holes dug into and under the floorboards. The outbuildings were particularly targeted. Following widespread public support, the Shire of Melton purchased the house, with 3.75 acres of land, in 1972. In 1975 the Shire of Melton and the Melton and District Historical Society were successful in nominating the building for National Trust classification, and then the Australian Heritage Commission’s Register of the National Estate. The AHC particularly noted its ‘townscape importance’. It was envisaged that the farmhouse would form ‘a picturesque centrepiece to Melton’s planned … historical park, along with Dunvegan bluestone cottage … and similar structures as they become available.’ In a time of great Melton’s ‘satellite city’ development the Council spelt out its broader vision in its submission to the AHC: ‘Melton is destined to become, by the end of the present century, a city of between 75,000 and 100,000 people. Significant relics of the past, such as ‘The Willows’, regrettably will be rare in that situation. It is essential that sufficient tangible links with Melton’s pioneering days remain to promote in the new community a sense of history and continuity’. Under the direction of ‘The Willows’ Restoration Committee and consultant architect John Hitch, all outbuildings, with the exception of the garage and toilet, were demolished and the dwelling house restored. Finances were provided by the Shire of Melton and the National Estate Grants Program, and considerable amount of voluntary labour was provided by the local community. The orchard was removed, and remaining wooden buildings were relocated to provide an open vista for visitors to the Park. The property was furnished with donations from district families keen to preserve this example of pioneer life in the area. The Willows became the headquarters of the Melton and District Historical Society". Invitation to the family reunion at the Willowslocal identities, pioneer families