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Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Fred Rochow Railways Collection - Shunting at Shelley Station, 1961
The Fred Rochow Railways Collection incorporates photos related to the operation of the Wodonga Railway Station including different types of trains and railways staff C. 1930 – 1990. It was donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Fred Rochow, a railwayman who spent many years based in Wodonga. He joined the Victorian Railways on 17th June l947 and retired in 1988. For some time, he was a member of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen and served a term as a member of the Trades Hall Council. He had an extensive knowledge of the struggles that took place to achieve better conditions for railway workers. Fred worked for many years as a fireman and then worked his way up the ranks to driver, experiencing many changes from the days of steam locomotives through to diesel trains, locomotives and even the modern XPT train. He worked throughout Victoria at different stages of his career, with his final working years focused on the northeast of Victoria and the Albury to Melbourne line. After his retirement, Fred continued to share his love of steam miniature trains with the community. Shelley Railway Station - Shelley was once Victoria's highest railway station, located 781 metres above sea level. The Shelley Railway Station was opened in 1916 and closed in 1979. The railway was used early in its life to transport farmer’s livestock from the Upper Murray to Wodonga. From the 1950s the railway was used heavily to transport equipment and machinery from Wodonga to the Upper Murray to help build the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme. The Snowy Hydro Scheme was completed in 1974 and after several years of low level use, the railway was closed. Some remnants of the Shelley Station passenger platform can still be seen today, along with some information boards. The Shelley Railway Station now forms part of the High Country Rail Trail.This collection has local and statewide significance as it captures images of trains, locomotives and personnel who operated the railway services in Wodonga and throughout Northeast Victoria. The railways played a critical role in opening up Victoria and connecting Australia for trade, business, social communication and transport.Left to Right: Fireman Bert Cadman, Driver Wally Riley, Guard Hugh Fraser. Locomotive S300 - the ‘Matthew Flinders’ The S class diesel locomotives were built by Clyde Engineering in 1957 for the Victorian Railways. Designed as premier express passenger diesels, they assumed the ‘S class’ title from a fleet of steam locomotives. They were also given names of famous Australians. The S300 took the name ‘Matthew Flinders’. In 1962, S300 was converted from the Victorian broad gauge of 5’3” to the New South Wales gauge of 4’8.5”, in order to operate the new Southern Aurora between Sydney & Melbourne. As the locomotive grew older it was removed from these duties and was sold to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia (CFCLA) in 2004. It is now owned by a private owner and is on loan to the Canberra Railway Museum.railways wodonga, fred rochow, wodonga railwaymen, s class locomotive -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Meat Safe known as a "Coolgardie safe", Early 1900s
The Coolgardie safe was invented in the late 1890s on the Western Australian goldfields. Its invention was credited to a local contractor named Arthur Patrick McCormick. It was a practical system to preserve food prior to modern refrigeration. The wire grid kept the food safe from vermin and allowed breeze to blow through. It was often covered with wet hessian so that as the breeze circulated the water evaporated, creating the same concept as coolant in modern refrigerators and ice boxes. In most respects it was a variation of the bushman’s hessian bag hanging in a tree. In larger towns and cities during this time period large "ice works" could deliver block ice to areas that required a form of refrigeration. These ice blocks where held in early refrigerators to keep perishables cool. In isolated or rural households, the Coolgardie or meat safe was the next best, practical solution for food preservation. This safe was used in the home of the Conway family in Wodonga.This item is very significant to the Wodonga region as it represents the initiative and problem solving skills of the early settlers. It also reflects the primitive conditions in which they lived before the arrival of more modern services such as electricity.Meat safe or Coolgardie safe manufactured in Australia. This safe is made from metal and has been painted in green paint. 2 sides of the safe have a pattern of 6 squares of holes to allow for ventilation and air flow. The holes would also guard against insects and other vermin. There is one shelf inside, dividing it into 2 sections. The safe has a hook attached so that it can be suspended, often from a tree or on a verandah to increase air flow. The safe would often be covered by wet hessian to promote further cooling and preservation of foods such as milk, butter and meat.coolgardie safe, food preservation, pioneers innovation -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Domestic object - Hand made toasting fork, Mid 20th Century
This fork was made by a member of the Conway family of Wodonga. It was used for making toast over an open fire well before modern toasters become widely available. It demonstrates the ingenuity of early settlers and pioneers before the advent of modern appliances and services. This item demonstrates the ingenuity of earlier pioneers and settlers to adapt to their living conditions and improvise from their available resources and environment.A hand-made wire toasting fork. It has three prongs and the handle is twisted with a loop at the top for hanging. It is made from fencing wire.hand made utensils, kitchen ware, pioneer skills -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Fred Rochow Railways Collection - Shelley Station
The Fred Rochow Railways Collection incorporates photos related to the operation of the Wodonga Railway Station including different types of trains and railways staff C. 1930 – 1990. It was donated to the Wodonga Historical Society by Fred Rochow, a railwayman who spent many years based in Wodonga. He joined the Victorian Railways on 17th June l947 and retired in 1988. For some time, he was a member of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen and served a term as a member of the Trades Hall Council. He had an extensive knowledge of the struggles that took place to achieve better conditions for railway workers. Fred worked for many years as a fireman and then worked his way up the ranks to driver, experiencing many changes from the days of steam locomotives through to diesel trains, locomotives and even the modern XPT train. He worked throughout Victoria at different stages of his career, with his final working years focused on the northeast of Victoria and the Albury to Melbourne line. After his retirement, Fred continued to share his love of steam miniature trains with the community. Shelley Railway Station - Shelley was once Victoria's highest railway station, located 781 metres above sea level. The Shelley Railway Station was opened in 1916 and closed in 1979. The railway was used early in its life to transport farmer’s livestock from the Upper Murray to Wodonga. From the 1950s the railway was used heavily to transport equipment and machinery from Wodonga to the Upper Murray to help build the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme. The Snowy Hydro Scheme was completed in 1974 and after several years of low level use, the railway was closed. Some remnants of the Shelley Station passenger platform can still be seen today, along with some information boards. The Shelley Railway Station now forms part of the High Country Rail Trail.This collection has local and statewide significance as it captures images of trains, locomotives and personnel who operated the railway services in Wodonga and throughout Northeast Victoria. The railways played a critical role in opening up Victoria and connecting Australia for trade, business, social communication and transport.Shelley Railway Station. This image shows the tank where the hand brakes were lifted. They were applied again at the "up" side of Koetong for about another 10 miles then lifted near Bullioh.railways wodonga, fred rochow, shelley station, high country rail trail -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Horse Sales at Wodonga Saleyards
The sale of stock in Wodonga goes back to its earliest history with yards being operated on the site now occupied by Elgin's Hotel and the Centro Shopping Centre, located close to the railways. Horse sales were an important part of the history of the Wodonga Saleyards. Horses were bred in north-east Victoria for the Indian Market, and records show that a truck load of horses left Wodonga Station in 1875. Campbell & Sons commenced selling horses at the Elgin Street site in 1895 and they conducted regular sales in association with Younghusband Ltd. Campbell & Sons was a Melbourne-based company, which eventually merged with Wright Stephenson & Co. Wodonga and Towong Sentinel of Friday 3rd March 1899 reported “Buyers attended from Bendigo, Ballarat, Calcutta, Madras, Singapore, The Islands, Gippsland, Dandenong, and Melbourne. Indian remounts brought up to £32 10s, draughts to £25, medium draughts to £18, town hacks and harness horses to £32, buggy pairs to £65, and light weedy sorts to £5.” After World War II, large numbers of mainly Clydesdale working horse teams were driven to Wodonga for sale. The March horse sale was the biggest and most important event of the year with overall yardings of 1,000 horses sold over two or even three days. It was a very busy period. All the horses were put through the ring singly, usually by Felix Grundy and generally caught and mouthed by Harold Boon, Andy Elliot or Toy Mulqueeney. The majority of the horses sold were trucked by rail from Wodonga. With developments in technology and the changing role of the horse in modern society, the sale of horses dwindled although horse sales at Wodonga continued until the early 1980s.These items are significant because they represent an important industry in Wodonga's past as a major centre of livestock sales in Victoria.Photographic images of horses on sale at Wodonga Saleyards.wodonga saleyards, horse sales wodonga -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Book - S.S.& A Club : A History, Howard C Jones, 1994
This book traces the History of the Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Club in Albury NSW from early fundraising efforts in 1994 to development to an important services club and modern entertainment facility.non-fictionThis book traces the History of the Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Club in Albury NSW from early fundraising efforts in 1994 to development to an important services club and modern entertainment facility.albury s.s & a club, veterans, service clubs nsw -
Montmorency/Eltham RSL Sub Branch
Weapon - British 18 Pounder WW1 Artillery Round, WW! Artillery Round, 1916
The Ordnance QF 18-pounder was the standard British field gun of the First World War and was used by both British and Commonwealth Forces. It was horse drawn until the army replaced horses with motor vehicles in the 1930s. The gun was still in use with the Australian Army in the early days of WW2 until replaced by more modern 25 pounder gun/howitzers. Rimmed brass shell with iron and steel projectile.18 PR II M.A.C. 255 F BA 19816 1916artillery -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Audio - Gramophone Cylinder, National Phonograph Co, Poor old England, 1908
Edison Records was one of the early record labels that pioneered sound recording and reproduction, and was an important player in the early recording industry. The first phonograph cylinders were manufactured in 1888, followed by Edison's foundation of the Edison Phonograph Company in the same year. The recorded wax cylinders, later replaced by Blue Amberol cylinders, and vertical-cut Diamond Discs, were manufactured by Edison's National Phonograph Company from 1896 on, reorganized as Thomas A. Edison, Inc. in 1911. Until 1910 the recordings did not carry the names of the artists. The company began to lag behind its rivals in the 1920s, both technically and in the popularity of its artists, and halted production of recordings in 1929. Thomas A. Edison invented the phonograph, the first device for recording and playing back sound, in 1877. After patenting the invention and benefiting from the publicity and acclaim it received, Edison and his laboratory turned their attention to the commercial development of electric lighting, playing no further role in the development of the phonograph for nearly a decade. Start of the Recording Industry: In 1887, Edison turned his attention back to improving the phonograph and the phonograph cylinder. The following year, the Edison company introduced the ”Perfected Phonograph”. Edison introduced wax cylinders approximately 4+1⁄4 inches (11 cm) long and 2+1⁄4 inches (5.7 cm) in external diameter, which became the industry standard. They had a maximum playing time of about 3 minutes at 120 RPM, but around the turn of the century the standard speed was increased to (first 144) and then 160 RPM to improve clarity and volume, reducing the maximum to about 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Several experimental wax cylinder recordings of music and speech made in 1888 still exist. The wax entertainment cylinder made its commercial debut in 1889 at first, the only customers were entrepreneurs who installed nickel-in-the-slot phonographs in amusement arcades, saloons and other public places. At that time, a phonograph cost the equivalent of several months' wages for the average worker and was driven by an electric motor powered by hazardous, high-maintenance wet cell batteries. After more affordable spring-motor-driven phonographs designed for home use were introduced in 1895, the industry of producing recorded entertainment cylinders for sale to the general public began in earnest. Blank records were an important part of the business early on. Most phonographs had or could be fitted with attachments for the users to make their own recordings. One important early use, in line with the original term for a phonograph as a "talking machine", was in business for recording dictation. Attachments were added to facilitate starting, stopping, and skipping back the recording for dictation and playback by stenographers. The business phonograph eventually evolved into a separate device from the home entertainment phonograph. Edison's brand of business phonograph was called the Ediphone. The collection of three phonograph cylinders are an example of early recorded music use for domestic entertainment. They are significant as they represent the beginnings of the modern recording industry.Cardboard tube-shaped gramophone cylinder box with lid. The printed label on the outside of the box advertises the maker and patent details. The Catalogue Number and Title are either printed or hand written on the cylinder’s lid. This cylinder contained Record no. 13619, the recording “Poor old England” published by Castling and Godfrey, sung by Billy Williams. Made by National Phonograph Company USA. C.1907On lid “Edison Record” and “This record should turn at 160 revolutions per minute, no faster” Written on lid in blue pen “Trumpet”, “EDISON AMBEROL RECORD / FOUR MINUTE”warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, gramophone record, gramophone cylinder, edison cylinder, edison record, home entertainment, music recording, edison laboratory orange nj, usa, national phonograph company of australia ltd sydney, thomas a. edison -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Audio - Gramophone Cylinder, Sandy McNab, 1908
Edison Records was one of the early record labels that pioneered sound recording and reproduction, and was an important player in the early recording industry. The first phonograph cylinders were manufactured in 1888, followed by Edison's foundation of the Edison Phonograph Company in the same year. The recorded wax cylinders, later replaced by Blue Amberol cylinders, and vertical-cut Diamond Discs, were manufactured by Edison's National Phonograph Company from 1896 on, reorganized as Thomas A. Edison, Inc. in 1911. Until 1910 the recordings did not carry the names of the artists. The company began to lag behind its rivals in the 1920s, both technically and in the popularity of its artists, and halted production of recordings in 1929. Thomas A. Edison invented the phonograph, the first device for recording and playing back sound, in 1877. After patenting the invention and benefiting from the publicity and acclaim it received, Edison and his laboratory turned their attention to the commercial development of electric lighting, playing no further role in the development of the phonograph for nearly a decade. Start of the Recording Industry: In 1887, Edison turned his attention back to improving the phonograph and the phonograph cylinder. The following year, the Edison company introduced the ”Perfected Phonograph”. Edison introduced wax cylinders approximately 4+1⁄4 inches (11 cm) long and 2+1⁄4 inches (5.7 cm) in external diameter, which became the industry standard. They had a maximum playing time of about 3 minutes at 120 RPM, but around the turn of the century the standard speed was increased to (first 144) and then 160 RPM to improve clarity and volume, reducing the maximum to about 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Several experimental wax cylinder recordings of music and speech made in 1888 still exist. The wax entertainment cylinder made its commercial debut in 1889 at first, the only customers were entrepreneurs who installed nickel-in-the-slot phonographs in amusement arcades, saloons and other public places. At that time, a phonograph cost the equivalent of several months' wages for the average worker and was driven by an electric motor powered by hazardous, high-maintenance wet cell batteries. After more affordable spring-motor-driven phonographs designed for home use were introduced in 1895, the industry of producing recorded entertainment cylinders for sale to the general public began in earnest. Blank records were an important part of the business early on. Most phonographs had or could be fitted with attachments for the users to make their own recordings. One important early use, in line with the original term for a phonograph as a "talking machine", was in business for recording dictation. Attachments were added to facilitate starting, stopping, and skipping back the recording for dictation and playback by stenographers. The business phonograph eventually evolved into a separate device from the home entertainment phonograph. Edison's brand of business phonograph was called the Ediphone. The collection of three phonograph cylinders are an example of early recorded music use for domestic entertainment. They are significant as they represent the beginnings of the modern recording industry.Cardboard tube-shaped gramophone cylinder box with lid. The printed label on the outside of the box advertises the maker and patent details. The Catalogue Number and Title are either printed or hand written on the cylinder’s lid. This cylinder was made by Edison 1908 and contains Record number 53 by Sandy McNab. c. 1908On label “Edison Record No. 53, Sandy McNab" and "Form no. 1130, April 1908. Patented December 6 1904, No. 2109, and December 6 1904 No. 2110. “This record is sold by the National Phonograph Company of Australia Ltd, at Sydney Australia.” Trade Mark Thomas A. Edison warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, gramophone record, gramophone cylinder, edison cylinder, edison record, home entertainment, music recording, edison laboratory orange nj, usa, national phonograph company of australia ltd sydney, thomas a. edison -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Audio - Gramophone Cylinder, B & H Jack, 1907
Edison Records was one of the early record labels that pioneered sound recording and reproduction, and was an important player in the early recording industry. The first phonograph cylinders were manufactured in 1888, followed by Edison's foundation of the Edison Phonograph Company in the same year. The recorded wax cylinders, later replaced by Blue Amberol cylinders, and vertical-cut Diamond Discs, were manufactured by Edison's National Phonograph Company from 1896 on, reorganized as Thomas A. Edison, Inc. in 1911. Until 1910 the recordings did not carry the names of the artists. The company began to lag behind its rivals in the 1920s, both technically and in the popularity of its artists, and halted production of recordings in 1929. Thomas A. Edison invented the phonograph, the first device for recording and playing back sound, in 1877. After patenting the invention and benefiting from the publicity and acclaim it received, Edison and his laboratory turned their attention to the commercial development of electric lighting, playing no further role in the development of the phonograph for nearly a decade. Start of the Recording Industry: In 1887, Edison turned his attention back to improving the phonograph and the phonograph cylinder. The following year, the Edison company introduced the ”Perfected Phonograph”. Edison introduced wax cylinders approximately 4+1⁄4 inches (11 cm) long and 2+1⁄4 inches (5.7 cm) in external diameter, which became the industry standard. They had a maximum playing time of about 3 minutes at 120 RPM, but around the turn of the century the standard speed was increased to (first 144) and then 160 RPM to improve clarity and volume, reducing the maximum to about 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Several experimental wax cylinder recordings of music and speech made in 1888 still exist. The wax entertainment cylinder made its commercial debut in 1889 at first, the only customers were entrepreneurs who installed nickel-in-the-slot phonographs in amusement arcades, saloons and other public places. At that time, a phonograph cost the equivalent of several months' wages for the average worker and was driven by an electric motor powered by hazardous, high-maintenance wet cell batteries. After more affordable spring-motor-driven phonographs designed for home use were introduced in 1895, the industry of producing recorded entertainment cylinders for sale to the general public began in earnest. Blank records were an important part of the business early on. Most phonographs had or could be fitted with attachments for the users to make their own recordings. One important early use, in line with the original term for a phonograph as a "talking machine", was in business for recording dictation. Attachments were added to facilitate starting, stopping, and skipping back the recording for dictation and playback by stenographers. The business phonograph eventually evolved into a separate device from the home entertainment phonograph. Edison's brand of business phonograph was called the Ediphone. The collection of three phonograph cylinders are an example of early recorded music use for domestic entertainment. They are significant as they represent the beginnings of the modern recording industry.Cardboard tube-shaped gramophone cylinder box with lid. The printed label on the outside of the box advertises the maker and patent details. The Catalogue Number and Title are either printed or hand written on the cylinder’s lid. This cylinder contained Record no. 49, “B & H Jack” and was made at the Edison Laboratory USA. C. 1905On lid “Edison Record No. 49”, written in pencil “B & H Jack” (it looks like this) On cylinder “EDISON GOLD MOULDED RECORDS ECHO ALL OVER THE WORLD” Patents listed for 1904 & 1905warrnambool, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, gramophone record, gramophone cylinder, edison cylinder, edison record, home entertainment, music recording, edison laboratory orange nj, usa, national phonograph company of australia ltd sydney, thomas a. edison -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Alan King, Monash Bridge, Hurstbridge, 23 January 2008
Monash Bridge spans the Diamond Creek at Hurstbridge. It was built in 1917 for the Shires of Heidelberg, Eltham and Whittlesea. It is considered Nillumbik Shire's finest engineered bridge and was construced by the engineering company of Sir John Monash. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then / Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p117 Monash Bridge is considered the Shire’s finest engineered bridge and was constructed by the engineering company of that great Australian, Sir John Monash.1 The bridge spans Diamond Creek on the Hurstbridge-Arthurs Creek Road, linking Hurstbridge with Yarrambat and Arthurs Creek. Monash Bridge, also called Hurst’s Bridge, was built in 1917, by the Reinforced Concrete and Monier Pipe Construction Company Pty Ltd, for the Shires of Heidelberg, Eltham and Whittlesea. Although Monash was probably in action overseas during World War One when the bridge was designed and constructed, he evolved the basic design in the 1900s and it was a standard design for the firm. However J A Laing, a designer at the firm, was probably the designer, as his initials are on bridge drawings held by the Eltham District Historical Society.2 The bridge is an excellent early Australian example of an open spandrel reinforced concrete arch bridge and has a single span of 29 metres. It is unusual in Victoria, but similar to many reinforced concrete arch bridges in Europe and America, built from the late 19th century. In Victoria, Monash pioneered the use of reinforced concrete – then a revolutionary construction material. His company, Monash & Anderson, had the exclusive licence for the Monier patent for the system of reinforced concrete construction for Victoria and New South Wales. A well-known example of the Monier arch bridge is the Morell Bridge in South Yarra. The sweeping arch of the Monash Bridge combines grace and utility and blends with the surrounding rural landscape. Its design and construction have allowed it to carry increasing volumes of heavy traffic, but in modern times the one lane is considered by some to prevent easy passage through Hurstbridge. However others consider this an asset to deter too much more traffic, which would diminish Hurstbridge’s charming rural character.3 This is the third bridge across the Diamond Creek at this site. The original bridge was a log bridge upstream, constructed in the 1850s by early settler, Henry Hurst, after whom Hurstbridge was named. The bridge spanned the creek, where it divided his family’s property. In the 1880s a timber bridge replaced it, known as Hurst’s Bridge. However a more permanent bridge was considered necessary when the new railway arrived in 1912, bringing with it expectations of growth in the town and the surrounding fruit-growing district. Monash Bridge’s official opening on November 3, 1917 was a gala occasion, which took place before about 1000 spectators. Two who attended the opening had a particularly sound knowledge of the locality. One was Fred Hurst, Henry’s brother, who used to ford the creek at or near the bridge’s site more than 50 years before. The other was John McDonald of Arthurs Creek, who had built the old wooden bridge over the creek about 40 years earlier.4 Although John Monash was a fine engineer, his fame came from his brilliant war career, rather than from his engineering or his many other achievements. Monash was Corps Commander of the Australian Forces. His brilliance was recognised with his awards: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and Knight Commander of the Bath. Monash was also decorated by the French, Belgian, and American Governments.5 After the war, Monash worked in many prominent civilian positions, the most notable as head of the Victorian State Electricity Commission. He was a leading and loved public figure, involved in many public and private organisations. He was president of the Australian Zionist Federation and involved in the Boy Scouts. Monash University is named after him. By the 1920s Monash was probably regarded as the greatest living Australian.6 Despite most of his life working as an administrator and leader, rather than a fighting soldier, he became integral to the ANZAC legend. Monash died in 1931.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, hurstbridge, monash bridge -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Photograph - Digital Photograph, Alan King, Cameron family graves, Kangaroo Ground Cemetery, Eltham-Yarra Glen Road, Kangaroo Ground, 28 January 2008
Six year old Judith Furphy was the first person known to have been buried at Kangaroo Ground Cemetery in May 1851. The cemetery is situated on an ancient river bed with exposed Nillumbik sands. The rest of the district is formed from black volcanic soil which was hard to dig. According to local historian Mick Woiwod (deceased) the site may have been a burial ground for the local Wurundjeri people as the exposed softer sands were always their prefered camping sites. The Hon. Ewen Hugh Cameron who lived at Pigeon Bank and was the Member for Evelyn for 40 years (1874-1914) was buried here in 1915. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then / Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p39 The Wurundjeri people might have buried their dead on the site of the Kangaroo Ground Cemetery, according to local historian Mick Woiwod. Kangaroo Ground was a premier hunting ground, but camping on the black volcanic soil would have been uncomfortable. Unlike most of Kangaroo Ground, its cemetery, on an ancient river bed, comprises a rare exposure of Nillumbik sands – always the preferred campsite for Aboriginal people. The cemetery area is the only place where the soil was soft enough to dig a grave easily.1 Six-year-old Judith Furphy was the first person known to have been laid to rest at the Kangaroo Ground Cemetery. She died on May 17, 1851, from a chill caught by resting on wet grass. Local Andrew Ross wrote ‘..no public burying place existed nearer than Melbourne. The case being considered urgent, a general meeting of the settlers took place on the evening of the 17th……. The result was the selection of unoccupied crown land …….which was subsequently granted by Government for a public cemetery.’2 Judith was buried the next day on May 18. Her grave was marked by the trustees with a plaque, which unfortunately states nine years old, when she was probably only six. Judith came from an illustrious family. Her brother, Joseph, was the author of Such is Life and other works. Another brother, John, developed and manufactured the famous Furphy water cart, which distributed water to World War One soldiers along with the latest rumours. Hence the name Furphy entered the Australian idiom, as synonymous with ‘rumour’. Judith’s father Samuel helped build the first Kangaroo Ground church school. Inside, near the entrance of the cemetery, on Yarra Glen Road, stand a rotunda and a water tank. Occasional benches invite mourners to pause and remember. The gate with wrought iron and brick supports, bears the inscription ‘Erected by Sir Ewen and Lady Cameron in memory of their daughter, Flora Margaret’. These are only two of the famous people connected with this cemetery. The Hon. Ewen Hugh Cameron JP and MLA from 1874 to1914, who lived at Pigeon Bank, Warrandyte Road, was buried here in 1915. Unrelated, but with the same name, was Sir Ewen Cameron who had been Minister for Health and was laid to rest there in 1964. Sir Herbert Gepp, a leading industrialist and the former owner of Garden Hill, at Yarra Glen Road, was buried there in 1954.3 Many of the more imposing tombstones belong to the earlier graves. Unfortunately bushfires have cracked several. But this adds to the melancholy attractiveness of the cemetery, graced by some beautiful eucalypts, cypress and pines. Early pioneering families represented at the cemetery include Armstrong, Barr, Bell, Harkness, Jardine, Johnston, Rogerson, Stevenson, Thomson and Walters. Armstrong and Bell were among the first families to come to the district and Stevenson owned the district’s first sheep station. It took in much of present day Christmas Hills, which was the name he gave his sheep station. Harkness was the first to suggest a Kangaroo Ground school be built, and one of the first to suggest establishing the Eltham District Road Board. Many of these families leased pastoral land before the mid-century and bought land when it came on sale in 1849. In the cemetery’s early days sections were devoted to the major Christian denominations (mainly the Protestant) and one section was set aside for ‘other’ or ‘non-believers’. However in modern times burial plots have not been placed in areas according to religious beliefs.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, kangaroo ground, eltham-yarra glen road, agnes bell cameron, agnes cameron (nee bell), cameron family, edward aubrey haughton, eugene cameron, evelyn florence cameron, ewen hugh cameron, gravestones, jane armstrong, jane bell, jessie agnes haughton (nee cameron), jessie cameron, john donald cameron, kangaroo ground cemetery, neville cameron, simon armstrong, vera cameron, william bell armstrong, wurundjeri -
Eltham District Historical Society Inc
Document - Property Binder, 1184 Main Road, Eltham
Newspaper article: A sustainable award, Diamond Valley Leader, 1 November2006, Architect and building Llewellyn Pritchard won resource Efficiency Housing Award, finalist in HIA Greensmart Building of the Year Award. House – Environmental Leader (Published: Nillumbik Now and Then / Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p186) In 2006 environmental awareness was mushrooming in the community, which is reflected in the award-winning house at Main Road near Wattletree Road, Eltham. At first sight, the building appears a mix of a classic Eltham mud-brick house and an avant-garde building style. The crown of solar panels stretching along the width of the curved roof, indicates that this is no ordinary house. In fact it signals a new building trend of minimal impact on the environment. Yet it utilises the environment with high technical expertise to achieve comfort and cut running and maintenance costs. In recognition of this, its designer/builder, Conscious Homes, won the 2006 National HIA Greensmart Resource Efficiency Award. For Conscious Homes director, Llewellyn Pritchard, this house reflects a philosophy, strengthened by his connection with Aboriginal culture, through his foster siblings. Pritchard believes the sustainable way indigenous Australians lived and their spiritual connection with land, demonstrates how humanity is part of the ecology. His interest in environmental design stemmed from growing up in bushy Eltham Shire, with its mud-brick tradition. This was followed by studying Architecture at RMIT in the early 1980s, and learning about passive solar design. Pritchard says this house demonstrates that environmental sustainability is not about sacrifice, but about exceptional levels of occupant comfort, savings in running costs and modern fittings and appliances.1 The solar panels on the north roofs are intentionally obvious to make a statement about what the building is doing. But inside the systems are hidden and interactive with conventional services, such as the underground water tank. The house is water and energy self-sufficient and at 12 squares is much smaller than conventional houses, to minimise resources. Yet it accommodates his family of four with three bedrooms, a living/dining and kitchen area and a bathroom/laundry. Importantly the building is designed to last hundreds of years, by being able to be modified as the need arises, such as for commercial use. In this way the structure minimises its environmental impact. The solid double mud-brick walls (which are insulated) include steel beams and supporting frame, allowing the future removal or alteration of any section. The materials are local, recycled and of low toxicity where possible.2 Inside and out, the mud-brick is rendered and sealed with a combination of cement and sand and a mud-based coating in a soft golden hue increases its life. Inside, the golden-brown timber is plantation Mountain Ash and the concrete floors throughout – of local stone aggregate with a clear seal – have a natural looking random stone appearance. The house sustains a stable temperature of around 20 degrees, assisted by the concrete slab floor. The many large double-glazed windows and highlights (windows set high on walls) provide cross-flow ventilation. The north-facing living area maximises heating from the lower winter sun and is cooler in summer, because the sun is higher. Heating comes from a solar hydronic slab system. All appliances and fittings are high efficiency energy or water rated. Appliances in the timber kitchen include a gas stove and a dishwasher, using the building’s own power and water. French doors open from the living area to a deck, concealing the treatment system for all waste water. This is pumped through sub-soil drippers to the indigenous garden beds and no-dig vegetable patch. Below the carport is the 80,000-litre rainwater tank and at the back, the boiler room houses the solar boiler, water tank access, domestic water supply pump, filter gear and hydronic slab heating controls. The solar system is backed up with gas, which is needed to heat water only in winter. Gas used is less than one quarter of that for an average home with ducted heating. Excess power is fed back to the grid and the building uses about one quarter of the mains electricity of an average home. Other local builders have followed Pritchard’s lead in resource efficiency for minimal environmental impact.main road, eltham, businesses, llewellyn pritchard, hia greensmart building of the year award., efficiency housing award, conscious homes australia pty ltd -
Sunbury Family History and Heritage Society Inc.
Photograph, Elwyn Davis, Pedestrian Bridge, C1990s
The wooden pedestrian bridge spanned the rail tracks at Sunbury Railway Station and were replaced with a more modern bridge and ramp when upgrades were done at the station and along the Bendigo line in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The water tank beyond the station building was used to refill the engines with water when steam engines were used. Diesel driven V Line trains now convey commuters from the regional towns along the Bendigo region to Melbourne.The Bendigo Line was the first government rail line to open and it reached Sunbury in 1859. It was extended to Bendigo and opened in 1861.A non-digital coloured photograph of a wooden pedestrian bridge spanning rail tracks with a wooden station building and former water tower on the station platform. rail bridges, bendigo rail line, sunbury station, water towers, railways