The Municipality of Kew (1860-1863), the Borough of Kew (1863-1910), the Town of Kew (1910-1921) and the City of Kew (1921-1994) were local government instrumentalities in the State of Victoria. In 1994, the City of Kew was amalgamated, together with the former Cities of Camberwell and Hawthorn, into the new City of Boroondara (1994- ). Like other local government entities of the period, Kew was administered by town clerks. The two notable town clerks in Kew's history were H. H. (Henry Hirst) Harrison (1868-1955) and W. D. (William Dickie) Birrell (1899-1974). Harrison was appointed to the position in 1901 and retired in 1938 after 37 years. Birrell, appointed Acting Town Clerk in 1921, became Town Clerk in 1938, following Harrison's retirement. He continued in this role until his retirement in 1966.This card is part of an historically significant civic collection, containing hundreds of separate invitations, documents, greeting cards, programmes and tickets issued and/or collected by successive town clerks. Items in the collection illuminate the political, social and cultural history of the district. As a continuous record, ranging across most decades of the Twentieth Century, they reveal changing tastes in design, values and relationships in the history of local government in Victoria.THE MAYOR OF KEW CR R D KENNEDY JP / AND / THE PRESIDENT, LIONS CLUB OF KEW, MR W A J CURRIE / EXTEND A CORDIAL INVITATION TO / ___________________ / TO OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE KEW ELDERLY CITIZENS ADVISORY CENTRE / BY THE HON R W MACK MLC MINISTER OF HEALTH / KEW CITY HALL / WEDNESDAY, 27TH FEBRUARY, 1963, AT 3.30 P.M. / RSVP TOWN CLERK, KEW 22-2-1963civic invitations -- kew (vic), kew elderly citizens association, cr r d kennedy

The Municipality of Kew (1860-1863), the Borough of Kew (1863-1910), the Town of Kew (1910-1921) and the City of Kew (1921-1994) were local government instrumentalities in the State of Victoria. In 1994, the City of Kew was amalgamated, together with the former Cities of Camberwell and Hawthorn, into the new City of Boroondara (1994- ). Like other local government entities of the period, Kew was administered by town clerks. The two notable town clerks in Kew's history were H. H. (Henry Hirst) Harrison (1868-1955) and W. D. (William Dickie) Birrell (1899-1974). Harrison was appointed to the position in 1901 and retired in 1938 after 37 years. Birrell, appointed Acting Town Clerk in 1921, became Town Clerk in 1938, following Harrison's retirement. He continued in this role until his retirement in 1966.This card is part of an historically significant civic collection, containing hundreds of separate invitations, documents, greeting cards, programmes and tickets issued and/or collected by successive town clerks. Items in the collection illuminate the political, social and cultural history of the district. As a continuous record, ranging across most decades of the Twentieth Century, they reveal changing tastes in design, values and relationships in the history of local government in Victoria.OFFICIAL OPENING OF KEW MUNICIPAL OFFICES / BY / THE HONOURABLE R J HAMER, PREMIER OF VICTORIA / THE MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS OF THE CITY OF KEW / REQUEST THE PLEASURE OF THE COMPANY OF / ___________ / OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NEW MUNICIPAL OFFICES & LIBRARY / KEW CIVIC CENTRE / THURSDAY, 22ND MARCH, 1973, 3 P.M./ RSVP TOWN CLERK , KEW 8TH MARCH, 1973 / ON RECEIPT OF ACCEPTANCE ENTREE CARDS WILL BE FORWARDEDcivic invitations -- kew (vic), kew town hall -- charles street -- kew (vic.), kew civic offices

One of a group of slides taken by Mrs C Dickins, the mother of Joy Stewart, of built heritage in Kew. 35mm colour transparency (slide) of a rendered brick commercial building at 6 Walpole Street, Kew, taken in 1980 (now demolished). The double-fronted, two-storey building has a street frontage. Behind the formal rendered front, there is a wooden rear section then an extensive building with a pitched roof made of what appears to be galvanised iron sheeting. The ground floor facing Walpole Street includes a window and door on the left and a wide opening on the right to allow vehicular access; and earlier access by horses and carts when it was a livery stable. The second floor has two sash windows. Painted advertising signage includes: Brown's Office Cleaning Service, and Coakley Motors which would indicate the probable tenancy of the building at this or an earlier period. The building was located across the street from the (former) Kew Library and (former) Kew Town Hall. "Walpole Street"coakley motors -- kew (vic.), livery stables -- kew (vic.), walpole street -- kew (vic.)

Dorothy Rogers wrote two major books on Kew's history: Lovely Old Homes of Kew (1961) and A History of Kew (1973). In addition to her published works, she was a regular contributor on issues of local history to suburban newspapers. Her archives are held in the collections of the State Library of Victoria and Kew Historical Society. Three years after her death in 1973, the Reserve was opened in her honour.Faded colour positive photograph of the opening of the Dorothy Rogers Reserve in 1976. The naming of the reserve honoured the contribution of the historian Dorothy Rogers, foundation member of the Society. The reserve is located on the north side of Studley Park Road just west of Kew Junction. Inscribed verso: "Left to right: Mrs Rogers Jnr, Joy Stewart, Miss Jenkins sitting / Mrs Richardson and Mr Richardson, Brother of D. Rogers), Mayor Cr Whiting, City Manager Mr Fell, Background / KHS President Miss Hall, Mr B O'Neill KHS member, / taken during the memorial unveiling of the Dorothy Rogers Reserve"dorothy rogers reserve, public parks -- kew (vic.)

Produced and acted by members of the City of Heidelberg Repertory Group (now Heidelberg Theatre Company) . Various Heavens was performed on the opening night, the 27th October, 1954, in The Victorian Drama Leagues Third One Act Play Festival at Frankston in the Mechanics' Hall,.The Festival ran until the 6th November,1954. .The production and supporting areas including set design, set building, lighting and sound design and operation, costumes, front of house, ticket sales, publicity and administration were undertaken by members of the City of Heidelberg Repertory Group (now Heidelberg Theatre Company).All items in good condition1954, 17, heidelberg theatre company, tony doogood

Considered to be of historical and social significance. Provides information on the development of the current Town Hall Auditorium and the Glen Eira Gallery.1 x Maroon coloured booklet with gold lettering on cover published by the City of Caulfield. Inside are 14 paper pages with colour concept drawings of the proposed Caulfield Arts Complex, Concept Plans and printed text. Dated May 1987 in the opening page with an Introduction by the Mayor of Caulfield, Cr Jack Campbell.

Gladys Machin was the first female Councillor for the City of Caulfield. She served between 1950-1965 and was Mayor in 1955-56 and 1959-60. Machin championed the opening of the Caulfield Elderly Citizens Club in 1952 (later renamed in her honour as the Gladys E Machin Senior Citizen's Club). Machin was also President between 1953-1974, as noted on the engraving. The club now forms part of the Caulfield Senior Citizen's Centre at 8 Cedar Street, Caulfield South. Caulfield was one of the first local councils to establish an elderly citizen's club. This photograph used to hang in the main hall at Caulfield Senior Citizen's Centre alongside a photo of the Queen.This object is considered of historic significance for its portrayal of Gladys Machin, first female Councillor for the City of Caulfield. Framed sepia toned and hand-painted photograph of Gladys E. Machin. Engraving on panel at bottom reads: 'Mrs Gladys E.Machin OBE J.P Founder of the Club, President 1953-1974'. gladys e machin, city of caulfield, councillor, mayor, gladys e wallace, glen eira, caulfield senior citizen's club

An invitation sent to J. R. V. Anderson by the Mayor of Bendigo, Cr. J. E. Holland, in 1921 to attend a luncheon to celebrate the opening of the Soldier's Memorial Hall at the Bendigo Town Hall on Tuesday,15th November, 1921 at 1 pm. This Soldiers' Memorial Hall still stands today in Pall Mall, Bendigo. It is now called the Bendigo RSL Memorial Military Museum.Celebrates the opening of the Soldier's Memorial Hall in Bendigo, as well as indicating the importance of J. R. V. Anderson in the Bendigo community at that time. This significance has been assessed in-house.Personal invitation to Mr. J. R. V. Anderson from the Mayor of Bendigo (Cr. J. E. Holland) to attend a luncheon to celebrate the official opening of the Soldiers' Memorial Hall, Bendigo on the 15th November 1921. Rectangular card in blue print, with the person's name handwritten in black ink.Inscribed on card bearing City of Bendigo emblem is the following: "On the occasion of the Opening of the Soldiers' Memorial Hall / by / His Excellency, The Governor of Victoria, The Earl of Stradbroke, / K.C.M.G., C.B,, C.V.O., C.B.E., A.D.C. to His Majesty the King, / The Mayor of Bendigo, (Cr. J. E. Holland,) / requests the pleasure of / Mr. J. R. V. Anderson's / company at Luncheon at the Town Hall, Bendigo, on Tuesday, / the 15th November, 1921, at 1 p.m. / R.S.V.P. TO TOWN CLERK BEFORE INST." (Last line crossed out in black ink).anderson, j. r. v., bendigo school of mines and industries, soldier's memorial hall, bendigo, 1921

The original Methodist (Wesleyan) Church was built on the corner of Alexandra Crescent and Windsor Lane in 1888. It was enlarged in 1892. In 1908 this building was removed to Valonia Avenue by horse-drawn dray. The brick church was built in 1915 after which the earlier building became the Sunday School. In 1977 the Methodist Church joined with others to become the Uniting Church. In more recent times, the brick church has been painted but architectural details visible in this photo can still be discerned.Black and white photo of a brick and rendered building taken from diagonally opposite across Canterbury Road looking to the north-west. The church sits behind a woven-wire fence with an opening at the front and at the side to a portico off Valonia Street. On the RHS is the church hall and on the LHS a small part of the adjacent house can be seen.surrey hills methodist (wesleyan) church, surrey hills uniting church

This photo was taken at the opening of the footbridge over Back Creek by Sir Winston Dugan, Governor of Victoria, in 1936. He is cutting bunting draped along the bridge rails. South Surrey Park was developed on land which had been the property of the Kleinert family. Their land extended from Union Road to Essex Road. They ran horses, ducks and fowls and Emily Kleinert grew flowers. Alan Holt research: Lot 6 was sold to Martin Klienert by Karl Richter in 1860 together with a portion of another adjacent lot. From 1860-1885 Martin worked it as a market garden leasing some land for grazing when it was not required for gardening. He died in 1898. In a formal document, William declared he was the son of Martin "who purchased land in 1860, died in 1898 and the land has been continually occupied by father and family since. It has been cultivated as a market garden; when not being used for gardening it was let for cultivation and grazing." William died in 1939 and the property passed to his sons Martin and Ernest. The family sold the land to the Camberwell Council in the 1950s.This photo is significant as it documents the change from rural to urban land use in the area.Black and white photo taken at the opening of the footbridge across Back Creek in the area later known as South Surrey Park. Back Creek runs diagonally through the photo with a wooden footbridge prominent. Dignitaries are gathered on the bridge. A tent and houses can just be distinguished in the background.parks and reserves, creeks, south surrey park, civic occasion, official events, back creek, verdun street, footbridges, governor of victoria, sir winston duggan, surrey hills, kleinert family, (mr) karl richter, (mr) martin kleinert, topography

Empire Day celebrations were held from 1908-1912. Prior to the opening of the railway in 1893 the only public transport to Surrey Hills was the Melbourne-Lilydale horse coach which travelled to Surrey Hills down Victoria Street and Mont Albert Road. The fare to Union Road was 9 pence. Photo 16-4a was the number given to the original print provided by the State Savings Bank. Ken Hall made a negative from it, and the reprint of this was given the number 1459. This number was chosen as the catalogue number to avoid confusion with SHP4a. Photo provided by Surrey Hills branch of State Savings Bank of Victoria in 1978 for launch of Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre and was one of the first photos in the collection. The inscriptions on the reverse may indicate it was used in the Surrey Hills Neighbourhood News.Black and white photo of Union Road looking south towards Canterbury Road. The street is decorated with lanterns and the Union Jack and other flags for Empire Day celebrations. There is a young girl in the foreground looking towards the railway crossing where there is a horse drawn cab and a horse drawn cart. Business signage includes that for a butcher, Sneddon's Real Estate and Otto Preuss, Economic Undertaker.On rear: "113% "; "Enlarge to 172 mm" and 2 arrows, all in blue biro.union road, empire day celebrations, horse drawn vehicles, undertaker, sneddon real estate, businesses, union road shops, otto preuss

The book of signatures was retrieved from a time capsule behind the Box Hill Town Hall's foundation stone by the Mayor of Box Hill, Cr. R. G. Friday during a 'Back to Box Hill' held on April 13th and 14th, 1985. Celebrations were held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the official opening of the Box Hill Town Hall on April 15th, 1935. Pupils at the following schools in 1934 signed up: Box Hill Girl's Technical School, Box Hill Primary School, Salvation Army Boys' Home, Box Hill Grammar School, Ormiston, Horton Girls' Grammar School, Convent Notre Dame de Sion, St Francis Xavier, Mont Albert Central School, Box Hill South Primary 4138, Burwood Primary School 461 and Box Hill High School.This book contains a list of signatures of school children attending schools in the Box Hill district in 1934.school children, school rolls, box hill, 1934, school registers, time capsule, box hill town hall, back to box hill, (cr) (mr) r g friday, box hill district schools, box hill girl's technical school, box hill primary school, salvation army boys' home, box hill grammar school, ormiston, horton girls' grammar school, convent notre dame de sion, st francis xavier, mont albert central school, box hill south primary 4138, burwood primary 461, box hill high school

Agricultural worker's hand-loomed linen smock, dyed brown. Fully hand-stictched with smocking details on front and back and sleeves. Opening at front and back neck area fastened with now missing buttons.smock, rural dress, linen, hand stitching, agriculture

White cotton cutwork child's dress, hand stitched. Back opening with drawstring neck and waist.children's clothing, embroidery, cutwork, 19th century, lace

Cream coloured raw silk dress. Lower part of skirt hand-embroidered with floral design. Black and white striped silk collar and placket at front opening with 17 black decorative buttons. Two rows of thick cording insetred into casings around waist area which control the gathering in the skirt.silk, embroidery, 1910s

Black silk satin cape with corded design. Black fur trim on collar, centrefront openings and hem. Lined with quilted black silk. Watch pocket on left proper interior. Wool interlining.cape, 1890s

Cream silk princess line wedding dress with scalloped neck edge, ruched front bodice panel and ruched and gathered panels on skirt. Three-quarter length sleeves with slashed sleeve details. Centre back opening fastened with silk thread covered buttons.wedding dress, 1870s

NSW Mounted Rifles officer's mess dress waistcoat worn by Lieutenant William Augustine Newman (1873-1955) during the Second Boer War. Born in Campbelltown, NSW, William began working in the colonial public service at the age of eighteen. In 1899 he travelled to South Africa to fight in the Second Boer War as an officer of the 1st NSW Mounted Rifles. Returning to Australia in time for Federation on 1 January 1901, William rejoined the public service and was appointed to the original staff of Prime Minister Sir Edmund Barton, attending the first opening of Federal Parliament in Melbourne as Barton's private secretary. He went on to serve as the chief clerk of the Home Affairs Department, Commonwealth Electoral Officer for Victoria and official secretary to the Governor-General. In 1927 he was appointed Administrator of Nauru, a position he occupied until his retirement at the end of 1932. He retired to Brighton, where he lived with his family at 43 Martin Street until his death in 1955.Black NSW Mounted Rifles officer's mess dress waistcoat. Black superfine wool front, with black cotton back and cream cotton lining. The neck, front and bottom front edge are edged with gold metal lace and gold cording in an Austrian knot style. Two front pockets are edged in the same looped cording. The left front opening is edged with a row of decorative gold metal studs, with hook and eye fastenings underneath.Handwritten in pen on lining: "MESS WAISTCOAT / BOER WAR / LIEUT. NEWMAN / Gift of Mrs. D. Kelly, daughter".military uniform, nsw mounted rifles, boer war, william augustine newman

Australia converted to decimal currency on 14 February 1966. This coin purse is printed with a simple conversion table to help the user navigate the switch from pounds, shillings and pence to the new dollars and cents.Cream vinyl coin purse with conversion table for pre-decimal and decimal currency printed in black on each side. Hinged silver metal opening and kiss clasp. Unlined.coin purse, decimal currency, 1960s

This image was taken on 31 August 1936 on the opening day of sales for the 1936-1937 season. Approximately 300 wool buyers are present. The image belonged to Wilhelm Eckels who worked for 43 years in the wool industry. Wilhelm arrived in Australia from Germany in 1937, and the image taken before his arrival. Over his career, Wilhelm worked for a number of wool buying firms and also had his own business. Some of these businesses failed and he had to move to other firms, it is assumed he took this image with him while leaving one of these companies.Black and white photograph showing approximately 300 wool buyers waiting for the start of the day's bidding at Sydney Wool Sales, 1936.Lettering: Opening Day of Sydney Wool Sales Season 1936 - 1937 31.8.36 Hall Studio 20 Hunter Street Sydneywool sales, 1936 - 1937

Samuel Bolton of 244 Union Road, Surrey Hills in his 'Druid's Collar' in 1950. Samuel and his son-in-law Patrick Burns were staunch Druids. The Lodge met monthly in the Rechabite Hall in Canterbury Road. The United Ancient Order of Druids (UAOD) was founded in Victoria around 1862. An account is included in Ken James' book 'Surrey Hills Friendly Societies'. This is based on Box Hill Reporter articles and material in relevant files at PROV. Summary: The Surrey Hills Lodge was established in 1890. The trustees were Ernest W Opperman (newsagent), James H Corstorphan (grocer) and Thomas White (plasterer). Opening night was 27 November 1890 and early meetings were held in Br Corstorphan's home in Canterbury Road on Tuesday evenings. By 1891 the ledge had 80 members. Samuel (1978-1951) was a butcher who came to Surrey Hills from Euroa some time between 1926-1931. His shop was at the Mon Albert terminus. After he sold it, it became part of the supermarket on the north side of Whitehorse Road. He was married in 1879 to Elizabeth Beatrice Maker (1881-1963).A black and white photograph of a man with regalia collar around his neck.(mr) samuel bolton, union road, surrey hills, druids, rechabite hall, clothing and dress, united ancient order of druids, druid's regalia, regalia, friendly societies

Annual report providing overview of activities and achievements including: sudden loss of Stephen Crook and Robert Moir, retirement of Theresa Smith-Ruig, Don Fraser, Liz Alison, opening of the Leigh Garwood Mobility Training centre, introduction of Iris Vision, and Tech Buddies program introduced to provide after sales support with devices.1 volume with illustrations providing overview of organisational achievementsvision australia, corporation records, nicola cotton, julie hall, jessica timmons, micah cheung, ron hooton, andrew moffat, david woodbridge, kelly o'dwyer, james holloway, dung nguyen, vu nguyen, martin stewart, sir peter cosgrove, denis walter, sylvie palladino, marina prior, david hobson, serena melissari, sonya hardman, jack hardman, neslihan sari, grant uther, anthony testa, julie newton, lucian galbraith, bashir ebrahim, daniel keogh, marion dickinson, werner brand, alison jones

Black and white photograph. Graduation Ceremony 1973 speeches, 4 men on the stage in the Hall. Left to right: Hon. Ian Smith, Minister for Agriculture, Hon. R.J. Hamer, Premier of Victoria, David Wishart, Director-General of the Department Of Agriculture, giving a speech, Eric B. Littlejohn, Principal.graduation day, 1973, speeches, hon. ian smith, minister for agriculture, hon. r.j. hamer, premier of victoria, david wishart, director-general of the department of agriculture, e.b. littlejohn, principal, opening of student amenities building

History of this item is unknown but was used by one of the City, Shire or Borough Council's to advertise various department opening hours.Sign constructed from four pieces of wood. Hand painted text advertising engineering, town planning and building departments opening days and times.ENGINEERING / DEPT. / TOWN PLANNING / DEPT./ BUILDING DEPT. / MON. 10 - 12 NOON 2 - 3 PM / WED. 11 - 12 NOON / THUR. 10 - 12 NOON 2 - 3 PMcity of greater bendigo signs, city of greater bendigo administration item

Used by the City to receive feedback from the community. Top opening, hinged wooden box with latch. Top of box has a letter size opening for depositing written suggestions. Engraved plate on front of box.City of Greater Bendigo / Suggestion / Box / Strictly Confidentialcity of greater bendigo administration item

The Sandhurst Industrial Exhibition was held in Sandhurst at the Market Building and Corn Exchange and was opened by the Marquis of Normandy on the 17th March 1879. Modelled on a similar event held in Ballarat the previous year which was largely aimed at displaying the work of juvenile artisans, the Sandhurst Exhibition was more general in its purpose and provided more space for the general exhibition of products, natural and manufactured from the broader surrounding district. The opening event included a procession of all the friendly societies, fire brigades and other local institutions. Obverse Description; Bendigo Coat of Arms Reverse Description; (Text only) Edge Description; PlainObverse Description: Progress Ernst A Altmann Reverse Description: Sandhurst Industrial Exhibition / 1879 / Awarded to / George R Bennett / South Yarra / Inlaid Marble / Chess Tablecity of greater bendigo medals, sandhurst industrial exhibition 1879

Catholic Mass, was celebrated in the old Kaniva hall prior to the opening of this Catholic church at Kaniva in 1929 it represents the expansion taking place in the west Wimmera.Bone handled, gold plated inscribed ceremonial trowel.Presented to the Rt Rev Dr Foley on the laying of the Foundation Stone Roman Catholic Church Kaniva by the architect Lionel de San Miguel 29-12-29.kaniva, catholic, foley, trowel, church, san miguel, thomas gaunt.

Melton South "The establishment of a settlement of Melton South was induced by the opening of the railway in 1884. This subsequently prompted a number of industries, initially sawmills, and in the early twentieth century, chaff mills. This development coincided with the Exford ‘Closer Settlement’ estate at the beginning of the new century, boosting local population and produce, and the development of the chaff industry which employed many people in the Melton area. (Around 1912 the government had brought out English migrants to settle the Exford estate.) By c.1912 the small Melton Railway Station settlement had a boarding house (probably for chaff or sawmill employees), store, a small church and a hall. The Melton Valley Golf Club originated near the railway station in 1927 (in 1931 it moved to the present Melton links). In 1910 the community had built the large timber ‘Victoria Hall’, which became the focus of community life for several generations. In August of that same year AR Robertson MP and D McDonald applied for the establishment of a school on land set aside for that purpose by the Closer Settlement Board, near the Melton Railway Station settlement. District Inspector McRae recommended that a school for classes up to Grade 3 be established as an adjunct to the Melton State School. And so SS3717, ‘Melton Railway School’, was established in the leased Victoria Hall on 1st December 1911. Thomas Lang, head master at Melton since 1896, was in charge of both schools. As a ‘prep’ school only, it was necessary that the older Melton Railway Station settlement students travel to Melton SS430 at Unitt Street. Since 1912 local residents had been petitioning for the establishment of a separate school at Melton Railway Station on the grounds that it would be better if all children from the one home could attend the same school, and that the Victoria Hall was unsuitable as a school building. As a result an area of 2 acres - Allotment 8, Parish of Djerriwarrh, Exford Estate - was reserved for a State School on 4th March 1914. However the Department wrote that a school would not be established there in the near future, as ‘there is no likelihood in sight that the Railway Station settlement will increase in importance’. Parents persisted with their petitions to the Education Department, claiming that the Victoria Hall was too large, had no fireplace, that teachers were unable to use the wall for teaching aids, and that, being less than 20 metres away from a chaff mill employing 30 men, was too noisy. The turning point came when in 1920 the Hall Committee decided to increase its rent for the hall. In 1920 Head Teacher Lang advised the Education Department to discontinue SS3717 as an adjunct. The District Inspector supported this recommendation, and the schools separated in 1923. In April of that year 41 children, comprising Grades 1-8, moved into an almost completed brick building on the present site. On the 6th July 1923 the official opening of the school took place; after a ceremonial journey from the Hall to the school, speeches were given by the Hon AR Robertson and the Chief Inspector of Education. Everyone then journeyed back to Victoria Hall for a ‘bountiful repast’. (These dates are at odds with the date of 5th March 1925 given in Blake as the date the children occupied the new SS3717 brick school building. ) A teacher’s residence had been purchased for ₤500 in 1923, and the school’s name was changed to ‘Melton South’ in the same year. Even though the older Melton South pupils would no longer have to travel to the Unitt Street school, an additional brick room was still required at the Melton SS430 in that same year. In 1961 a new room was added to the school. In 1972, at the beginning of Melton’s boom as a satellite town, the number of enrolments was 224. The school has since shared in the exponential growth of the town of Melton, and at the time of its jubilee celebration (1983), 524 pupils were enrolled. Victoria Hall, neglected and vandalised, was demolished in 1992. It had been handed back to the Council on condition that it be replaced by a new hall, with the same name, and was commemorated by a plaque. Apart from the 1923 brick school building, and the railway station, none of the principal early Melton South public sites survive. Few early residential sites remain. (Further research will establish whether the house on the corner of Station Street and the railway line was the original teacher’s residence.)" Melton State School "On 17th May 1858 a State subsidised, combined Denominational School was opened by HT Stokes, with an attendance of about 30 children. This school was conducted in the wooden Melton Combined Protestant Church, situated on ‘a creek flat’ thought to be on the north side of Sherwin Street between Pyke and Byran Streets. It is likely that the Church had been established by 1855 and that the first minister was the Rev. Hampshire, who lived in Cambridge House on the Exford Estate. Ministers of the Protestant denominations were invited to hold services there. As there was only one resident Minister in the town (Presbyterian Mr J Lambie), laymen of the various denominations often spoke on Sundays. In 1863 this building was declared a Common School with the number 430. One of its first and most prominent headmasters was John Corr, who served from 1860 to 1864. Most of Mr Corr’s children also became teachers, including Joseph Corr, at the Rockbank school, and J Reford Corr and WS Corr, headmasters and teachers at numerous prestigious private secondary schools around Australia. John Corr purchased land alongside the school and elsewhere in and near Melton, became secretary and treasurer of the new Cemetery Trust, and by July 1861 was deputy registrar of births, deaths and marriages. He walked three miles every Sunday to teach at the Weslyan Sunday School he had established. Despite good reports from the Education Department Inspector, and burgeoning enrolments, the local school committee recommended the dismissal of, firstly, his wife (from the work mistress position), and then him from the headmaster position. Corr saw his dismissal as an attempt to redirect state aid for education from the Combined Protestant school to the support of the Free Presbyterian Minister Rev James Lambie (by one account the owner of the land on which the Common School was erected), whose son-in-law James Scott subsequently assumed responsibility for the school. Rev Lambie failed in his efforts to keep the existing school, which the Education Department Inspector and the majority of Melton citizens regarded as badly situated and badly built. Following a conditional promise of state aid, local contributors in 1868-69 raised ₤72.10.6 towards the cost of an iron-roofed bluestone rubble building 43 ft x 12 ft. This was erected on a new site of 1.5 acres (the present site). The State contributed ₤120 to the new school, which opened in 1870. A very early (c.1874) photograph of the school shows its headmaster and work mistress / assistant teacher (probably James Scott and his wife Jessie) and its (very young) scholars. Similar photos show pupils in front of the school in c.1903, and 1933. In 1877 a second bluestone room costing ₤297 was added and further land acquired from the Agricultural Society (who only needed it two days a year) to enlarge the schoolground to 3 acres. In the early 1880s an underground tank augmented the school water supply and in 1919 a five-roomed wooden residence was added. During this period the school correspondents often compained that the walls of the bluestone buildings were damp, affecting the plaster. In 1923 a brick room 26 ft 6 in by 24 ft with a fireplace and four rooms facing south, was added, and a corridor built to link the three buildings. This served adequately for the next 40 years. The school bell probably dates to 1883. The school also has a memorial gate (1951) to World War One ex-students, and an honour board to the 64 ex-students who served in the First World War. The school roll fell to 42 in the early post war-years, but was boosted by an influx of migrants, mainly from the UK, from the late 1960s. This presaged the boom in Melton’s development, and the corresponding growth of the school, with timber and temporary classrooms added to the previous masonry ones. An endowment pine plantation established in 1930 augmented the school’s fundraising activities when it was harvested in 1968. Part of the site was planted with eucalyptus trees in 1959. Famous ex-students of the early twentieth century included Hector Fraser (internationally successful shooter) and cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman". The Express Telegraph articles about the history of Melton South and Melton State Schoolseducation