Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane, letter box, mail box

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane, power lines

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane, power lines

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane, yarra river

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane, yarra river

Mini on a trailer Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane, mini

Newsletter No., 228, June 2016 Heritage Excursion – Back-track walk to Fitzsimons Lane – Saturday 2nd July Our July heritage excursion will be a walk to Yarra Hill Close and Fitzsimons Lane Bridge, based on the story on pages 3 and 4. Although the route is close to Fitzsimons Lane it will follow streets and paths that may not be familiar to many local residents. It will include commentary on the history of this corner of the Town of Eltham. This walk on Saturday 2nd July will follow a “there and back” route, that is returning over much the same course. It is about 2.5 km in length and will take 2 to 2.5 hours. It includes some hills. It will start at 2pm at the corner of Bolton Street and Old Eltham Road (Melway ref.21 F10).Born Digitalelection day, heritage excursion, activities, eltham district historical society, fitzsimons lane, gate

Mrs Georgina Hill (wife of Henry), nee Reynolds (of Research, Vic.) in cap [possibly misidentified by donor - see note below] with Mrs Isaac Hill and her children (left to right) Amelia Hill, (born 1853) Mrs Isaac Hill with baby Isaac (born 1860, Eltham) on her lap. Mary Jane Hill (born 1857, Eltham) seated on Mrs Henry Hill's lap and Bob Hill. The Hill family were early settlers of the Eltham area. Daguerreotype photo enclosed in a leather bound clam shell box with felt lining and gold trim. Donated by Mrs Ivy Edna Hill, 4/1 Bridge Street, Eltham, 4 June 1966 and includes copy of her note identifying the people. Daguerreotypes were one of the first forms of early photographs. They initially appeared in Europe in 1839 and were produced in large numbers to the early 1850s but were superseded by more modern and flexible forms of technology by 1860. The photo was usually formed on a thin copper plate with light sensitve silver iodide. They have a mirror-like appearance and the image itself was mirrored. They were usually inserted into a case or frame made of wood bound in leather or velvet and cost about one guinea in Australia, the equivalent of a week's wages. With the advent of the gold-rush and growing population came an increase in numbers of photographers both studio and travelling. The daguerreotype process was protected by patents and could only result in a single image from which no copies could be made. With new technology involving wet colloidion glass plate negatives and albumen paper prints of which multiple copies could be produced at significantly reduced cost, the dauguerreotype quickly fell out of favour. An accompanying note with the photo written by Edna Hill of 4/1 Bridge Street Eltham dated 4 June 1966 states: "Dear Mr Watson, I think the enclosed old time photograph will be of interest to you. It would have been taken about 1860. The two ladies are the wives of the original pioneers of the Hill family. The one in the cap was the wife of Henry Hill, the other of Isaac Hill. The children are those of Mrs Isaac Hill, and grandchildren to Henry Hill. The little girl on the left is Amelia, the baby Isaac, the second girl is Mary Jane, and the boy on the right is Bob Hill. They grew up tobe Uncles and Aunts of my late husband. I greatly appreciated a letter received a few months ago per Cr Pelling, from the Shillinglaw Cottage Committee. Yours sincerely, Edna Hill" Victorian birth registrations show Mary Jane Hill was born 1857 in Eltham (9879 / 1857) and Isaac Hill at Eltham in 1860 (1972/1860) NOTE: Mrs Isaac Hill was Ellen Fitzsimons (1834-1863), mother to Henry Hill. Mrs Georgina Hill, wife of Henry cannot be the lady in the cap as she was not born till 1864. Georgina Reynolds (1864-1927) married Henry Hill (1862-1948) in 1884. This lady has significant wrinkling of the face, especially around her mouth. It is possible that she is the mother of Mrs Isaac Hill (Ellen Fitzsimons) who was Isabella Fitzsimons (nee Ferguson).Early pioneer settlers of ElthamAntique daguerreotypes in hinged gold frame, glass encased in a small clam-shell box lined with padded red felt and with catchamelia hill, bob hill, early settlers, eltham, hill family, isaac hill, mary jane hill, mrs henry hill, mrs isaac hill, daguerreotype, georgina hill (nee reynolds), research (vic.), sepp, shire of eltham pioneers photograph collection, women, ellen hill (nee fitzsimons), isabella fitzsimons (nee ferguson)

Horse Shoes of Pony "Peter" ...These shoes are old with larger holes than those used today (2024).Shoes of Pony 'Peter' owned by Miss E. Fisher, Mongan's Bridge. First shoe 1917, Last shoe 1944Two steel horse shoes with large holes for nailing the shoe onto the pony.e. fisher, mongan's bridge, horse shoes

Pen and ink sketches accompanied by appropriate text in double page spreads. Contents cover : Blue stone bridge, Introduction, House cnr Church and Hailes Street, House - 25 Hailes Street, Yandell Reserve, Greensborough Hotel, Lobb's Kiosk, House - 49 Grimshaw Street, View of Greensborough (from Delphin Crescent), Railway Station, Old Barn (near Greensborough Railway Station), Partington's Flat and River Valley, Rand Street Bridge, Lower Main Street, Greenbriar Nursery, Hitching rail, Ashmead - Dr Cordner's Home, Greensborough Primary School, House - cnr St Helena and Diamond Creek Raods, Sondermeyer's Hill, Methodist Church, Football Pavilion, Cemetery, St Katherine's Church, St. Helena, Civic Centre, Briar Hill Timber Mill, 24 River Street, Kelly's Garden Supplies, 158 Main Street, Old Swimming pool, 105 Main Street.Hardback; 62 p. : ill., map ; 19 x 25 cm.ISBN 0909807108 Signed by author and illustrator Two copiesgreenhills, greensborough

Black and white photograph, looking from near Bridge street with D. Lyons house on right and the old Shire offices on the left in the distance.a.r warren, timber yard, bridge street, d lyons, houses, buildings, shire of eltham

Black and white photograph showing a track winding past an old gum tree towards the Trestle Bridge at Eltham in the distancepioneers and painters, bridges, eltham

Two colour photographs of Main Road, ElthamSouth between Falkiner Street and Bolton Street at the roundabout of Fitzsimons Lane, Eltham, Dec 1985Noted on 463B 'See 1934 small black and white snap of flooded bridge and the same two shops. This snap taken from same location, Dec 1985. Old Eltham Park on right of photo The two shops at left (Ansel and Muir) Road ahead crosses new bridge over the Diamond Creek, Eltham Main Road now dual highway, through Lower Plenty to this bridge'main road, eltham, eltham south, fitzsimons lane, round about, falkiner street

[from EDHS Newsletter No. 65, March, 1989:] ELTHAM HERITAGE WALK The Society's contribution to Heritage Week this year will be a guided walk around Eltham featuring a number of buildings and locations of historical and environmental interest. Three dates are listed as official Heritage Week events, Sundays 16th and 23rd April and Saturday 22nd. In addition, there will be a walk on Saturday 15th for Society Members. All walks will start at 1:00 p.m. in Panther Place near Shillinglaw Cottage. Each will take about four hours and the distance is about 5km. Old photos of locations visited will be available for viewing.Two colour photographsactivities, bridge street, eltham, heritage excursion, main road

[from EDHS Newsletter No. 65, March, 1989:] ELTHAM HERITAGE WALK The Society's contribution to Heritage Week this year will be a guided walk around Eltham featuring a number of buildings and locations of historical and environmental interest. Three dates are listed as official Heritage Week events, Sundays 16th and 23rd April and Saturday 22nd. In addition, there will be a walk on Saturday 15th for Society Members. All walks will start at 1:00 p.m. in Panther Place near Shillinglaw Cottage. Each will take about four hours and the distance is about 5km. Old photos of locations visited will be available for viewing.Colour photographactivities, bridge street, eltham, heritage excursion, main road

[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 97, July 1994:] THE WARRANDYTE MYSTERY TOUR MAY 29TH 1994 - Members of the Eltham Historical Society met at the Old Post Office, now converted into the Warrandyte Historical Museum, for a picnic lunch on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River. Interesting photographs and artefacts filled various rooms outlining the history of this area, and told tales of Aboriginal and more recent neighbours of the Eltham Shire. The weather was calm, cloudy mostly with only occasional sunny patches, but it wasn't cold, although the autumnal leaf colours had changed to wintry brown. "All Aboard" and we set off in the Warrandyte Community Bus (with the School Bus sign displayed at the rear) to learn about local places of "Pride and Joy” from Bruce our guide and Tom the driver. Almost directly opposite we entered Whipstick Gully to explore the first of the district's hidden treasures - the Victory, one of the largest of the six or so major mines, past the old quarry now used for abseiling practice. By torchlight we entered the rocky hillside and saw the seams of quartz the miners had followed in their search for gold. Stamping batteries, and there was one in this gully, converted discarded rock into 'road metal'. Warrandyte is proud to be the first declared Goldfield in 1851, and one of the longest surviving, into the 1920s. A pleasant drive across the Bridge and along Bradley's Lane to Norman's Reserve brought us to see another Tunnel at Pound Bend through which the Yarra was diverted to allow about three miles of river-bed to be used for prospecting for alluvial gold. Still on this side of the river we visited the Old Slab Hut in Castles Road. This remnant of miners' housing is preserved because it had been incorporated into a weatherboard house, and saved from the bulldozers - a last minute reprieve, for preservation, by the National Trust. Devastating bush fires have destroyed other old cottages built of wattle and daub, with bark roofs and stone fire-places. The Cairn commemorating the disclosure of Gold Discovery at Warrandyte on June 30th 1851 beside Anderson's Creek Road was our next point of historical interest. We drove on to South Warrandyte and circled back to above the ford on Anderson's Creek to the entrance of the 4th Hill Mine. Again we crept along with our torches, careful of the low roof-rock, and side shafts. At a junction in a large cavity we were able to stand, look up a long air-vent which some 'cavers' climb down, and marvel at, and experience an aspect of a miner's life. Outside we heard the same bird songs, the trills and bell-pealing, saw the same straggly eucalypts, and a silver leafed wattle in flower, native grasses and ferns, and the neat present day houses, often of Warrandyte stone, perhaps veneered only. The day ended pleasantly, seeing more of the Yarra from Everard Drive, and the water rushing out of the Tunnel at Pound Bend, before returning to afternoon tea or coffee at the Museum. A great day for all concerned - many thanks to the Organisers.Colour photographslab hut, warrandyte, "warrandyte miner's cottage"

[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 97, July 1994:] THE WARRANDYTE MYSTERY TOUR MAY 29TH 1994 - Members of the Eltham Historical Society met at the Old Post Office, now converted into the Warrandyte Historical Museum, for a picnic lunch on the sunny back verandah overlooking the shimmering Yarra River. Interesting photographs and artefacts filled various rooms outlining the history of this area, and told tales of Aboriginal and more recent neighbours of the Eltham Shire. The weather was calm, cloudy mostly with only occasional sunny patches, but it wasn't cold, although the autumnal leaf colours had changed to wintry brown. "All Aboard" and we set off in the Warrandyte Community Bus (with the School Bus sign displayed at the rear) to learn about local places of "Pride and Joy” from Bruce our guide and Tom the driver. Almost directly opposite we entered Whipstick Gully to explore the first of the district's hidden treasures - the Victory, one of the largest of the six or so major mines, past the old quarry now used for abseiling practice. By torchlight we entered the rocky hillside and saw the seams of quartz the miners had followed in their search for gold. Stamping batteries, and there was one in this gully, converted discarded rock into 'road metal'. Warrandyte is proud to be the first declared Goldfield in 1851, and one of the longest surviving, into the 1920s. A pleasant drive across the Bridge and along Bradley's Lane to Norman's Reserve brought us to see another Tunnel at Pound Bend through which the Yarra was diverted to allow about three miles of river-bed to be used for prospecting for alluvial gold. Still on this side of the river we visited the Old Slab Hut in Castles Road. This remnant of miners' housing is preserved because it had been incorporated into a weatherboard house, and saved from the bulldozers - a last minute reprieve, for preservation, by the National Trust. Devastating bush fires have destroyed other old cottages built of wattle and daub, with bark roofs and stone fire-places. The Cairn commemorating the disclosure of Gold Discovery at Warrandyte on June 30th 1851 beside Anderson's Creek Road was our next point of historical interest. We drove on to South Warrandyte and circled back to above the ford on Anderson's Creek to the entrance of the 4th Hill Mine. Again we crept along with our torches, careful of the low roof-rock, and side shafts. At a junction in a large cavity we were able to stand, look up a long air-vent which some 'cavers' climb down, and marvel at, and experience an aspect of a miner's life. Outside we heard the same bird songs, the trills and bell-pealing, saw the same straggly eucalypts, and a silver leafed wattle in flower, native grasses and ferns, and the neat present day houses, often of Warrandyte stone, perhaps veneered only. The day ended pleasantly, seeing more of the Yarra from Everard Drive, and the water rushing out of the Tunnel at Pound Bend, before returning to afternoon tea or coffee at the Museum. A great day for all concerned - many thanks to the Organisers.Two colour photographswarrandyte, activities, pound bend

[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 105, November 1995:] EXPLORING THE UPPER YARRA - We enjoyed the Spring Excursion, this year "Exploring the Upper Yarra" - in spite of the constant rain and the countryside under the cloud cover, especially in the valleys, being mainly shiny shades of green. The occasional fields of buttercups, clumps of arum lilies and splendid rhododendron and other flowering bushes became very special. The Cobb and Co coach was warm and a cosy retreat as we zig-zagged on the highways and byways to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places, and particularly the many bridges. Russell excelled as 'Poet Laureate', reading from Dacre Smyth's book. This 1979 publication includes paintings of all the bridges along the river with poems and brief descriptions of each one. Some of the bridges are in out-of-the-way places and are not very well known. We looked forward to hearing the poetry as much as seeing the 'constructions'… Big Pat (was he short or tall, lean or fat? - he did win the £200 reward for discovering gold and had the creek named after him), about the 'Eddies'?, and the disliked 'meccano' bridge in Warburton, etc. etc. The hot roast lunch in the old Reefton Hotel was also most welcome. It was easy to imagine it peopled by miners and early settlers. Starting by crossing the new (1974) concrete bridge at Warrandyte we headed through Wonga Park with views to the Christmas Hills and to the escarpment of the Yering Gorge, which causes flood waters to back up through the Yarra Glen plain, so avoiding disasters downstream. At the end of a long driveway we found the wooden, privately owned Henley Bridge (1935 after the 1934 floods). This facilitates access to different parts of Henley Farm and to Lilydale. Everard Park, named after Blanche Shallard's father, a State Member for 17 years, below the Highway Yarra crossing was in need of care. It is 10 miles from Yarra Glen by road but, as "Yarra Marra” canoeists well know, 32 winding miles down by water. After more delightful countryside scenes we joined the Warburton Highway at Woori Yallock. From the old Railway Station at Launching Place the Centennial Trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders has replaced the rails. The line from Lilydale was opened in 1901, and the last diesel freight train ran to Warburton in 1965. It continued to rain as we had morning tea in Warburton in a shelter between footbridges. From here we continued upstream past the Bridge to O'Shannassy Lodge and Reservoir, Starvation Creek, and the Peninsular tunnel (miners dug it as at Pound Bend) which we visited (scrambling down those steps!) on our return after lunch. Our furthermost point was the Upper Yarra Dam Reserve (and vast catchment area). Finished in 1957 after ten years' work and 100 years after Yan Yean, it supplies much of Melbourne's water. After crossing the 30m Launching Place Bridge to the Eltham side of the Yarra and Healesville, we saw in the distance the Yarra Glen Timber Trestle Bridge over the river flats "the longest for years in the land it was said!" Harry's dream of "better weather over the Divide" unfortunately didn't come true, but I'm sure we 36 members will retain happy memories of a day that was wet and green and filled with Bridges. Situated on the Yarra River, 5.5 kms south of Christmas Hills on private property. This timber trestle bridge is said to have been built some time after 1907 by Melbourne master-builder, David Mitchell (the father of Dame Nellie Melba), to connect his two "Henley Farm" properties with Lilydale. In earlier days, when the McPhersons owned the property, their children used a punt to cross the river to attend Yering Primary School. This private bridge is best viewed from the end of Wendy Way. - Source: Christmas Hills Past and Present, Yarra Glen & District Historical Society, 2004.Two colour photographsactivities, henley bridge, upper yarra

[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 105, November 1995:] EXPLORING THE UPPER YARRA - We enjoyed the Spring Excursion, this year "Exploring the Upper Yarra" - in spite of the constant rain and the countryside under the cloud cover, especially in the valleys, being mainly shiny shades of green. The occasional fields of buttercups, clumps of arum lilies and splendid rhododendron and other flowering bushes became very special. The Cobb and Co coach was warm and a cosy retreat as we zig-zagged on the highways and byways to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places, and particularly the many bridges. Russell excelled as 'Poet Laureate', reading from Dacre Smyth's book. This 1979 publication includes paintings of all the bridges along the river with poems and brief descriptions of each one. Some of the bridges are in out-of-the-way places and are not very well known. We looked forward to hearing the poetry as much as seeing the 'constructions'… Big Pat (was he short or tall, lean or fat? - he did win the £200 reward for discovering gold and had the creek named after him), about the 'Eddies'?, and the disliked 'meccano' bridge in Warburton, etc. etc. The hot roast lunch in the old Reefton Hotel was also most welcome. It was easy to imagine it peopled by miners and early settlers. Starting by crossing the new (1974) concrete bridge at Warrandyte we headed through Wonga Park with views to the Christmas Hills and to the escarpment of the Yering Gorge, which causes flood waters to back up through the Yarra Glen plain, so avoiding disasters downstream. At the end of a long driveway we found the wooden, privately owned Henley Bridge (1935 after the 1934 floods). This facilitates access to different parts of Henley Farm and to Lilydale. Everard Park, named after Blanche Shallard's father, a State Member for 17 years, below the Highway Yarra crossing was in need of care. It is 10 miles from Yarra Glen by road but, as "Yarra Marra” canoeists well know, 32 winding miles down by water. After more delightful countryside scenes we joined the Warburton Highway at Woori Yallock. From the old Railway Station at Launching Place the Centennial Trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders has replaced the rails. The line from Lilydale was opened in 1901, and the last diesel freight train ran to Warburton in 1965. It continued to rain as we had morning tea in Warburton in a shelter between footbridges. From here we continued upstream past the Bridge to O'Shannassy Lodge and Reservoir, Starvation Creek, and the Peninsular tunnel (miners dug it as at Pound Bend) which we visited (scrambling down those steps!) on our return after lunch. Our furthermost point was the Upper Yarra Dam Reserve (and vast catchment area). Finished in 1957 after ten years' work and 100 years after Yan Yean, it supplies much of Melbourne's water. After crossing the 30m Launching Place Bridge to the Eltham side of the Yarra and Healesville, we saw in the distance the Yarra Glen Timber Trestle Bridge over the river flats "the longest for years in the land it was said!" Harry's dream of "better weather over the Divide" unfortunately didn't come true, but I'm sure we 36 members will retain happy memories of a day that was wet and green and filled with Bridges.Two colour photographsactivities, upper yarra, upper yarra dam

[article by Bettina Woodburn in EDHS Newsletter No. 105, November 1995:] EXPLORING THE UPPER YARRA - We enjoyed the Spring Excursion, this year "Exploring the Upper Yarra" - in spite of the constant rain and the countryside under the cloud cover, especially in the valleys, being mainly shiny shades of green. The occasional fields of buttercups, clumps of arum lilies and splendid rhododendron and other flowering bushes became very special. The Cobb and Co coach was warm and a cosy retreat as we zig-zagged on the highways and byways to glimpse the Yarra River, upstream and down, its secret places, and particularly the many bridges. Russell excelled as 'Poet Laureate', reading from Dacre Smyth's book. This 1979 publication includes paintings of all the bridges along the river with poems and brief descriptions of each one. Some of the bridges are in out-of-the-way places and are not very well known. We looked forward to hearing the poetry as much as seeing the 'constructions'… Big Pat (was he short or tall, lean or fat? - he did win the £200 reward for discovering gold and had the creek named after him), about the 'Eddies'?, and the disliked 'meccano' bridge in Warburton, etc. etc. The hot roast lunch in the old Reefton Hotel was also most welcome. It was easy to imagine it peopled by miners and early settlers. Starting by crossing the new (1974) concrete bridge at Warrandyte we headed through Wonga Park with views to the Christmas Hills and to the escarpment of the Yering Gorge, which causes flood waters to back up through the Yarra Glen plain, so avoiding disasters downstream. At the end of a long driveway we found the wooden, privately owned Henley Bridge (1935 after the 1934 floods). This facilitates access to different parts of Henley Farm and to Lilydale. Everard Park, named after Blanche Shallard's father, a State Member for 17 years, below the Highway Yarra crossing was in need of care. It is 10 miles from Yarra Glen by road but, as "Yarra Marra” canoeists well know, 32 winding miles down by water. After more delightful countryside scenes we joined the Warburton Highway at Woori Yallock. From the old Railway Station at Launching Place the Centennial Trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders has replaced the rails. The line from Lilydale was opened in 1901, and the last diesel freight train ran to Warburton in 1965. It continued to rain as we had morning tea in Warburton in a shelter between footbridges. From here we continued upstream past the Bridge to O'Shannassy Lodge and Reservoir, Starvation Creek, and the Peninsular tunnel (miners dug it as at Pound Bend) which we visited (scrambling down those steps!) on our return after lunch. Our furthermost point was the Upper Yarra Dam Reserve (and vast catchment area). Finished in 1957 after ten years' work and 100 years after Yan Yean, it supplies much of Melbourne's water. After crossing the 30m Launching Place Bridge to the Eltham side of the Yarra and Healesville, we saw in the distance the Yarra Glen Timber Trestle Bridge over the river flats "the longest for years in the land it was said!" Harry's dream of "better weather over the Divide" unfortunately didn't come true, but I'm sure we 36 members will retain happy memories of a day that was wet and green and filled with Bridges.Colour photographactivities, upper yarra, henley bridge

Wilks Creek Bridge was built in 1870. It was last used for heavy vehicle traffic in 1980 and left to decay until it was demolished in 2008. The last remnants of the timber structure were destroyed in the Black Saturday bushfire of 7 February 2009. [from EDHS Newsletter No. 93, November 1993:] OTHER NEWS A small group of members represented the Society at the opening of the picnic ground at the historic Wilks Creek Bridge at Marysville. The event included the launching of a booklet by our friend Ann Thomas on the history of the bridge which was located on the old Yarra Track coaching route between Eltham and Woods Point. Ann has donated a copy of the booklet to our Society.Two colour photographsactivities, marysville, wilks creek bridge

Poor quality, blurry photographWritten on back of photograph, "Warrandyte Rd. Bridge over Mullum Creek showing stumps of old piles".

Black and white photograph. 2 copies- 1 large, 1 small.Typed below photograph, "Building the old Ringwood baths in Ringwood St. The car is in Ringwood St. and the bridge over the Mullum Creek can be seen. 1934".

Written on back of photograph, "for new bridge. Warrandyte Rd. 1986." SS0369h shows plants of Barrett's old garden.

This photograph was taken at what is now the Young’s Creek picnic area which is located on the site of an old sawmill, once owned and operated by L.E. & H. Williams, dating back to the early 1920’s. The mill was eventually sold, dismantled, and the machinery transferred to a sawmill at Cabbage Tree Creek. there are still some items of old sawmill debris. The old steam engine at the edge of the car park is the remains of the mill’s former power plant. This portable steam engine was constructed in Leiston, Suffolk, in England.This is a pictorial record of a popular recreational area in the Orbost district in the late 19th century.A black / white photograph of a wooden bridge over a creek in forest setting. There is a second copy.on back - handwritten "the Young's Creek Bridge June 1897"young's-creek-orbost bridge-young's-creek