She was a guest house called "Myrtlebank" and she was a very gracious old residence in a near perfect setting, surrounded by the towering peaks of the Grampian Mountains in Victoria. She was visited by thousands in her time, many of whom returned year after year to enjoy her hospitality. I first visited her 40 years ago and she won my heart from the moment I saw her. In those days, guest houses were in their prime - motels were unheard of. To this day, I can recall the delicious meals at "Myrtlebank" with pure country cream and home grown produce featuring largely. All the guests would gather in the enormous sitting rooms warmed by huge log fires in colder weather and , in the evenings, all sorts of games would be played, charades being first favourite with young and old alike. Several days a week a bus would pick up guests, along with those from other guest houses, and surrounding areas would be visited. Mostly, though, we walked - sometimes right across behind the Wonderland Range to Mount Victory. Now, "Myrtlebank" is no more. The site where she once stood is at the bottom of the Bellfield Lake, covered forever with fathoms of water. But I and many others will always remember and love her. Letter to paper with photograph of MyrtlebankSubmitted by Mrs O. Woolcock, Tottenham Vic who won $15 prize describing accomodation for guests at Myrtlebankaccommodation, guesthouses, myrtlebank

Advertisement for Mountain Grand Halls Gap A Mangle was the proprietor Electric Light, Hot water service, Hot dinners, Week-end parties catered for Tennis Court, Bowling Green, one minute from swimming poolAdvertisement for Guest HouseAGFA quality paper made in Germanymedia, advertisements, accommodation, mountain grand

Guest house and surrounding bushMountain Grand Guest house 1952 Halls Gap Grampiansaccommodation, guesthouses, mountain grand

2 post cards and 1 photo of post cardGuest House in GrampiansTaylor Series No 14 Valentines' post card a genuine photoaccommodation, guesthouses, mountain grand

Photograph of post card of Mountain Grand Guest HouseGuest house in GrampiansThe Rose Series P 12199accommodation, guesthouses, mountain grand

Mountain Grand guest house in Autumn Guest House in Halls GapAutumn Halls Gap 87/3guesthouses, mountain grand

Appears to be older period possibly 1940s because of the age of the carGuest on verandah, car at side of Guest Houseaccommodation, guesthouses, mountain grand

Photograph of post cardUpdated railing on verandah of Guest houseThe Rose Series P 12199accommodation, guesthouses, mountain grand

For historical background, refer to "Victoria's Wonderland" pp. 60, 69-75.Photo of a newly built house (Grampians House).241c Grampians mountains accommodation, guesthouses, grampian house

On Dec.25, 1940 Sylvia Vyanna Morgan passed away. Dorothy had married Roy Warren from Myrtlebank Guest House and Thomas had married Edna Kennedy. In 1942 Nina married Arthur Mangle and in 1946 built Mountain Grand Guest House opposite Grampian House. By 1950 Morgan decided to sell Grampian House and moved to Stawell. The new owners of Grampian House were Fredrick Charles Kingston, a successful bus company operator from Stawell and his daughter Ethel May Mathews who together with her husband Des built the adjoining famous Kookaburra Cafe in 1946. Fredrick had also built a bowling green next to the cafe. In the late 1950's Grampian House Guest House was leased to several people including Mr & Mrs. Hudousek, Paul Loren and people with surname Virtue. It was during this time that the front veranda and pergola were demolished and the house modernised. Nina Mangle and her two sons Arthur & Charles purchased the property and operated it as an overflow for Mountain Grand Guest House. Well known artist Neil Douglas operated a studio on the premises and Horsham identities Evan and Barbara Mackley housed a museum of furniture and artefacts on the site. Advertisement and photo of Grampian House. accommodation, guesthouses, accommodation, grampian house

Popular Grampian Mountains (The Blue Mountains of Victoria) Saturday, 1st April, 1922 at 12 o'clock On the property Halls Gap, 17 miles from Stawell Mitchell Bros & White under instructions from the Administrator of Lulu Barnes, deceased, and Mr A. H. Barnes, will offer by public auction on the property, the well known Tourist Accomodation (sic) House, "Killarney" together with 29 acres of freehold land, household furniture, stock, vehicles and sundries. The buildings consist main building of 8 rooms, kitchen, bathroom, vestibule, front and side passages, with verandah on front and side of building, also 3 roomed cottage with bathroom, 5 chalets containing 7 bedrooms, storeroom. wash house, water and gas laid on throughout. 4 cars, cow sheds, yards, pens, and sundry outbuildings. The furniture is all in first class order, consisting of beds and bedding for 30 visitors. Carl Ecko piano, splendid instrument; overmantle (sic) suites of furniture, extension tables, card tables, book case, sideboard, cupboards, dining table and chairs, linoleums, mats, wardrobes, duchess-chests, washstands and ware, curtains, pictures, ornaments, iron safe, kitchen tables, chairs, stove, separator, copper, large assortment of glassware, crockery, cutlery, kitchen utensils, and everything necessary for running the house. Rolling stock and C, consisting of 5 buggy and saddle ponies, 2 milch (sic) cows, 4 head young cattle, 3 pigs, 30 fowls, single seated hooded rubber tyred buggy, nearly new, 2 seated drag, carry seven, in good order; double seated buggy, gig, waggonette (sic), carry one ton; lorry, spring dray, double furrow disc plough, garden plow (sic), roller, garden roller. 6 saddles and bridles, almost new, large quantity of heavy and light harness, swing bars, chains, and numerous sundries. NOTE - The property will be offered with furniture, rolling stock & c., as a going concern at 12 o'clock sharp; and if not sold the furniture, stock, & C., will be offered TERMS AT SALE. MITCHELL BROS. & WHITE. AuctioneersTyped extract of advertisement for auction of Killarney from Stawell News 25-3-1922 later known as Grampians Housemedia, newspaper articles, guesthouses, killarney

This is a photo of Chatauqua Peak, which is named after the Chautauquans, who held summer camps in Halls Gap in the 1890sA photo of bushland with rocky mountain rising behindscenery, grampians ranges

Bee-hives in front of a shed in the Cherrypool area. The second (transparency) copy is No. 242 in the slide box.The photo shows bee-hives in front of a shed in a cleared area surrounded by eucalyptus trees. The faint outline of high mountains can bee seen in the background.misc industries, bee-keeping, scenery, cherrypool

The photo was taken by Gilbert Rogers, a well known local photographer. Note that the inscription says MacKenzie Fall with no "s".A photo of a large waterfall (MacKenzie Falls) taken from the lower right side."MacKenzie's Fall. Grampians Mountains. 306 J" inscribed on lower left of photo. "Rogers" inscribed on lower right of photo.scenery, mackenzie falls

The bowling green at Halls Gap.This photo is of a bowling green with a mountain range in the background. The green has a low wooden slat fence. There is a sign (" Notice, Bowling Green, Fee 2/-, Pay at Cafe, Bowls Supplied") over a wrought iron & mesh gate. A man and two children stand inside the fence to the right of the gate. A shelter can be seen at the rear of the green. The edge of a house and outbuildings can be seen on the right. A cleared area and footpath can be seen in the foreground.recreation, sport

A photo of the Comfort Station in the Halls Gap Picnic and Camping Reserve.The photo shows a wood and stone building at the rear of a clearing with a large eucalyptus tree growing close to the front of it. In the background is heavy bush. A tent or large cloth can be seen on the right beside a large tree stump.buildings, mountain grand

Location unknown.The photo is of a sandy track in the foreground with thick bush and mountain range in the background.scenery, grampians ranges

The first Wildflower Show was held in 1937. Grant Greenwood, the local school teacher, persuaded the Progress Association to hold a flower show and after its success it was decided to make it an annual event. The name for the show has varied over the years.The photo is of a "First Prize" certificate for the Best Collection of Orchids from the 1937 Grampian Mountain Wildflower and Nature Show.Grampian Mountain Wildflower and Nature Show. Amy Johnson, 1937, First Prize, Section Best Collection of Orchids, Schedule No 15, G. W. Greenwood, Hon. Sec.events, wildflower show

The first Wildflower Show was held in 1937. Grant Greenwood, the local school teacher, persuaded the Progress Association to hold a flower show and after its success it was decided to make it an annual event. The name for the show has varied over the years.A blue "First Prize" certificate (uncompleted) from the 1937 Grampian Mountain Wildflower and Nature Show.Grampian Mountain Wildflower and Nature Show, 1937, First Prize, Name .........., Section ............., Schedule No ............, W. E. Warren, Org. Sec.events, wildflower show

This is a photo of the opening of the new Halls Gap School in 1927. The man on the chair with a walking stick is Dr. Fox.The photo shows a group of ten men, fifteen women, twenty two children (including one toddler) and one toddler in arms, posing outside a wooden building with a water tank on the left side. The four adults on the right are sitting/leaning on two benches. A sign on the side of the building reads "Halls Gap School 3058". There are large trees and a mountain range in the background.education, halls gap

This is a photo taken at the Halls Gap School picnic.Group photo of twenty-five men, twenty women and eight children posed in a clearing. There are large trees and a mountain range in the background.water supplies, halls gap, tunnel, picnics

This is a photo of a lithograph by Eugene von Guerard (1811-1901), "Source of the Wannon", circa 1866-1868. The peaks in the distance are Mr Abrupt and Signal Peak.This is a photo of a lithograph. It is a stylised view of a mountain range with sharp rocky peaks with a valley through the centre. A river meanders down the valley. There are eucalyptus trees in the foreground and two figures can be seen in the left foreground.Photo printers stamp in back is "H/GAP0007 NNNAA"painting, landscape

This is a photo of a painting by Nicholas Chevalier (1828-1902). The painting is "Mt Abrupt, Grampians", circa 1864, oil on canvas, 46.0 x 61.0 cm (held in a private collection, London).This is a photo of a painting. It shows a stylised view of a mountain with a further peak behind it. The front of the peaks have high, rock cliffs. In the foreground there is an aboriginal camp, including a shelter with two people sitting in it, two people and two dogs sitting outside on the grass and a camp fire between them and the hut.painting, landscape

One of the first prize certificates for the 1937 Wildflower Show. It has sections for the Name, Section and Schedule No. and is issued by W. E. Warren, Org. Sec.A blue, blank, certificate for "First Prize" for the Grampian Mountain Wildflower and Nature Show 1937 .see Image & Additional/Historical Info infoevents, wildflower show

The Halls Gap store built by Jack Hemley. First Hemley's, then McIntosh's, then Taylor's and now (2010) Ralphy's.Photo shows a building with a Store & Cafe" sign on the roof. Alongside, to the right of the photo, is a petrol station with two pumps and another building next to that. A woman is walking in the centre foreground. The buildings are surrounded by trees and a mountain range can bee seen in the background.buildings, shops

Blank Second Prize Certificate for the Grampian Mountain Wildflower and Nature Show 1937. Includes space for Name, Section and Schedule No. to be filled in. Issued by W. E. Warren, Org. Sec. ** Second "copy" is also an original.A pink coloured, blank, certificate for "Second Prize" in the Grampian Mountain Wildflower and Nature Show 1937.see scanned pictureevents, wildflower show

Photo is of Delley's home with the " Watchtower�" in the background. Further information see "Bridging The Gap" p13-14,17,22,54. Records 544 & 545 are enlarged portions of this photo.Photo shows old house to right side of photo. There are two chimneys and the lower half of the house is obscured by a stick fence and undergrowth. The mountain range can be seen faintly in the distance. A dead tree can be seen middle foreground. buildings, houses

c Early 1900's. Borough Huts were originally used to house the workers for the Stawell Water Supply system, later used for holiday accommodation. For Further information see " Victoria's Wonderland p37,63,79-80,93,107.Four people sitting in a dray, two men in the front and two ladies in the back. Two horses are in the traces. They are in front of a weather board building with a galvanised iron roof, a veranda runs along the front of the building. Tall gum trees are behind the building, a mountain range can be seen vaguely in the background.water supplies, borough huts, buildings, shops

This is a photo of Mason's house, on the road to Ladysmith in the Mt William gold fields.The photo appears to have been taken on a foggy day. It shows an unsealed road flanked by a few gum trees and with a ditch containing water on the left. On the right in the middle distance there is a house with a twin pitched roof and a veranda at the front. In the distance on the road is a vehicle and what appears to be a few people. The are mountains in the far background.buildings, houses

See History Walk Brochure.A group of men playing bowls. There are 7 men on the bowling green with one actually bowling. A white picket fence is in the distance. The words "Grampians Bowling" are painted on the fence. A mountain range is in the background.recreation, lawn bowling