EXPLORING THE UPPER YARRA (Newsletter No. 105, November 1995, by Bettina Woodburn) 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 two hundred pound 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'Shannasy 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. Bettina Woodburn - October 1995 Record of the Society's history of activities - Spring 1995 excursionRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 3 stripsKodak Gold 200-4shire of eltham historical society, activities, upper yarra dam, henley bridge

Streetscape evolution; prior to development of reserve for housing units and redevelopment of shops opposite Hurstbridge Railway StationRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GB 200 5096streets, heidelberg-kinglake road, hurstbridge, railway station

Streetscape evolution; prior to development of reserve for housing units and redevelopment of shops opposite Hurstbridge Railway StationRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 4 stripsKodak GB 200 5096streets, heidelberg-kinglake road, hurstbridge, milk bar, bendigo bank, railway station

General store and house built by C.R. Nicholl's in late 1925 at the same time J.N. Burgoyne built his store. Nicholl's sold the store and three allotments in York Street 1931. During the 1950s when the Moar family lived at No. 11 the grocery store was run by Cockcrofts. After Cockcrofts it was Davis and they turned it into a hardware store and timber yard at the side. [Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Reflects on the changing nature of the local street-scape and housesRoll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, york street, main road, eltham feed store, shops, 1985, general store

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093montmorency, railway station

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093mountain view road, briar hill, sherbourne road

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093fitzsimons lane, main road, eltham

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, eltham community centre

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, railway station

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, post office

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, railway station, hurstbridge coaches

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, main road, dudley street

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, main road

[Note: dated based on negatives 01791 (20 Jan 1986) as service station (in other frames on roll of film) and pricing for fuel very similar period; possibly late 1985]Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 7 stripsKodak CL 200 5093eltham, main road, shops, shopping centre, safeway store

No longer running as a chook farm. Last known as Kangachicks - see Google Streetview Image of Feb 2013 Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 3 stripsKodak CL 200 5093henley road, kangaroo ground, chook farm

Peter Conlan (via MysteryMonday website post) FEBRUARY 13, 2018 AT 12:13 PM: Photo is 32 Piper Crescent and the land to the right (behind the fenceline) is now the back of the properties at 1 to 4 Artists Hill.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 stripsKodak GB 200 5096artists hill, eltham, houses, streets

Peter Conlan (via MysteryMonday website post) FEBRUARY 13, 2018 AT 12:13 PM: Photo is 32 Piper Crescent and the land to the right (behind the fenceline) is now the back of the properties at 1 to 4 Artists Hill.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 stripsKodak GB 200 5096artists hill, eltham, houses, streets

Peter Conlan (via MysteryMonday website post) FEBRUARY 13, 2018 AT 12:13 PM: Photo is 32 Piper Crescent and the land to the right (behind the fenceline) is now the back of the properties at 1 to 4 Artists Hill.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 stripsKodak GB 200 5096artists hill, eltham, houses, streets

Peter Conlan (via MysteryMonday website post) FEBRUARY 13, 2018 AT 12:13 PM: Photo is 32 Piper Crescent and the land to the right (behind the fenceline) is now the back of the properties at 1 to 4 Artists Hill.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 strips (composite of three frames)Kodak GB 200 5096artists hill, eltham, houses, streets

Piper Crescent and Artists Hill have since been sealed and the house redeveloped. Peter Conlan (via MysteryMonday website post) FEBRUARY 13, 2018 AT 12:13 PM: The property shown is 24 Piper Crescent which still exists and has not been redeveloped. 12 Artists Hill is a new-build (c. 2001) to the left of 24 Piper.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 strips (composite of two frames)Kodak GB 200 5096artists hill, eltham, houses, streets

Piper Crescent and Artists Hill have since been sealed and the house redeveloped. Peter Conlan (via MysteryMonday website post) FEBRUARY 13, 2018 AT 12:13 PM: The property shown is 24 Piper Crescent which still exists and has not been redeveloped. 12 Artists Hill is a new-build (c. 2001) to the left of 24 Piper.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 stripsKodak GB 200 5096artists hill, eltham, houses, streets

Piper Crescent and Artists Hill have since been sealed and the house redeveloped. Peter Conlan (via MysteryMonday website post) FEBRUARY 13, 2018 AT 12:13 PM: The property shown is 24 Piper Crescent which still exists and has not been redeveloped. 12 Artists Hill is a new-build (c. 2001) to the left of 24 Piper.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 2 stripsKodak GB 200 5096artists hill, eltham, houses, streets

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road

By Nov 2007 the house adjacent to the Caltex station was up for sale; it had a new fence and the trees cut down. Between June 2014 and Sep 2016 it was demolished and 5 units built.Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road

Roll of 35mm colour negative film, 6 stripsKodak GB 200 5096ampol service station, caltex service station, lower plenty, main road